Review of 'Haruki Murakami Collection 3 Books Set' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Quite memorable and interesting stories, except for the last one "Men Without Women" which was rather terrible. Probably the strongest of Murakamis short story collections which typically tends to be rather bland and quickly forgotten. This one carried some unique texts, for instance the reverse Metamorphosis. The idea in itself felt a little basic but it actually worked out pretty well and ended up being an enjoyable surreal read. The other stories, while not quite as strange and Kafkaesque, all contained some of their own high points. After reading 20+ works by Murakami, I have low expectations on his ability to portrait women, and to write non-cringe sex scenes. This collection did however exceed my expectations in this regard, but only by very little. These are still the weakest points. Over time I've learned to disregard these aspects and enjoy the rest, so this collection might not be for everyone.