Kafka on the Shore sparkled a lot of comments and open dialogues due to the odd "metaphysical" philosophical atmosphere dominant in the novel. The main theme of the novel is built against a background that mixes music, literature, philosophy and the Arabian Nights together.

Murakami's eerie fairy- tale environment is revealed by on old man with the ability to talk to cats; fish and leeches rain from the sky , soldiers still sheltering in the woods since World War II and a magic stone that could lead either to the destruction or the salvation of the world. On the other hand, the novel unveils simple atmosphere that celebrates the beauty of life and defends life it self - This atmosphere is depicted in two sub-plots that run in two parallel but intersecting directions. On one hand, an old man in search of his lost half shadow, and a 15 - year old boy running away from his wicked parent on the other. Between these two sub-plots lie several worlds, cities, people and semi - legendary adventures that all pivot around the search for love, the logic of death and the value of memories.

Murakami's novel urges readers to speculate on life, and even more entices them to change life or to change themselves within life and then to set off in pursuit of their lost compasses.

"Reading Murakami is a striking experience in consciousness expansion. This new book is a fine place to begin exploring Murakami's world, which is our own, with a few major surprises."
Chicago Tribune- Alan Cheuse

"How Murakami renders such a bewildering story so compelling, and so touching, is a testament to his genius. As always with his fiction, part of the exhilaration comes from the feeling that the author had no more idea of where he might be headed when he was writing the book than readers have while reading it."
The Globe And Mail - Charles Foran

"This novel is Murakami's most addictive fix to date."
The Independent - Matt Thorne

"While anyone can tell a story that resembles a dream, it's the rare artist, like this one, who can make us feel that we are dreaming it ourselves."
The New York Times Book Review - Laura Miller

"The fun and drama of Murakami's storytelling is that you are never quite certain where those dreams end and where reality begins. His singular skill as a novelist lies in creating hallucinatory landscapes in which everything has an internal logic and much has the cool erotic intensity of fantasy."
The Guardian - Tim Adams

Haruki Murakami (born January 12, 1949) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. His work has been described by the Virginia Quarterly Review as "easily accessible, yet profoundly complex". His father was the son of a Buddhist priest; his mother was the daughter of an Osaka merchant. Both taught Japanese literature. Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music and literature. He grew up reading a range of works by American writers such as Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan, and he is often distinguished from other Japanese writers for his Western influences. Japanese literature often puts emphasis on beautiful language, which can result in stiff, restricted composition, while Murakami's style is relatively free and fluid. Murakami studied theater arts at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he met his wife, Yoko.

Iman Herzallah
Born in Al Jeeza, Egypt, in 1979
BA in English Literature

Iman Herzallah studied translation and has worked for a range of NGOs including the Egyptian Human Rights Association. She has translated many works related to her area of specialism. She translated Kafka on the Shore, having greatly enjoyed reading it.

About the reviewer

Samer Abu Hawash
Born in Lebanon in 1972, a writer and translator, published numerous poetry books among which are "Tahiyat Al Rajul Al Muhtaram" "A tribute to the Respectful Man"; and "Shajaratan A'ala Al Sateh" "tow trees on the roof". In addition, he wrote two novels "Al Sa'adah" "Happiness"; and "Eid il a'aushaq" "The Lovers' Day". His translations include : "On the Way" by "Jack Kerouac", "The Life of Pi", by Yann Martell, and "Buddha in Suburbia" by Hannif Kureishi.

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