After Dark - Review

For some reason, I have never heard of Murakami until recently. After the author of The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World recommended him as his favorite, references to his work started popping up in other places. I decided to give him a try with a recent novel, After Dark, that is shorter than his other works, and I wasn't disappointed. 

The story and dialogue are near perfect and will take you into the story right away. While the basic elements of the novel are very well done, there are two unique elements that really make this work stand out. First, the story is told in one night. Each chapter is simply a new time, and we stay with the characters as the night passes. The other element that is unique is the point of view. Murakami takes time to explain what angle the reader enter the scene and controls each view. Rather than removing the reader from the novel, it draws the reader in. Reading this book is a lot like watching a movie, and I have never read a book that handles perspective in this way.

Bottom line is that this is a good read that is unlike anything you have read before. Recommended for leisure and as a good example of unique storytelling.