Rating: 
Summary: This emperor has no clothes
Review: I can't fathom how this book could rate so many 5-star reviews. It was a nicely-wrapped bit of soft-porn fluff. It reminded me of another prettily-packaged piece of cotton candy from 5 years ago, The Bridges of Madison County. I felt the story line was weak and unrealistic (obsessed by a friend from 7th grade? Hey, buddy boy, get a life!), the writing style -- or translation -- incredibly juvenile, all of which led to a non-ending. Having read these reviews before buying the book, I truly anticipated a great reading experience. But, at least in this case, a good thing did not come in a small package.
Rating: 
Summary: Amusing but Slight
Review: "South of the Border, West of the Sun" is a slight story about an aimless, Tokyo-dwelling man who formed a prepubescent romantic bond with a fellow only child named Shimamoto, lost touch with her when his family moved away, had a string of girlfriends in high school and college, married a woman he loves but feels unsatisfied with on a deeper level, suddenly begins to encounter Shimamoto again in a series of haunting, rainy encounters in a jazz bar he owns, then must unravel the mysteries surrounding the strange circumstances of her background, decide whether to leave his wife for her or not, and uncover the life-or-death struggle symbolized by his decision to reject or accept her as his lover. The narrator makes the right choice in the end, though the tone of the novel's closing is too pat and unconvincing. The book is far more realistic, conventional, and modest than all of Murakami's other novels published in English; at 213 small, lightning-quick pages, it feels more like an outtake from "The Elephant Vanishes" that was too extensive to include as a short story in that volume. The prose is fluid and clear, if filled with cliches (though that could be a translation problem). An amusing hour-and-a-half read for his fans; I wouldn't make this my first Murakami book.
Rating: 
Summary: Finally a translator has gotten Murakami right!
Review: Three cheers for Philip Gabriel and his translation of South of the Border! In this volume the English reader has finally been presented with a translation of Murakami that grooves in Murakami's complex time signature. Murakami is a sort of Charlie Parker meets Billie Holiday on the page, riffing in complex rhythms in a voice roughened by too much experience. Here at last the fragmented sentences, the significant pauses, the vivid imagery and the Western influences of Murakami's writing are given full expression. As a fellow translator, I applaud Mr. Gabriel's work and can only hope that there will be more of it. As a fan of literature, I thank Mr. Murakami for another wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: Seldom are the layers of emotion uncovered with such beauty
Review: Murakami is a master at bringing out mundane observations of everyday life while rendering such exquisite and melancholy sensuality to each emotion. The depth of emotions in his characters are wide-ranging and penetrating at the same time. After reading Murakami, one becomes addicted to his way of perception---at once witty and self-deprecating. This is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Murakami is wonderful
Review: Another fantastic and wonderful book by Haruki Murakami. Not the best of his works, and to be fair, it did seem a little stiff in places (compared to his other stuff). Still, this is a great book. Its amazing how effortlessly Murakami's multi-layered concepts flow into words and ideas that jump off the page.
Rating:
Summary: There are few writers who speak so directly and naturally.
Review: This is the second masterpiece I've read (Wind-Up Bird Chronicle) by this great writer. It is uncanny how his writing can get into your head and cause you to think and re-assess your own life experience. I look forward to reading all his other works.
Rating:
Summary: dark, moody but still compelling
Review: after the brilliant and sprawling 'wind up bird' it's kind of nice to see murakami return to a more compact form. the language is a bit stiff, and is certainly lacking the loopy observations and much of the irony readers are used to.but i couldn't put it down- murakami as always draws me in and won't let go. this dark, mysterious little novel feels less international- there's distinct japanese flavor to it. in places it's almost like a modern no play. the ending is wonderful- so many questions, no real answers, just some hope.
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging and Romantic, but the trnslation was very stiff
Review: I have always believed that Alfred Birnbaum was by far the finest translator for Murakami. He seems to understand Murakami's humor, structure, and sensitivity. Philip Gabriel is lost. The awkward structure and lack of the humor is an injustice to one of Murakami's darkest novels. Please Mr. Murakami, bring Alfred Birnbaum back. ps. reissue Norwegian Wood in the US.
Rating:
Summary: Spare prose tells deep story of relationships/responsibility
Review: Many levels to this deceptively simple book, but the one that stayed with me was the story of redemption of the hero. The pain he can inflict on others through satisfying his own desires comes back to haunt him. Reminiscent of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, but deeper and more somber. It was hard to disengage from this story once I began to read it.
Rating:
Summary: Stop Philip Gabriel before he translates again!
Review: South of the Border, West of the Sun is one of Murakami's better works. It's not nearly as good as Dance Dance Dance or Hard Boiled Wonderland, however, it could have been better than Wind Up Bird Chronicle, if not for one thing. The abysmal translation by Philip Gabriel. Alfred Birnbaum was the best of the 3 main translators of Murakami's work, and Jay Rubin didn't do a bad job himself. With Birnbaum, the book could have concievably been written as you read it; originally in English, for the way he handled it. With Rubin, you could tell that it was originally from the Japanese, but it wasn't entirely noticable, and was easily overlooked. Gabriel, on the other hand uses awkward slang and very stiff translations to make sure that you KNOW that this was NOT written in English, and that the original language, was indeed Japanese. If only South of the Border, West of the Sun had been translated by Birnbaum, or even Rubin, and this book would have been among Murakami's best.
|
