Nearly 20 years ago I started university and vowed to right a wrong: despite taking English Literature at school, I wasn’t a reader - computer games had ousted my early promise and passion born from eagerly making my way through the Mr Men books, Roald Dahl and The Chronicles of Narnia. For 8 years I had regrettably read very little and so, into Waterstones bookshop I strode, determined to buy a book that symbolised the studious art student I wanted to be now, ready to begin the next chapter of his life! And this was what I chose! (Make of that what you will).

I’ve come/read a long way since then and admittedly I think Murakami came a little bit too soon this first time round for my appreciation. Therefore it has been refreshing to listen to this book anew from a more informed and well read position.

Wild Sheep Chase pretty much does exactly what it says on the tin (like Ronseal). A stereotypical Murakami male lead (reserved, passive, reflective) is given the task/ultimatum by a stereotypical Murakami mysterious character (villain?) to find a sheep printed on an advert that his company once printed. Aided by a stereotypical Murakami female character with kooky characteristics (aphrodisiac ears) and after an adequate amount of deliberation, he sets out on his quest. In the process, he examines the very essence of himself, his life, his choices and what he has become.

I’ve read enough Murakami now for the magic to have worn off but have genuinely loved some of his books along the way (Norwegian Wood, Hard Boiled Wonderland, Kafka, Wind-Up Bird). The criticism of his work is hard to ignore (set character-types, poorly written/envisaged females) and although I still enjoy his work, my impression is undoubtedly tainted. Nevertheless, I think ‘A Wild Sheep Chase’ is a decent book and I got a lot more from it than 21 year old me ever did. Furthermore, it was definitely refreshing to revisit one of his older works, bringing sentimental and melancholic memories of reading him in his pomp.

For me, A Wild Sheep Chase was predominantly a book about change - how people react to change, the difficulties which come from trying to resist (for it is inevitable) and the new experiences it gives if accepted. The narrative is littered with those who accept and resist, even Japan itself embodies the theme in the form of a town languishing at the end of a rail route with very little to inspire visitors to come there. And from these examples, Murakami offers reflections on stagnation, holding on to the past, of not letting go, being too scared to try something different but likewise the invigorating experiences that come from being open to the unknown. It had a transformative feel despite it being quite dark in parts (namely conversations with the rat) and successfully entertained along the way. If we were to sort Murakami titles into two piles of good and bad, A Wild Sheep Chase would comfortably be in the good pile. ( )

Maagiline lammas, jumala telefoninumber ja vastupandamatult erootilised kõrvad
Pärast “Kafka mererannas” vapustavalt positiivset lugemiskogemust eelmisel aastal olen silmad Murakami muude asjade suhtes lahti hoidnud. Järgmisena sattus mulle ette “Wild Sheep Chase”. Ja tõesti – kui eesti keeles ilmunud “Norra metsa” ja “Kafka” puhul on pidevalt rõhutatud, kui erinevad need raamatud on, siis WSC läheb minu jaoks vähemalt “Kafkaga” samasse klassi – see müstiline, voolav, kummalisi tegelasi ja süžeepöördeid täis teos on jäägitult köitev. Erinevalt kahest eelmisest eesti keeles loetud teosest tajusin ma selles ka esmakordselt tempo erinevust – lugu voolab kohati väga aeglaselt, on paljude kurvide ja käändudega. Kuid see ei muuda lugemist sugugi igavaks, lausa vastupidi, sest sügavate tumedate võrendike pinna all varitsevad kummalised olendid/märgid, kellest päris mitme olulisust loo jaoks pole võimalik näha enne, kui oled lõppu jõudnud.
WSC lõpetab Murakami nn Roti-triloogia (esimene “Hear the Wind Sing”, teine “Pinball”, mõlemad 1973) ja seda peetakse tema nn läbimurdeteoseks. Pole ka raske mõista, miks. WSC-d võiks teatud mööndustega pidada korraga nii road-novel’iks, krimkaks, fantaasiateoseks kui filosoofiliseks mõtiskluseks pärastsõjaaegse Jaapani ühiskonna üle. Aga hoolimata sellest, et tegemist on väga mitmekihilise allegooriaga, on lugu tegelikult väga lihtne – see on lugu mehest, kes on üdini keskpärane ja kes triivib sihitult läbi elu. Kõik muutub, kui ta avaldab ühes reklaambrošüüris illustratsioonina Roti-nimelise sõbra poolt saadetud suvalise foto mäenõlval söövast lambakarjast. Järgnevas sunnitud retkes läbi Jaapani (kadunud sõbra ja üheainsa väga konkreetse müstilise lamba otsingul) põimib Murakami täiesti geniaalselt kokku kõige igavama igapäevase elu, Jaapani ajaloo, ülikummalised inimesed ja müstilised olendid ning juhtimised, mis ometi klapivad omavahel vähimagi ebakõlata – on võimatu mõelda, et lugu võiks toimida kuidagi teisti. Raamat moodustab võimatu terviku, mis on ometi ainuvõimalik. Ja nagu juba öeldud – viimased killud langevad paika alles päris viimastes peatükkides.
Kirsiks koogi peal on muidugi Murakami kirjutamisstiil ja suutlikkus anda edasi meeleolusid, kirjeldada paiku ja eelkõige nende õhkkonda, anda edasi seda tabamatut miskit, mis teeb paikadest selle, mis need on. Elavaks ja isikupäraseks on raamatus saanud isegi pimedus ja vaikus, tuulest ja maast rääkimata.
( )

My second Japanese author, though I will not visit Murakami again. The book was strange and slow, like an early David Lynch film. I won't say it was directionless, because it ended reasonably, but it was life-like, which is to say boring and poorly paced. The only value was the ear-fetish: I should start paying more attention to them now.
This was a recommendation by the way... ( )

Very enjoyable. Surprisingly funny. The mystery is solved but the "big so what" is weaker. The ending was a little…unemotional.

Good straight-forward Murakami. A little less labyrinthine, perhaps not quite so assured, but as it's such an early one that's understandable. If new to Murakami, I think you'd do better starting with one of his later novels. This one is good, but it feels a little less distinctive than his later books. ( )