Sputnik Sweetheart

"Why do people have to be this lonely? What's the point of it all? Millions of people in the world, all of them yearning, looking for others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the Earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?"

- Sputnik Sweetheart

What is it about Murakami's books that I become completely tongue-tied every time I read them? Is it the story? Or is it the way he weaves the characters and the story? Or is it the prose? This would probably remain a mystery to me.

I picked up Sputnik Sweetheart as my second read for the Pride readathon. I don't know if my mediocre writing could do justice to this book but I'll try anyway.

22-year-old Sumire is in love with Miu, who is 17 years older than her. The differences between them are worlds apart. Miu is glamourous and successful whereas Sumire is a college dropout who aims to become a writer someday. One day, Sumire vanishes out of blue.

What I found so interesting right off the bat is the narrative POV. We'd think the narration would be from a supposed protagonist but no, in this book, the story is narrated by K, best friend of Sumire. The writing in this book, God, the writing is so amazing. Murakami's writing seems easy but feels like poetry because of its captivating plot, characters and storyline. It captivated my heart and soul.

There are some paradoxes in Murakami's books. Alright, these could be completely subjective and I might sound insane but whatever, might as well get this off my chest. The characters in his books- while they are relatable as they'd be portrayed so realistically, so humanly, they'd still be kind of out of reach in a way where you can't relate to them. Sometimes, it's like I understand the characters but at the same time, I dont. The writing, though it's very easy to understand still grasped my mind with unrelenting questions. It's hard to talk about this book without giving any spoilers.

 "I have this strange feeling that I'm not myself anymore. It's hard to put into words, but I guess it's like I was fast asleep, and someone came, disassembled me, and hurriedly put me back together again. That sort of feeling."

- Miu, Sputnik Sweetheart.

The concept of alienation from our own body, Miu thinks she is split between two worlds after the incident that took place in the Ferris wheel. Sumire, though she still is involved in the world feels detached from herself as she loses her spark for writing.

Though the book was a quick read, understanding this took quite a lot of time. No one can weave a story with magical realism quite like Murakami. I won't change my mind on this. The endings of his books would always be a mystery to me. I guess those endings are his signature mark. You'd be left with a bunch of scenarios that are purely conjectures. This sort of confusion has grown on me and I think, I've started to like it too. If you still doubt whether I would recommend this book or not, I'd suggest reading my rant again.