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Book Review of After Dark

After Dark
After Dark
Author: Haruki Murakami
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Substores
Book Type: Hardcover
althea avatar reviewed on + 774 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


A dreamlike book, written extremely visually, almost like a screenplay, and of an equivalent length. (short)

Taking place over the course of one night in Tokyo, it follows a young woman, Mari, who has decided to stay out all night. A young man, Tetsuya, sees her sitting in a coffeeshop and introduces himself, reminding her that he met her once, on a double-date with Mari's sister. From this chance encounter, Murakami draws out an enigmatic but insightful glimpse into the lives and dramas of Tokyo's late night denizens, from workers at love hotels and late-night offices to mobsters and others... intercut with scenes of Mari's beautiful model sister, asleep but seemingly drawn into a mysterious and sinister place.

Not, perhaps, a major work, but very well done.