2014 Reading Challenge: Book Review of After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

When I launched the 2014 Reading Challenge last January, Ms. Ledesma, one of our staff in school was one of the more excited readers to join in. She has finished two books so far and here is her review of After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

 

After The Quake: Stories  

Haruki Murakami 

What's not to love about Murakami? He is such a skilled writer when it when it comes to using a clean writing style to weave elaborate tales. 'After the Quake', Murakami's collection of six short stories about six lives right after the 1995 Kobe earthquake is no exception to his other books. 

He has a way of letting his words work so that they dance in your head and make your heart burn brighter with every page-turn. I would have been happy to have seen each story go on and turn into a full-fledged novel. All, that is, except for 'Honeypie', the last story in the book which ends at just the perfect moment and leaves you satiated.  

If you're looking for a nice weekend read, I recommend grabbing this one. I'm glad a student suggested it for my reading challenge. 

The book was recommended to her by a senior student. 

My Book List for the 2014 Reading Challenge

As for my 2014 Reading Challenge update, I have not started with Bag of Bones yet for I am still reading Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson. Then there's Attachment by Rainbow Rowell. Ah, so many books so little time to read! 

But, here's my reading list for the remaining months of the year. Thank you to students who recommended these titles. I am bent to read the books in the library's collection.

1. Bag of Bones 

2. Code Name Verity 

3. Allegiant 

4. Divergent Trilogy

5. Tikim 

6. The Elegance of the Hedgehog 

7. The Lazy Intellectual 

8. Kafka on the Shore 

9. When You Reach Me 

10. Born On a Blue Day 

11. Gourmet Rhapsody 

12. Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist 

Will publish my reviews as I finish one book at a time. 

Update on the 2014 Reading Challenge

One of the four teachers participating in the 2014 Reading Challenge has turned in her book review. 

The Elegance of the Hedgehogby Muriel Barbery 

I had heard about this book quite a bit in the past, so I was quite happy to have pulled it out of my book "can" before the long weekend.  

I have to admit, it took me a while to warm up to this story of a young girl and a concierge who live in a luxurious apartment building in Paris. I initially found both protagonists pretentious and perfect dictionary examples of reverse snobs.  

There was a bit of decent philosophical discussion happening in between their stories, which will make for fun pondering if you're into TOK. But otherwise, I only only began to enjoy this book when their mysterious Japanese neighbour arrives and you see another side to both women.  

The chapters are as light as a freshly baked croissant and are easily read over a plane ride or before visiting your dreams at night. It's also the kind of story that makes for fun discussions with others who've read it as well. 

As for me, I still have to read Bag of Bones by Stephen King as recommended by a grade 12 student. I'm in between two books now (on top of writing projects and library advocacy duties, I push myself to read fiction) so, I'll finish both then move on to Bag of Bones. To fulfill my promise, here's what the library is giving away for students who recommended books and for teachers who wrote a book review.