71 pages • 2 hours read
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
480
Novel • Fiction
Japan • Contemporary
2002
Adult
18+ years
Kafka on the Shore follows the journey of Kafka Tamura, a fifteen-year-old runaway who leaves Tokyo to escape a curse and finds refuge in a library in Takamatsu, where he encounters Oshima and Miss Saeki. Simultaneously, Nakata, an older man with unique abilities resulting from a childhood accident, embarks on a parallel quest that intersects with Kafka's fate, involving mystical events and introspective discoveries. Themes include violence and incest.
Mysterious
Contemplative
Melancholic
Fantastical
510,634 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore melds surreal elements with a coming-of-age narrative, offering readers a rich, layered experience. Praised for its imaginative storytelling and profound themes, some find its ambiguity and complexity challenging. The novel's dreamlike quality captivates many, while a few readers feel disconnected from its abstract nature.
A reader captivated by Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami likely enjoys surreal, thought-provoking narratives with rich, metaphysical undercurrents. Comparable to fans of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez or The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami himself, they appreciate complex characters and intertwining plotlines.
510,634 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
The Boy Named Crow
An enigmatic figure seen by Kafka as both a guardian and conscience, who advises him throughout his journey.
Satoru Nakata
A kind and intuitive elderly man with a unique ability who is drawn into Kafka's story through a search for lost cats.
Sakura
A young woman who befriends Kafka during his journey, offering him support and possibly having deeper familial connections.
Oshima
A knowledgeable and caring transgender gay man who works at a library and provides Kafka with guidance and refuge.
Miss Saeki
The library director with a mysterious past who forms a symbolic and personal connection with Kafka.
Hoshino
A young truck driver who assists Nakata on his journey, developing a deeper understanding of himself in the process.
Johnnie Walker
A sinister non-corporeal entity who captures cat souls and poses a threat to characters, particularly Nakata.
Colonel Sanders
A non-corporeal being in the form of the fried chicken mascot who provides necessary assistance to Hoshino and Nakata.
Koichi Tamura
Kafka's father, a famous sculptor known for creating labyrinthine themes in his work, with a profound impact on Kafka's life.
480
Novel • Fiction
Japan • Contemporary
2002
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.