A Wild Sheep Chase (1982, 1989) is the final book in the ‘Trilogy of the Rat,’ marking an explosive end to his journey of self-discovery. Haruki Murakami continues his upward trend in this book, improving every facet of his writing: from his prose, themes, and to his subject. AWSC is bigger than his first two novels, resembling the stories he would write later on in his career. Murakami really starts flexing his philosophical muscles with this book, commenting on the human condition and the inevitability of progress.
Simplistic without being bland, Murakami has perfected his pared-back writing style.
Conversational and descriptive, his writing paints a clear picture in the reader’s mind. Readers glean as much information from what isn’t said and from what is. Bordering on a detective novel, Murakami puts the reader in the driver’s seat and has them take part in the unfolding mystery.
The backbone of any foreign-language book, as I outlined in my previous reviews, is a good translator. Alfred Birnbaum provides the English translation once again for AWSC, ensuring Murakami’s simplistic prose flows without obstruction. Birnbaum has plied his tried some of my favourite Murakami books, and one that I am especially excited to read right after this AWSC.
When I first read AWSC a little over four years ago, I did not like it. Having read some of his later works before it, I thought his third was boring and slow. Nothing about it stood out to me at the time. I thought it dragged a little in places. Quiet and contemplative, Chase is one of Murakami’s more philosophical novels, carrying much more weight than the two that preceded it. The story and overall plot are more fleshed out, showcasing how confident Murakami has become. The story is based on a web of interconnecting threads that were plotted decades ago. All it takes is one man strong, or should I say weak, enough to undo those generations of work.
Four characters show up again in this novel, but only two of them make a lasting impression on the story. J and the Rat’s older girlfriend play a guest role in the story, helping the Rat sew up loose ends.
Murakami includes the unnamed protagonist from his previous two novels. But instead of sharing the limelight with the Rat, the unnamed man takes front and centre, with readers experiencing the story from his perspective. Five or so years have passed since we last caught up with him. Besides marrying and divorcing a woman all in the elapsed time, not that much has changed in his life. On the brink of his 30th birthday, he is at another crossroad in his life. The small translating firm he set up with his friend from university has grown into a thriving advertising firm, taking on more work and increasing their profits. While his partner has certainly enjoyed the fruits of their labour – buying a house and putting his two children into private school – the unnamed man leads a largely anonymous life. Even with all the success, he is unfulfilled. Something is missing from his life. It is almost like he is stuck in time, having not made any great steps forward since the second book in the trilogy. With no real drive or purpose to speak of, our protagonist simply moves from day to day. This detachment from life and refusal to change is put on display when he returns home for the first time in years. Change is a key theme in Murakami’s writing, with many of his books exploring it at length. Whether it is for good or for bad, Murakami teaches us that we can’t outrun change.
The tide of progress has swept through the seaside town. The once picturesque landscape he enjoyed in his youth has been obstructed by high-rises and other housing developments. Change is an inevitable fact life, with nothing ever being as it once was, no matter how hard we try. But in all this time, the man is largely unchanged. While the years have certainly gone through him, he is largely the same person: with no growth or development to speak of. He does not value or ascribe meaning to anything. He is willing to give up the business he spent years building at the drop of the hat. An old girlfriend of his described sleeping in the same bed as him as like being alone. This detachment and lack of interest is what ultimately led to his divorce. While he does show some emotion at the end of the book, it isn’t not until he has truly lost everything, with no one left in his life to console him. Is this what finally kicks him into gear? We won’t know for a few more books.
The Rat has been living life to the fullest since we last saw him in Hear the Wind Sing. Still writing, the Rat works odd jobs to support his dream. While we only really get to hear from the Rat once in the book – besides two letters he sent to the protagonist – he is the one who actually sets the events of the book into motion.
The Rat and the unnamed protagonist are two sides of the same tarnished coin.
Lost men desperately searching for direction in life, the represent what could have happened to the other had they walked down a different path. Rather than wallow in misery and subject those around him to his weakness, the Rat chose to move away. The unnamed man chose to stay, however. Content with his own mediocrity, he dragged his proverbial feet all through life, barely registering the world around him. That was, of course, until everything he took for granted came tumbling down.
It is hard to give a comprehensive review of AWSC without leaning too far into spoiler territory. Having read the book twice in preparation for this review, I found it to be an incredibly intricate story, with lots of intersecting parts that lead to an explosive climax. Part of why I like Murakami so much as a writer is how he treats his readers. He doesn’t coddle them with exposition. He has mastered the art of showing, not telling: giving his audience all the room they need to figure out the mystery for themselves. It may take more than one read through for audiences to truly pick up on all the little hints he sprinkles throughout the story. Sometimes it takes the entire book for these pieces of information to fall perfectly into place. And with decades of writing ahead of him, it is remarkable how soon Murakami was already doing this so early on in his career. Truth be told, AWSC is a bit of a slow burn. Not a whole lot happens, and readers would be forgiven if they find it boring. But if you stick with it, I guarantee you will enjoy this book.
