Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami

Killing Commendatore is a novel about a portrait painter in Tokyo who is abandoned by his wife and finds himself staying in the home of a famous artist, Tomohiko Amada.

While there, he discovers a previously unseen painting in the attic, which leads to a series of mysterious events. The book explores themes of art, identity, and the role of the artist in society.

What I Liked

I really don’t know – I’ve read every book that Murakami has written and I still can’t put my finger on why. There’s something – it’s a weird mix of setting, character, and something that draws me to read all of his books. Same with this one. It’s brilliant, but strange.

What I Did Not Like

Ok. Murakami is weird. Like really, really weird. I don’t think I can recommend any of his books to anyone. So, I don’t like that. But I also don’t think he can be any less weird without losing some of his books’ magic (they do a lot of magical realism anyway).