Book review - The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami

Murakami's writing style resonates with me on a personal level. His sentences, though they may appear as a lost story or sometimes half-baked, hold a deeper meaning that transcends the ordinary. His stories often mirror my own philosophical musings, creating a sense of connection.

'The Elephant Vanishes' is a collection of short stories that delve into the mundane aspects of life, paradoxically through simple and unassuming writings. This simplicity, however, is what makes these stories so intriguing and thought-provoking.

My favourite stories in the book are-

“The Little Green Monster”. The story infers about the ugly parts of our personality that we are aware of and try to avoid continuously. But, in view of Murakami, this avoidance empowers the weakness.

“The Silence”. This story talks about how misunderstandings and misperceptions mould the personality and experience of the affected person, the overwhelming intensity of feelings from the past affecting the present and then the story pours the power of forgiveness.

In “The Elephant Vanishes”, Murakami masterfully captures the profound loneliness that can follow the loss of something significant. His portrayal of the inability to erase the history that produced our memories is both poignant and relatable, evoking a deep sense of empathy.

The book is a definite read for Murakami lovers and those who prefer short reads.


Quotes from the book-

“I realise now that the reality of things is not something you convey to people but something you make.”

“Memory is like fiction, or else it's fiction that's like memory.”

“You don't have to judge the whole world by your standards. Not everybody is like you, you know.”

“The power to concentrate was the most important thing. Living without this power would be like opening one’s eyes without seeing anything.”

“Maybe in a few years I'll be able to explain things better, but after a few years it probably won't matter anymore, will it?”