Wind-Up Bird Chronicles

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles is next in my book project. It superceded Aztec in order because I had borrowed it from a friend over the summer and wanted to give it one more try before I returned it.

Apparently, I like to read about 100 pages of a book, put it down, and pick it up several months later. I usually don't get into it for a long while, but luckily I don't totally abandon it.

Bird Chronicles is a really weird book - full of dreams, the surreal, and strange character confessionals. It's kind of perfect to read during these gloomy days. For several pages, the main hero, Mr. Okada, was sitting in the bottom of a well reflecting on things. This was after he heard a terrible story of a solider who was stuck in a well in Manchuria and lived to tell the tale.

Another strange theme in this book is finding one's true self. It is always a struggle, and it is not often pretty. I'm really interested in learning more about how much the themes and story lines are influenced by Japanese culture. Because the book creates a very odd and unsettling mood...