(Goodreads)
As he searches for a mysteriously vanished girlfriend, Haruki Murakami's protagonist plunges into a wind tunnel of sexual violence and metaphysical dread in which he collides with call girls; plays chaperone to a lovely teenaged psychic; and receives cryptic instructions from a shabby but oracular Sheep Man. Dance Dance Dance is a tense, poignant, and often hilarious ride through the cultural Cuisinart that is contemporary Japan, a place where everything that is not up for sale is up for grabs.Have you ever watched an indie film that took you from random setting to random character to random encounter and you wondered how the heck the pieces all fit together? And after the credits rolled you weren't exactly sure what you just saw or how it made you feel? That's Dance, Dance, Dance for me.
First, let me say that I really enjoyed reading from a first-person pov and not have alternating chapters like the previous handful of books I've read. The protagonist (who, until the point of finishing the novel, I had no idea didn't have a name) is honestly just an every day guy who has a career he has no passion for. He's divorced, has no kids, no friends, really not much going on in his life. So when he finds himself drawn to a certain hotel where he and an ex-girlfriend of his spent a lot of time (she calls to him in his dreams, crying) it's no problem to leave his mundane life behind.
We come across a good handful of solid characters along the protagonists' journey and I have to say I really admire Murakami for this. The secondary characters don't feel like they're there for decoration or to move the protagonist along; instead, they have their own lives, feelings, and complications to attend to. In particular, Yuki, a 13-year-old girl who comes under the protagonists' pseudo-care, really stands out. She has this icy exterior that isn't meant to be melted by anyone, even the protagonist, but to be accepted as part of her. Here's some really great fan-art that I felt encompassed her spirit:
There's a lot of mystery in this novel and I think it's the driving force behind the novel. Who is the Sheep Man? What's going on with the 16th floor? Where is Kiki? What does this all mean? I'm not entirely sure if I got any answers but I am glad I read this novel. It made me feel like I was in an alternate dimension where anything and everything was possible. I look forward to reading its predecessor, A Wild Sheep Chase, for more answers (that is, if I can ever find the rare book). This novel is a view through a kaleidoscope: random solid shapes and colors that can be moved into an infinity of beautiful but indescribable shapes.
Memorable Quote
"I pored over the diagram, half in admiration, half in despair. Three call girls, one too-charming-for-his-own-good actor, three artist, one budding teenage girl, and a very uptight hotel receptionist. If this was anything more than a network of casual relationships, I sure didn't see it. But it might make a good Agatha Christie novel. By George, that's it! The Secretary did it! Only who was laughing?" (295-296)
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