Men without Women by Haruki Murakami

Hello bookworms,

I just finished reading Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami, and I have a lot of thoughts. This is my first book by Murakami so I had mixed feelings when I started it. This book is not like a normal storybook where everything is clear. It is a collection of short stories, and each one talks about a man who is somehow alone or has lost a woman in his life. The stories are quiet, deep, and sometimes strange, but that is what I liked about them.

At first, I was not sure what to expect. I had heard that Murakami’s writing is different, and now I understand why people say that. His stories are simple on the surface, but they make you feel something inside. I felt a little empty after finishing each story, but that feeling stayed with me. It made me think about loneliness, love, and how people hide their true feelings.

One story that touched me a lot was “Drive My Car.” It is about a man who talks to his female driver, and through small conversations, we learn about his past, his wife, and the silence between them. There is nothing dramatic in the story, but it is powerful in a quiet way. I liked how the characters did not say everything directly, but their pain was clear.

Another story I liked was “Scheherazade.” It felt like a dream. The woman in the story tells stories after they sleep together, and the man listens as if he is under a spell. Her stories were strange, but they made me think about how everyone has a hidden past. Murakami writes these magical things as if they are normal, and that’s something I enjoy.

Murakami’s writing style is calm. He does not try to shock the reader. He writes about very normal things like drinking coffee, watching the rain, or driving a car. But while reading, I felt that something deeper was going on. Even if the characters are doing simple things, they are feeling something very heavy inside. That mix of daily life and deep emotion is what makes the book special.

There were moments when I felt confused. Some stories didn’t have a clear ending, and some characters stayed like a mystery. But I think that’s okay because life is also like that. Not everything has a full stop. Some people leave, some questions stay unanswered, and some feelings don’t go away.

I also liked how Murakami does not try too hard to explain everything. He just lets the story flow. I think he trusts the reader to feel what they need to feel. And maybe that is why I connected with the book. It did not push me. It just walked beside me and whispered quietly.

The title Men Without Women is very fitting. Each man in these stories is trying to deal with the absence of a woman some through memory, some through silence, and some through strange dreams. It made me think about how much we depend on others to feel whole, and how hard it is to stay strong when someone we love disappears.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, but not to everyone. If you want a fast story or something with action, this is not that kind of book. But if you like stories that are slow, thoughtful, and full of quiet sadness, then you should read it. It’s not a book to finish in one sitting. It’s a book to read slowly, maybe one story a day, and think about afterward.

Men Without Women made me feel calm, sad, and thoughtful at the same time. It’s not perfect, and it doesn’t try to be. But it has a soul. And sometimes, that’s more than enough. 

Thankful to you for always being faithful reader and reading it till the end.