Colorless

I really enjoy author Haruki Murakami’s books and his latest, Colorless is a deep read on the burgeoning of friendship and what happens after it all falls apart.  Murakami presents the reader with a flawed protagonist in Tsukuru Tazaki, but it isn’t all his fault for what happens in his life.  Tsukuru’s story begins in high school as a member of a tight group of five classmates, three boys and two girls, all whose surname when translated represents a color, except for Tsukuru, whose name translates into “create” (This fits him well as Tsukuru desires to be a railroad engineer, which he does attain as a profession). Tsukuru and his four friends are inseparable.  They are the perfect example of friendship always supporting each other and together as much as they can.  This all ends when Tsukuru decides to attend an engineering college away from their hometown.  When he returns for the summer between his first and second year, everything changes.  He calls upon one of the friends, who notifies him never to call again, and Tsukuru accepts this and doesn’t, though for the next sixteen years he is left wondering what happened. 

Enter Sara, a young woman he has just started a relationship with, which he hopes will develop into a lifetime love.  Sara is not convinced that he is ready for a relationship as there appears to be something he has never dealt with… and so Sara learns of the group of five friends and that the friendship ended abruptly, without Tsukuru knowing why.  After she hears of the story, she says she will only see him again if he meets with the four to learn what actually happened.  The rest of the book delves into Tsukuru’s journey into his past.  What he learns along the way will bring him face to face with his subconscious fears and much more.  Even Tsukuru is alarmed at what he learns, as is the reader.  Will Tsukuru survive his new knowledge, what happened to the four others, and will his hope of a lifetime love with Sara actually remain after his journey with his past?  Great questions and more.  Love how Murakami leaves the ending for the reader.  What’s next?  I know there will be lots of interpretations as to what is left for Tsukuru after his journey.  So worth reading.  A journey story of a thirty-something, what could be better?  Need to add this one to the RA Book Club someday.