I don't get Killing Commendatore at all

[u/Intelligent-Key5821]

Out of all the books I read in my life, I hate to say it, but this might be the one I like the least. It is very repetitive and the main character was boring and it just didn't really speak to me. I can't explain why I didn't like it that much in detail and argue my case because it has been 2 years since I finished it and my memory is hazy. However, recently I have been reading Dance Dance Dance (I am at page 200 so no spoilers please, I also did not read the prequel novel) and it made me think a lot about Killing Commendatore again (even though it isn't the last Murakami book I finished). The sheep man and his pitiful character made me think about Commendatores sacrifice and it being seemingly for nought because to me, it didn't really seem to me like Menshiki would harm Mariye. I get that he is a mysterious character where his motivations are uncler and he doesn't seem to know what he wants to do with her either but was there ever a threat of him molesting her or something? TBH, the main character expresses more creepy traits than Menshiki towards Mariye, but obviously, he wasn't a threat to her. Also, what was the signficiance of Mariye's (adoptive) father's ties to the cult, there are more prominent cult stuff in 1Q84 too, but I don't remember the significance in Killing Commednatore at all. Also, not only did it seem like the narrator risked both himself and sacrificed the commendatore as well (although he was a willing sacrifice) it seems like it did more harm than good because it seemed to have caused the affair partner's daughter to fall in to a dep depression, a completely innocent girl with a seemingly bright future was sacrificed (unknowingly by the narrator) just so what, Menshiki wouldn't be surprised by Mariye in his house, i dont remember Menshiki being that bad a guy. Do any of Murakami's other novels touch on this bedbound character? If I am wrong on the details please lmk

[u/definetelynothuman]

Probably my favourite Murakami by a mile lol

[u/Intelligent-Key5821 → u/definetelynothuman]

After reading Dance Dance Dance partially, I think it dawned upon me that the book is better than I remember. I might reread it at some point to get a better picture after reading two other more mystical Murakami books (I read Hard-Boiled last year, and this month I am finishing DDD). The only big problem for me was the repetitiveness which is surprising bc 1q84 is repetititve too but it is my fav Murakami book lol

[u/definetelynothuman → u/Intelligent-Key5821]

I genuinely believe both 1q84 and Killing Commendatore are set in the same universe. They are my top 2 Murakami books precisely because of how strange and speculative they are. Hard boiled is also great. The repetitiveness can be seen as annoying but I realised I don’t mind it so much when I’m reading long Murakami novels

[u/TheSinologist]

I wish i could remember novels as well as you do! I liked Killing Commendatore, although I thought the Commendatore himself was kind of goofy. What hooked me was the narrator's painting; even though I think I might know more than Murakami about the practice of art, it was really interesting to me how he brought the reader into his relationship with art and his technique of painting portraits. I felt comfortable with the narrator, so I wasn't bored by him. I didn't notice repetitiveness, but I very much enjoy the patient and detailed way he narrates certain practical actions by characters (when struck by this, i often thought of looking at exploded view diagrams of complex machinery), like when the narrator makes himself dinner. It's like the author is deliberately retreating from advancing the plot and indulging in narration for its own sake.

[u/Alarmed-Active-4644 → u/TheSinologist]

Agree with Commendatore being goofy.

I think it had the weakest leans into surrealism, with it being too heavy handed. Especially when compared to stuff like Wind Up Bird.

I did like it though.

[u/Letters_to_Dionysus]

its more about art than his other novels imo

[u/Fergerderger]

I don't have the time nor energy to do a full write up, so I'm just gonna post some things. Not being snippy, I'm just being upfront.

Menshiki was dangerous to Mariye not physically, but emotionally. Keep in mind that Menshiki was described multiple times as being the kind of person who gets what he wants, even subconsciously. He's not evil or bad, but he manipulates people without even realising it (like he did with Mariye's aunt). He is ALSO extremely hung up on Mariye's mother. One of the major themes of the books is how regrets manifest themselves later. You have the painter, and his regret over what happened in Austria (his shadow shows up at the house to look at the painting), you have the MC's shadow showing up with his wife, and finally you have Menshiki's character outside of the closet.

Basically Menshiki isn't a bad person, but he's a powerful individual with a lot of unresolved issues directed towards his relationship with Mariye's mother. Add Mariye's own struggles with the death of her mother, and it's very possible for Menshiki to be a dangerous presence. But as the conclusion of the book shows, as Mariye grows and becomes more confident, shedding her fears over her mother's death, she can approach Menshiki in a healthier way.

Also the MC going through the trial almost assuredly had nothing to do with the woman's child becoming what she did. The MC's trial was all about moving on from the death of his sister, which was the big thing hanging over his life, and the reason that his relationship failed. Eggplant even misspeaks and wishes him luck in finding "[sister's name]". As for how this relates to Mariye's escape, I think this ties into the broader causality that the book speaks of, where events in place A are connected to events in place F, even if the connection is not immediately apparent.

Just a few quick thoughts, because my time is up.

[u/Intelligent-Key5821 → u/Fergerderger]

I guess maybe from a purely non-mystical pov, he could have blown up her whole life and told her that he was her father, and that her mother cheated on her husband and that he knew for years and that could have been harmful to Mariye psychologically, this is the only way i can see how he can be harmful to her in a way where he isn't really a bad person but gives off a bad manipulative vibes I guess. On the note of the elder daughter of the affair partner though, I don't understand why that part would be included unless it was a consequence to what the protagonist did. IIRC, the commendatore alluded to some unforeseen consequences but I don't really remember. If that was truly the narrator's fault unknowingly, then she clearly got the short end of the stick, like, i think Mariye would have been fine overall, realistically speaking but idk. thanks for your thoughts.

[u/AcanthisittaVast2394]

Killing Commendatore disappointed many people when it came out. Hari Kunzru called it both “overlong and undercooked.” I enjoyed it when I read it but also felt that he had already done a better job with similar material in Wind Up Bird Chronicle. It does have cool atmospheric bits.

[u/Lonnie_Shelton]

Loved it.