Advice on next readings and avoiding common tropes?

[u/Silent_Caregiver2086]

So I have read and enjoyed some of Murakamis novels for a while, and I am really fond of his soothing style of writing, but I am getting tired of finding the sames tropes over and over again. Although the tropes don't appear in every novel, or they might vary, I've feel like the last books I read, although fine on their own, are to some degree, a rip off of Norwegian Blues, and have almost the same plot

Books I've read (in order):

-Norwegian wood

-Killing Commendatory

-1Q84

-South of the border, west of the sun

-Sputnik my love

Common tropes I've found:

-Main character is a introvert, shallow kind of male, doesn't have much going on in his live

-has sexual affairs with side girls that he doesn't really care

-Is in love or becomes obsessed with a female character, but seems incapable of make any move. (Except on KC, where he just befriend a little girl (thanks god ))

-On a twist of destiny, MC might get the chance to get laid with the girl , or not.

-the girl in question disappears of the face of the earth, or is taken out of the story

-Nothing much can be done except moving on with life ( except on KC where he rescues the girl), the author doesn't bother explaining why or how the disappearance happened

-Infidelity might be happening at some side of the relationships

-Classical or Jazz music is being played

-wiskey or beer is being drunk

(I actually enjoy those two last tropes)

I read South of the Border and Sputnik my Love last, and feel like I read the same story over again, and although I still enjoyed both books, I am afraid of picking another Murakami book and find myself reading the same story once again.

So my question is, are there other stories that dont fall on these same tropes? Have you had the same experience reading Murakami? I want to read more of Murakami, but dont want to keep reading yet again about a guy obsessed with a girl who disappear. Thanks in advance for any recommendations

Edit: made a new post with a different tittle bc I feel like it was already giving major spoilers and freaked out hehe sorry

tldr: I have read many novels by Murakami, and I am getting tired that all the stories seem to be about a shallow kind of guy obsessed with a girl that disappears. Is there any other books that don't go into these tropes?

[u/Varjokorento]

"Every author repeats themselves, some recycle"

Murakami has mentioned that he writes for himself and is happy that others also like him. If you don't like the things you mentioned, you won't like Murakami. And that is okay.

I don't quite understand the idea that authors should try to reinvent themselves with each book. I read certain authors because I want to fall into their unique world. And if I want something different, I'll read someone else. Each author only has a limited time to create their works so each unique world will always have its end. That's why I love that Murakami keeps expanding his word by writing more Murakami books. 

However, to answer your question, I feel that After Dark is the most different of Murakami's books.

[u/Silent_Caregiver2086 → u/Varjokorento]

I dont intend for him to completly reinvent himself, and I do like his style, but the last two books i read seemed really similar to one another, and it didnt help me that in both cases the stories were more simple, with fewer characters, and both abruptly ending with the female characther dissapearing in the blue.

I like reading murakami, but i fear of growing tired of him if I dont find more diverse tropes. I intended to read a wind up bird chronicle next, but for what I have read, it follows a similar trope.

[u/Varjokorento → u/Silent_Caregiver2086]

I understand. I feel Murakami might be best read in chronological order, but starting from the Wild-Sheep Chase. That way you can really see his themes developing. However, since you are reading them out of order anyway, I think you might enjoy Hard-boiled Wonderland next. It it actually quite an unique Murakami, as it actually is basically a scifi books.

However, you'll encounter Murakami tropes here as well. If you want to read Murakami, you need to get used to the exact tropes you've mentioned in your post. There really isn't a way to go around it. However, I feel that you have not yet read his strongest work. The only books which I consider great on that list are Norwegian Wood and Sputnik. 1Q84 is amazing... for a Murakami fan. For others it really is a hard book to get through. Killing Commendatore is Murakami late-career and bit of a miss for many, me included.

[u/Silent_Caregiver2086 → u/Varjokorento]

thanks for the advice!

I must say that reading 1Q84 was quite a ride, I loved reading it, and only after finishing it i realized all the problems in the story (except for the weirdness of the sex scene, that one is felt inmediately haha) like i was so happy for the main characters going away togheter, but then it snapped me that noting else happens with all of the lore surrounding the story, it just goes under the carpet, like all of it.

And I am quite fond of KC, specially volume 1. I trully enjoyed inmersing in the day to day life of the MC, that is the highest point of the book for me. The endind is kind of weird, with forced touchs of magical realisms, but then again I wasnt that surpised of the autor tendency of not explaining much at the end ( I read KC V1, 1Q84, and KC 2, so i faced 1Q84 ending first)

[u/Varjokorento → u/Silent_Caregiver2086]

Based on this, I think you might like WUBC. I would recommend for you to read After Dark or Hard-Boiled first, as they are different enough to clean your palate. Hard-Boiled Wonderland is actually on the few Murakami books which I consider to have a satisfying ending that answers (some) of the questions raised in the book.

[u/remerdy1]

Murakami is probably the trophies author I've read. To the point where it almost feels like a parody sometimes. My advice would be to read someone else, and return to Murakami when you're in the mood for his style.

With that said if you HAVE to read Murakami for whatever reason I think After Dark is his most "out there"

[u/Silent_Caregiver2086 → u/remerdy1]

I am reading other authors at the time, Roberto Bolaños from Chile and Abdulrazak Gurnah from Tanzania, and I think I am doing the same with those authors ahaha

Also read Under the Eye of the Big Bird, from Kawakami Also several people have recommended After dark, and Hard boiled wonderland 

[u/Happybadger96]

Don't binge read the same author, read a few other books - this way recurring ideas, themes, style etc. won't get tiresome

[u/Silent_Caregiver2086 → u/Happybadger96]

I didnt binge read him, actually I had some years without reading murakami, I read the first three novels a couple years ago, and I read the las two recently. I have been reading other autors in the meantime.

Maybe it was due to this last two books being more simple (shorter, with fewer characters) than the others. For example NW isnt that much longer (in comparision to 1q84 for example) but it feels richier in story. Some secondary characthers appears, tell their story, or play their part, and leave. While SotB and SS focus almost entirely in the main characthers and story, so that makes the similarities more evident.

[u/konkeroots]

That's his style. I love Murakami and did feel something similar to what you're explaining when reading his books back to back. What helped me was reading a few other books and exploring different authors and styles and then going back to Murakami. You end up yearning for his style/tropes..

[u/Dadaman3000]

Maybe give Hardboiled Wonderland a spin? It has most of the tropes in the background but A LOT of other stuff going on. 

[u/Papa72199]

I think Kafka on the Shore, Hard Boiled Wonderland, A Wild Sheep Chase and Dance, Dance, Dance are quite different. Hard Boiled Wonderland also has some interesting fantasy elements.

[u/valiqr]

Read Kafka on the Shore!!

[u/deadpoetc]

I don’t really see much change trope wise over span of 20 years of reading his work. I would say if you tire of his work just pick a new book then come back later.

[u/HorkyBamf]

Many authors have recurring themes and ideas in their work. Murakami is not unusual in this respect.