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Killing Commendatore

By: Haruki Murakami
Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
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Summary

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami, read by Kirby Heyborne.

The epic new novel from the internationally acclaimed and best-selling author of 1Q84.

In Killing Commendatore, a thirty-something portrait painter in Tokyo is abandoned by his wife and finds himself holed up in the mountain home of a famous artist, Tomohiko Amada. When he discovers a strange painting in the attic, he unintentionally opens a circle of mysterious circumstances. To close it, he must complete a journey that involves a mysterious ringing bell, a two-foot-high physical manifestation of an Idea, a dapper businessman who lives across the valley, a precocious thirteen-year-old girl, a Nazi assassination attempt during World War II in Vienna, a pit in the woods behind the artist’s home, and an underworld haunted by Double Metaphors.

A tour de force of love and loneliness, war and art – as well as a loving homage to The Great GatsbyKilling Commendatore is a stunning work of imagination from one of our greatest writers.

2019, The Kitschies Inky Tentacle, Winner

©2018 Haruki Murakami (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks
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What listeners say about Killing Commendatore

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

All Murakami is wonderful, but this is not Murakami at his best.

I’ve read or listened to all of Murakami’s novels. Immediately I was struck in hearing this one by odd linguistic anomalies, awkward word choices, jarring language usages. So I checked translators. Indeed, Killing Commendatore has been translated by someone who has not translated the author before. He’s done a clunky job, so poor than even someone who doesn’t read Japanese, as I don’t, can tell. Don’t judge the master by this example.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Murakami with poor naration

A much welcomed return to Murakami’s engrossing and compelling alternate reality. However I did find the naration too slow and tedious to the extent that I was unable to keep focussed on the book. So I tried increasing the playback speed to x1.25 and found this was enough to keep my mind from wandering!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

sadly, not one of his best

Kind of predictable, all the generic components and characters you'd expect of Murakami told in the usual manner.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

it's a Murakami......not much happens...but

it's a Murakami....not much happens...but when it does, it goes off very gently...Probably his slowest to date but it's still ok, it's not IQ84, or even close, but still passes the time on the train, but won't wow you.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

suitably strange gentle narrative

a long story for a simple message, lots of storylines which come together in the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Enchanting Journey

I'm a huge Murakami fan, for many years now. This could not be mistaken for anyone's work but his.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

exellent

narrator sounded a bit like a robot, but once getting used to, exellent narrative and clearly understandable and pronounceable

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

an enchanting and thought provoking tale.

Just the right amount of Darkness. Just the right amount of Drama. A story that gives food for thought as it twists and winds its way to then end . I enjoyed this very much.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

His best yet

I’ve read/listened to all of Haruki Murakami’s novels now.
I really loved Kafka on the Shore and though I enjoyed The Wind Up Bird Chronicles and the others, I doubted it could be improved upon. Then I read IQ84 and was proved wrong! Surely he couldn’t top that?
Well remarkably he has. This one is even more enthralling, with even more fascinating characters and subtle psychological adventures. I adore the simultaneous tranquility and excitement that only Murakami can achieve.
Spectacular.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Murakami reclying himself

Too many of the same elements and characters. The same protagonist, a woman that leaves him, a car trip, a house in the middle not nowhere, a girl, breasts talk, classical music, a ditch. I see A Wild Sheep Chase and The Wind Up Bird Chronicle mostly but from other novel too.

performance was ok

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