After reading Norwegian Wood and wading through the lovely waters of South of the Border, West of the Sun, I launched into my third foray into the delicate, detailed, evocative world of Haruki Murakami. I chose Sputnik Sweetheart randomly, drawn by the title, and whilst I've since heard it criticised by Murakami fans as failing to quite live up to their expectations, for me it rose above them, and became the first Murakami I really fell in love with. Sputnik Sweetheart is the story of Sumire, compulsive writer decked in a man's oversize herringbone jacket and stomping across and through the life of her closest friend, K. K also happens to be in love with ...  Read the complete review

Haruki Murakami's latest novel to be translated into English (by the casual yet detailed and vivid Philip Gabriel) 'Sputnik Sweetheart', has been a novel I've been anticipating as most of his other works are brilliant. Even though all Murakami stories have a similar mysterious thread and are enjoyable to read, this book however left me with an average and sussed grey taste in my mouth. This is Murakami's third sole love story, and the unfortunate thing is, if you've read either or both of them (the mega-selling 'Norwegian Wood' and 'South Of The Border, West Of The Sun'), then you'll find this a bit hack and ...  Read the complete review