Sputnik Sweetheart

By: Haruki Murakami

Narrated by: Adam Sims

Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Part romance, part detective story, Sputnik Sweetheart tells the story of a tangled triangle of uniquely unrequited love.

K is madly in love with his best friend, Sumire, but her devotion to a writerly life precludes her from any personal commitments. At least, that is, until she meets an older woman to whom she finds herself irresistibly drawn. When Sumire disappears from an island off the coast of Greece, K is solicited to join the search party—and finds himself drawn back into her world and beset by ominous visions. Subtle and haunting, Sputnik Sweetheart is a profound meditation on human longing.

©2001 Haruki Murakami (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Grabs you from its opening lines. . . . [Murakami’s] never written anything more openly emotional.” (Los Angeles Magazine)

“Murakami is a genius.” (Chicago Tribune)

“Murakami has an unmatched gift for turning psychological metaphors into uncanny narratives.” (The New York Times Book Review)

sputnik sweetheart

loved the story but the narrator lacked character understanding in terms of sarcasm and breaks

A novel on love

Some books you like and do not even know why. They are the ones who play with some feelings at the botton of yourself, and give voice to things that alone you could not describe. While being recognized in the history is when the reader is conquered. I think that's why I like Haruki Murakami's books, and especially this one. Sputnik Sweetheart comes with impossible loves. Those who are so sweeping and impossible that you can only resign and live them. The narrator and co main protagonist is so lost in your love, that he loses his own name. His love for his long lasting friend Sumire (Violet in Japanese) that is in love with another woman leads to the many adventures that are described in the book. The book's name keeps a good translation for this kind of love: Sputnik means traveling companion in Russian, and what a platonic love is but a beloved companion on the journey of life. The book still holds other features typical of Murakami's novel: as the reference to classical works, a little fantasy and the traditional distress It is another good example of the excelent work of this author. A must-read for anyone who is already a fan, and a good start for those who are not yet.

Lonely?

This is a delicious book, wonderfully read and performed. Why do we think and feel we are lonely? If you ever wonder, read or listen. You won't regret it.

A slice of the surreal

When you first pick up the novel you're originally going to be reminiscing of morikami's other work such as Norwegian Wood or blind Willow sleeping woman. this novel has a great deal of elements from those other works in terms of its slice of life variety but manages to blend an element of the obscure. The book does so in a way that is subtle without being alarming. the characters speak to the condition of the human psyche In a way that seems very natural.

Amazing story as always

Great book but not the best choose for if this is your first Haruki Muriakami novel wind/pinball is a better place to start just a side not but over like the book would recommend.

I hated this book, all five stars of it.

Any additional comments?

A book about feeling lonely, unrequited love. What a bunch of crap. I hated every minute of it and of course could not put it down. Damn that Murakami.

Satisfying Quick Read

This Murakami had excellent momentum. It's simple love triangle had lovely characters with complex inner worlds. It felt like it was the same 1Q84 universe. The ending metaphor I think it was intending didn't quite land for me. The narration is this was excellent! the subtly of the character voices gave me so much insight into the characters. I think my experience of the book was really enhanced having listened to it.

I wanted it to be gayer

as much as I love Murakami, this one wasn't my favorite tbh. I'm used to ambiguity but this one was slightly too ambiguous.

Great story; often bad pronunciation

Many times people complain about the pronunciation of Japanese words. That irks me too. But, that’s not what this review is about.

Despite his inexperience with Japanese, Sims pronounces most Japanese words in this novel decently. That being said, his in ability to properly pronounce words like Celica (i.e.Toyota Celica) and pedagogy if mildly infuriating. These words are common in English, a competent narrator should be able to pronounce these with out a problem, or if unfamiliar with the word, be able to use a dictionary’s pronunciation guide. Unfortunately, it seems that Sims forwent this step in his preparation for the reading of this novel.

Existential Angst...

as usual, but not as good as Norwegian Wood. Senseless lulls (life is monotonous--we get it) and sometimes he tells rather than shows, an amateur error. That said, it's still pretty good