Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami

What is it about?

After his wife leaves him, a portrait painter hides in a famous artist’s abode and discovers a forgotten painting, causing a series of mysterious events.

OK, but what is it really about?

The unnamed narrator in “Killing Commendatore” is a successful and gifted portrait painter. After his wife decides to leave him, he accepts an invitation by an old friend to settle down in the latter late father’s house, in a remote and lonely location in the mountains. After staying at the famous painter’s abode for a while, enjoying nature and trying to rediscover his passion for art, the narrator stumbles across a previously unseen painting in the attic - which sets in motion an unexpected rollercoaster ride that include a mysteriously ringing bell, an elusive neighbor, a character of the painting coming to life, a Nazi assassination attempt in Vienna and a journey through a haunted underworld.

Is it any good?

Full disclosure: I adore Haruki Murakami. Whenever he publishes new work, be it a novel, a collection of short stories or non-fiction, I’ll excitedly go to the book store to make the purchase. His writing style is addictive, and I always find it strangely comforting to dive into the fascinating worlds he so deftly creates. Murakami’s way of describing the complexity of human beings and including supernatural elements into his stories, coupled with his sharp and detailed observations of everyday scenes, is a unique and consistent trait that I have yet to find in other writers. I also appreciate his subtle humor. While “Killing Commendatore” delivers on most of these things, the novel fell short of my admittedly high expectations. At times, I found it extremely lengthy and wished there had been a more thorough editing and pruning process to avoid the achingly slow pace. There are too many loose ends he should have tied up because this way, the story seemed a bit aimless. In contrast, I particularly enjoyed Murakami’s reflections on loneliness, art and war in this novel.

Favorite character?

Mr. Menshiki, the mysterious wealthy neighbor is an enigma to both the narrator and the reader. I found him extremely fascinating, and Murakami does a fine job of fleshing out this character step by step, by slowly revealing little details about his looks, his habits, his manners. Although he seems to be supportive and willing to help the narrator in his unusual quest, one always wonders what his true motives are.

Most memorable quote?

“Everything has a bright side,” he said. “The top of even the blackest, thickest cloud shines like silver.”  

Conclusion?

If I had never read another novel by Murakami, my rating would perhaps be higher. But I have read them all and therefore can only rate this book in comparison to his others. As such, it doesn’t make it to the top of my list. It still made for an engaging read, but it didn’t blow me away.

AT A GLANCE

Title: Killing Commendatore

Author: Haruki Murakami

Published by: Vintage (2018)

Pages: 752

Language: English