Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book

Hot Search

The Rat #3

A Wild Sheep Chase

haruki murakami alfred birnbaum

... Show More
His life was like a recurring nightmare: a train to nowhere. But an ordinary life has a way of taking an extraordinary turn. Add a girl whose ears are so exquisite that, when uncovered, they improve sex a thousand-fold, a runaway friend, a right-wing politico, an ovine-obsessed professor and a manic-depressive in a sheep outfit, implicate them in a hunt for a sheep, that may or may not be running the world, and the upshot is another singular masterpiece from Japan's finest novelist.

353 pages, Paperback

First published October 13,1982
Series
The Rat
Literary awards
noma literary prize 野間文芸賞, 
Places
tokyo, sapporo, hokkaido, junitaki, 

This edition

Format
353 pages, Paperback
Published
April 9, 2002 by Vintage
ISBN
9780375718946
ASIN
037571894X
Language
English

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for haruki murakami

haruki murakami

... Show More
Haruki Murakami ( 村上春樹) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Tanizaki Prize, Yomiuri Prize for Literature, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Noma Literary Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, the Jerusalem Prize, and the Princess of Asturias Awards.
Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after working as the owner of a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy and Dag Solstad as his favourite currently active writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long distance runner.
His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been criticised by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 98 votes)
5 stars
32(33%)
4 stars
34(35%)
3 stars
32(33%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
98 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
That-Freaky-Weeb
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
A Wild Sheep Chase is the fourth Murakami book I have read.

Just like all his other works, this one also appears to be a beautiful story. However, as you progress through the book, the words seem to take on deeper meanings.

It is actually a tale of an individual's own wild pursuit of human existence, which is symbolized by a sheep.

The book is multi-layered with human emotions and a surreal quest embedded within the framework of mythology and magical realism. It is bound to transport the reader far away from their living world.

What I appreciate the most is the author's simple writing style that associates a character with darkness, silence, winds, mountains, and snow. The wonderful description of the natural landscape left me completely overwhelmed.

Like all the other works of Murakami that I have read so far, every reader has a different perspective.

Definitely a book that I would highly recommend!
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
ViharTancos
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
I read this book either in 2007 or 2008. Surprisingly, I was able to finish the entire book without having my eyes roll so hard that I could potentially see my own brain. The plot had a certain momentum that briskly carried me from one event to the next. However, the characters were disappointingly flat and obnoxious, just as they usually are in such works.


I have made up my mind that I will never voluntarily pick up a Murakami book again. But if you are someone who is looking for a starting point among his works, I would suggest giving this one a try. It is not at all necessary to have read the other books in this loosely defined series. Although, it is always a possibility that by not having read them, I might have missed out on some truly marvelous enhancements to my entertainment experience.


Nevertheless, I really have my doubts about that. After all, based on my experience with this particular book, I'm not overly optimistic about what the other books in the series might have to offer.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
ArkansasKing1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More

Murakami really confused me with this book. I never thought I would say that about Murakami, but this time I wasn't impressed. The story was quite chaotic. There was no specific focus and it mainly revolved around sex, food, and a series of unrelated restlessness. Clearly, Murakami's cult towards ears is distinct

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Cxy14
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
This is the first of his works that I have read.

A highly acclaimed author, Murakami's books have been widely praised. However, I did not find this novel to be anything special.

The story seems disjointed, and I failed to appreciate his style of storytelling. In some parts, the plot is indeed engrossing, but I soon lost interest because there is no logical connection.

It is an average read, and I also found it to be rather depressing.

Perhaps I need to read more of his works to truly understand and appreciate his writing style.

But for now, this particular novel did not leave a lasting impression on me.

It makes me wonder if my expectations were too high or if this is just not the right book for me at this time.

Nonetheless, I will not give up on Murakami and will continue to explore his other works in the hope of finding that one that will truly resonate with me.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
733
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More

Ocena 3.5/5.⭐️

I don't know if my complete lack of hope in my reading slump had an impact on the experience of this novel, but it was strange for me to return to this one from the eighties after the mature Murakami. On the other hand, it's wonderful to compare how much he has evolved as a writer over the years and built a certain cult following from his initial motifs.

\n  Hunting the Wild Sheep\n is a novel that bears the recognizable Murakami stamp - a melancholic atmosphere, strange intrigues, and a protagonist who observes more than he actually participates. It starts promisingly, but as the story meanders, the feeling of wandering becomes dominant. The narrative knows how to develop but loses focus.

The sheep as a metaphor functions on multiple levels, but the reader is not given much support for interpretation. Murakami balances between the real and the surreal, but this time the balance is not ideal - you have the impression that you are on the verge of something deep, but you never quite fall in, as if it suggests meaning more than it actually provides.

I must admit that Murakami's humor in this novel pleasantly surprised me, although it was also bizarre in a few places. Some images will surely remain etched, but all in all, it's an average novel that drags a bit towards the end.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
MrWbolt
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Gli esseri umani hanno bisogno di un equilibrio a metà tra i propri desideri e il proprio orgoglio.

This is a fundamental truth that often gets overlooked in the hustle and bustle of life.



C'è un gatto (gatto gatto gatto gatto) che si chiama Sardina, poi c'è il Sorcio, poi c'è LA pecora
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
erialc
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Bleah!!!

This is such an interesting and unique expression. It can convey a sense of disgust, dissatisfaction, or simply a lighthearted exclamation.

For example, when you taste something really bad, you might say "Bleah!!!" Or if you see something unappealing, this word can come to your mind.

It's a short and simple way to express your immediate reaction.

Sometimes, we use it playfully among friends to share our feelings about something.

It adds a touch of informality and fun to our conversations.

Whether it's used seriously or jokingly, "Bleah!!!" is a word that can quickly get our point across and make others understand our sentiment.

So, the next time you have a strong reaction, don't be afraid to let out a "Bleah!!!" and let the world know how you feel.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Karategirl2012
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
What on earth did I just waste a week of my precious life reading?

Why couldn't I put it down? Why was I so strangely enthralled? What might have been lost in translation? I truly felt as if I was trapped in a dream from which I couldn't wake up. I have never before so willingly subjected myself to such crazy stuff. There was something that kept pulling me to read on, perhaps it was the philosophy and the mood/environment descriptions that seemed to take on a life of their own. But that's precisely where the praise ends. It stops abruptly and completely.

I could never recommend this book to anyone, at any time. It was just "okay", a solid two stars. I gave it an extra 1/2 star solely for its ridiculously original mash-up of reality and bat-sh*t crazy fantasy.

Read it if you enjoy racking your brain with subtle hints, Japanese history, liquor, cigarettes, nonsensical dialogue, and lazy, unmotivated protagonists who rarely show rage, confusion, or doubt despite the irrational and insane things happening in the world around them.

No amount, and I mean absolutely no amount, of spirituality or literary beauty can salvage this one. It was barely enjoyable to read and was frustrating as all hell. How this book could be given a rating above 3.5 baffles me, and all those 5-star reviewers must be literary elitists who want to be part of some sort of "I get it" club. Just because I don't appreciate this crazy stuff doesn't mean I'm uncultured or incapable of higher thought. No matter what language this novel is in, and no matter who tries to describe their opinions and interpretations to me, I will never change my star rating for this book. It's a book that depends entirely on the reader's interpretations. Only certain things are "fact" in this brain-pounding novel, and aside from the ideas of reinventing oneself, people can come up with any reasonings and answers for this creative writing experiment and support whatever arguments they desire. You can be right, you can't be wrong. You can only be mind-f*cked.

You simply can't compare the two, but Norwegian Wood by Murakami outshines "A Wild Sheep Chase" in terms of literary quality, thematic depth, and emotional satisfaction. I need a brandy like the Sheep Man.

F*ck this book.
0 0 Reply
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.