Kafka on the Shore

Reviewed by: Dr. Dattatray Sankpal, Librarian (Affiliation: Annasaheb Magar Mahavidyalaya, Hadapsar, Pune 411028)

The characters and plots of the novel are very interesting. There are two parallel plots in the novel. One is of Nakata and in other plot Kafka is the hero.
The boy named Kafka left his house with all his belongings and stolen some money from his father’s pocket. His mother and father are separated and he was living with his father. He hates his father very much. He was travelling away from his father’s house. His journey is portrayed in one of the plot.
Nakata is the most innocent person and at the same time he is a mysterious personality. The story of Nakata starts, when he was too young. The story has the reference of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bomb blast. This disastrous incident caused the lives of many. It was the time  when, Nakata was in school. This bomb blast caused many children from his school to die and he was unconscious for long. When he came back to his senses, but he becomes a mysterious character. His journey is another plot. He has the power to sense the future and communicate with cats. The cats are also characters of the novel. Nakata talks to them.
At one stage, Nakata and Kafka meet. Together their journey is portrayed in the novel. The novel takes the readers to the third world.