In the Miso Soup (Murakami) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews 
It is a testament to the strengths of Ryu Murakami's novel that it is ultimately defined not by its explicit depictions of violence and sex but instead by its misfit characters. In this skillful translation by Ralph McCarthy, Kenji is an appealing narrator, observant without being judgmental and nervous without being melodramatic; even the intensely creepy Frank is not entirely unsympathetic.
Curtis Sittenfeld - New York Times


In the unlikely event that you think wandering through the sex clubs of Tokyo in the company of a psycho killer might be a warm and fuzzy experience, In the Miso Soup will disabuse you of the notion. Ironically, the obligatory gore scene — cartoony and cold like something out of Quentin Tarantino — is less disturbing than Ryu Murakami's meditations on urban loneliness and disconnection, Japanese — and American — style.
Elizabeth Gold - Washington Post


Beyond one terribly shocking scene, Miso is a thoughtful novel about loneliness, lack of identity and cultural and moral corruption. Through simple yet chilling language, Murakami doesn't condemn his characters. Instead he takes aim at rampant consumerism and the dumbing-down of Japanese and American culture. No one, Murakami seems to say, is completely guilty because we are shaped by the world around us.
Christopher Theokas - USA Today


A compelling nightmare for...the reader [in which] everyone remains in evil's thrall until it's too late. A wicked meditation on the worst traits of American and Japanese society, this is a creepy culture clash indeed. — Frank Sennett
Booklist


Hipster Murakami follows a sex tour guide through the sleazy demimonde of Tokyo's worst streets during three nights on the town with a serial killer.... A blistering portrait of contemporary Japan, its nihilism and decadence wrapped up within one of the most savage thrillers since The Silence of the Lambs. Shocking but gripping.
Kirkus Reviews