Dance Dance Dance is the sixth novel by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami, which was first published in 1988, a year after the release of Norweigan Wood. After the release of Norwegian Wood, which catapulted him to both national and worldwide fame, Murakami was initially not able to cope with the sudden pressures of being a celebrity, and much of the production of this novel involved him releasing his stress and anxiety, thus making it a ‘healing experience’ for him. It was translated six years later in 1994 by previously-mentioned Alfred Birnbaum, whose translation is still considered the preferable one and the one I read.
This particular novel started several major themes that would later become hallmarks of a Murakami novel: surrealism, loss, sexuality, abandonment, and making human connections. The protagonist of the story, more or less a stand-in for Murakami himself, is at the beginning of the story alone and isolated, but later meets a cast of eccentric and colorful characters, each with their own unique backstory and ties to the main character; this is also a staple of many later Murakami novels such as Kafka by the Shore and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles.
One somewhat confusing aspect of the novel is its relation to Murakami’s “Trilogy of the Rat”, a series of three books (Hear the Wind Sing, Pinball, and A Wild Sheep Chase) that focus on an unnamed narrator and his friend known only as “the Rat”. Although this novel is a sequel to the trilogy and shares some similarities to it, whether or not it is considered an actual part of the series is debatable.
Overall, despite the debate over whether or not it’s part of the “Rat Trilogy”, Dance Dance Dance can still be read and enjoyed for the most part, even if the more surreal trappings are a bit confusing to follow if you aren’t familiar with Murakami’s surrealist fiction works. It is 393 pages long, slightly over the length of Norwegian Wood, but as more events and story beats occur in this novel, it will likely feel shorter. Recommended for surrealism fans or those who feel isolated at the moment.
The Art Archive 