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Kafka on the Shore
Kafka on the Shore
Jan 12, 2026 11:07 AM

Author:Haruki Murakami,Sean Barrett,Oliver Le Sueur

Kafka on the Shore

Brought to you by Penguin.

Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy.

The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down.

As their parallel odysseys unravel, cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghost-like pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since World War II. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle - one of many which combine to create an elegant and dreamlike masterpiece.

'Wonderful... Magical and outlandish' Daily Mail

'Hypnotic, spellbinding' The Times

'Cool, fluent and addictive' Daily Telegraph

© Haruki Marakami 2005 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Reviews

Wonderful... Magical and outlandish

—— Daily Mail

A magnificently bewildering achievement... Brilliantly conceived, bold in its surreal scope, sexy and driven by a snappy plot... Exuberant storytelling

—— Independent on Sunday

Cool, fluent and addictive

—— Daily Telegraph

Hypnotic, spellbinding

—— The Times

Addictive... Exhilarating... A pleasure

—— Evening Standard

Murakami's most addictive fix to date

—— Independent

Engrossing and wildly inventive

—— Times Literary Supplement

Laden with philosophical overtones and enchanting wit

—— Observer

Murakami's exquisitely simple prose and deft evocation of the surreal are captivating and sublime

—— Sunday Times

The mysteries are never tainted by explanation, merely beautifully described, delivering a hypnotic read

—— Times Higher Education Supplement

Brilliant . . . a moving read that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page

—— Closer

A fantastic page-turner

—— Mail on Sunday

Beautifully observed

—— The Times

Wise and poignant, Because of You is a story about mothers and daughter, love and loss, mistakes and regrets, and family bonds

—— Eastern Daily Press

A must-read story told with compassion and heart

—— Sunday Express

French always writes so melodically about the truth of human nature . . . French manages to pick your heart up with the nib of her pen and slowly pull it apart, heart-wrenchingly, page by page . . . A true writing talent

—— My Weekly

An emotionally charged story - and a heartbreaking twist at the end

—— Hello!

A warmly told story about the bond between mothers and daughters

—— Evening Standard

Warm, witty and wise . . . I raced through

—— Daily Mail

A powerful and emotional book

—— Good Housekeeping

A bright, brilliant and heartbreaking tale of two mothers, two babies and the far-reaching consequences of one fateful day

—— Yahoo! Style

A beautifully powerful story about mothers, family and sacrifice

—— Sun

An uplifting story about mothers and daughters and familial relationships, in which two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters on the same night

—— Woman & Home

Arresting page-turner

—— Best

A novel her fans are sure to love

—— Woman's Weekly

A story of love, identity and belonging

—— i

Heartbreaking and humorous in equal measures

—— Boundless

A bouncy, comedy drama. Funny, poignant and bursting with joie de vivre

—— Daily Mail

A thought-provoking read . . . shows the true extent of motherly love

—— Publishers Association

Dawn French moves between the aftermath of that fateful night and 18 years later, when the explosive impact of Hope's actions is finally felt

—— Daily Express

A heartfelt story, handled so carefully and empathetically

—— Aisling Bea

Because Of You is a tale told with warmth by a storyteller who never takes herself too seriously

—— Sunday Express

Heartbreaking but redemptive, and lightened by French's trademark humour, this is a compelling read that will keep you poised between laughter and tears

—— Daily Mail

A tantalising story of motherhood told with Dawn French's signature warmth

—— Sainsbury's Magazine

As ever, even in the darkest of times, Dawn has found humour to inject into her novel

—— Best

A brilliant book

—— Good Housekeeping

The life-affirming and unmissable new novel

—— Eastern Daily Press

A tale told with warmth

—— Daily Record

While Dawn French's latest novel contains a dash of humour, it's also heart-wrenching

—— The Hunsbury Handbook

A fabulous emotional tearjerker of a novel

—— Silversurfers

Praise for Dawn French

—— -

Hilarious and brilliant

—— Woman & Home

I adored According to YES. It's so different to anything I've read in forever, so charming, wise, brilliantly written. I loved it all

—— Marian Keyes

Witty and wise, it'll have you burning the midnight oil. A cracker

—— Woman's Weekly

Very funny and packs an emotional clout. Brilliant!

—— Heat

An enlightening and feel-good read offering a fresh look at life and how to embrace it. Funny and enjoyable to the end

—— We Love This Book

There is lots of fun to be had reading this book. It's impossible not to warm to Rosie, a funny and open-hearted woman who acts as a salve and comfort blanket for this unhappy, inhibited family. There's something quite joyous about the way she unashamedly romps her way through the novel, changing the lives of those around her for the better

—— Express

Another hilarious novel!

—— Bella

French can spin a yarn . . . which sets According to YES apart. Think the vicar of Dibley, without the dog collar. YES YES YES indeed

—— Independent

Wise and poignant

—— Beyond the Joke

Heart-warming

—— Choice Magazine
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