Haruki Murakami’s Killing Commendatore presents an intriguing and relatively straightforward plot that draws heavily from themes explored in his earlier works. While certain elements may feel familiar to long-time readers, the book remains an engaging read. Murakami skillfully guides readers through a journey filled with compelling characters and surreal situations.
The story follows an unnamed commercial portrait artist who retreats to a secluded mountain house after discovering that his wife of six years is having an affair. Seeking to reconnect with his artistic instincts, he spends months struggling to paint but finds himself creatively paralyzed. His breakthrough begins when he discovers a mysterious painting titled Killing Commendatore, hidden in the attic by the house’s previous owner, renowned painter Tomohiko Amada. Shortly thereafter, the artist begins hearing the eerie sound of bells ringing at night, emanating from beneath a stone mound near the house.
With the help of his enigmatic and wealthy neighbor, Wataru Menshiki, he unearths the mound, uncovering a circular pit containing only a tiny bell. This discovery sets off a chain of surreal events, including the physical manifestation of The Commendatore, the figure from the painting. As his creativity reignites, the artist agrees to paint a portrait of Mariye Akigawa, a 13-year-old girl whom Menshiki suspects may be his daughter. When Mariye disappears, the artist embarks on a surreal journey, confronting both his inner demons and the mystery of her disappearance.
At its core, Killing Commendatore is a tale about moving forward after personal upheaval. Like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, its characters grapple with life-altering events that force them to reevaluate their lives. Past traumas ripple into the present, subtly shaping their decisions and relationships.
The unnamed narrator is haunted by the death of his younger sister, who succumbed to a heart condition during his teenage years. This loss lingers in his subconscious, influencing his relationships with his estranged wife Yuzu and later with Mariye. Yuzu initially captivated him because her eyes reminded him of his sister’s—full of life and sparkle. Their marriage, however, falters due to her pragmatic decision to delay having children, given their financial instability. Yuzu’s outgoing nature contrasts with the narrator’s introverted and artistic temperament, a dynamic that mirrors his relationship with his late sister, further complicating his emotional landscape.
Menshiki, on the other hand, is a man trapped in the past. His inability to let go of a former girlfriend—who later married someone else and tragically passed away—drives his obsession with Mariye, whom he suspects might be his daughter. Despite his wealth and resources, Menshiki resists seeking conclusive proof of their connection, fearing it would shatter the carefully constructed reality he has built for himself. His fixation is symbolized by his eerie practice of observing Mariye’s home from across the valley and by his preservation of his late girlfriend’s wardrobe as a shrine to their past.
The most tragic figure, however, is Tomohiko Amada. A failed assassination attempt on a Nazi official in pre-WWII Vienna led to his deportation to Tokyo and the likely capture and execution of his lover. Amada channeled his anguish into the hidden masterpiece Killing Commendatore, keeping its existence a secret to his death, burdened by the weight of his unspoken past.
Murakami revisits several signature themes and motifs in Killing Commendatore. The imagery of characters trapped in a well-like pit, gazing at the world above, echoes The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Elements of psychic or metaphysical intimacy, such as the narrator’s wife conceiving through a non-physical psychic encounter, harken back to earlier works. Additionally, subtle allusions—like the narrator’s affair with a married woman—evoke parallels to the unexplained maladies of After Dark’s Eri Asai.
Though not without its familiar tropes, Killing Commendatore is a richly layered exploration of loss, memory, and the enduring power of art to channel and transform pain. Murakami’s fans will find much to savor in this dreamlike and thought-provoking narrative.