A Wild Sheep Chase

I enjoyed reading Haruki Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase and found to be very engaging. The plot's mystery was really unique and intriguing, and I especially liked seeing the pieces start to come together and how things that initially seemed insignificant would play into the picture. However, the end left me a little bewildered. I think I understood some parts of it, but not all of it. That Rat was dead and the same being as the Sheepman I had already guessed, but for much after that I was not so sure. Why does the protagonist not tell that Rat is dead to anyone, like his friend J? Who is the man in the suit going to meet up at the house - would be able to meet Rat's ghost, or Sheepman? Is the sheep going to enter him so he can continue his boss' work? But then didn't Rat kill himself to destroy the sheep, or was it simply so he wouldn't be the one slave to it? And I am still not completely clear on why the man in the suit had him go on this journey himself when he already knew much of the answers already.

The story didn't seem very horror-like to me; more like just a mystery. I wouldn't consider myself that big of a horror fan; I have seen some movies, but if they seem more like gore films I tend to stay away. The psychological thrillers are a lot more exciting and interesting to me. Though I think the Japanese horror genre tends to be more psychological than perhaps some other horror films, and have more of a mystery to be solved story. My knowledge isn't that well in the area, but I think from the few I am familiar with that that statement could be true.

I don't really know what to talk about in particular about A Wild Sheep Chase though. I feel a bit confused still at the ending and can't think of what else to say. So this is all I'll put up for now, but shall be perhaps revised after the class discussion.