Reading 1001 discussion

1Q84 - Haruki Murakami published in 2011 is a more recent edition to the list.

Place reviews here.

1Q84 - Haruki Murakami. I read this in 2013, here is my review. The story takes place in Tokyo in 1984 and like other books by Murakami has many of the same themes, symbols and imagery. Music plays a big part in the author’s books, and he makes reference to many composers and musicians of the past, ranging from Bach, Vivaldi and Leoš Janáček (his Sinfonietta popping up many times at crucial points in the novel) to more contemporary artists such as Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus and The Rolling Stones. The song Paper Moon is an Asian song and also has a major part besides the Sinfonietta. Besides music there are many references to literature such as Chekov, Tolstoy, Hemingway and Proust.

The story is a love story, a mystery and suspense novel, a parallel universe and also has a lot of philosophical and social commentaries and it is a fine example of Japanese magical realism.

I really enjoyed the story and thought it was his best work but maybe I am wrong. Some reviewers think it is his weakest. It was suspenseful, pulled you in and you wanted to keep reading to learn more of the mysteries which were slowly revealed.

What I didn’t like would be the strong sexual content that you get in a Murakami novel and I also thought the ending was weak. Where it should have been the most tense, it was actually quite uneventful. Some things were left unexplained so that could also be bothersome though I didn’t find it that annoying.

I thought the narration was good. The story was back and forth between narrators with most narration either by Tango or Aomame but also Ushikawa.

Rated: 4 stars

1Q84 is a complex novel of fictional reality where little people are sending voices and two moons exist. It is a romantic story of love between two persons, waiting for each other to meet; it is a strong criticism of authoritarian systems; beautiful description of nature where you can hear waves of the Pacific ocean and interesting Japanese cookbook all in one. It is unusual, creative and interesting, although many things were left unsaid and unresolved.
Some parts of the book I loved very much, especially second part – it was so artistic, dramatic and involving. Unfortunately, the ending in third book made me slightly disappointed as being too repetitive and less artistic.
My rating: 5 stars (mostly based on impressions of the second book).

Rating: 4 stars

This book really pulled me in. I loved the main characters, the alternate reality, and the overall story. It had the potential to be a five-star read for me, but a few glaring flaws brought it down to a four-star rating. 1) Too much repetition, 2) Too many unanswered questions (ex. the "little people" - a little more explanation of this would be nice. Instead, we just moved on. There were other loose ends, too.), 3) A weak ending - after 1000+ pages, this is how it ends??, and 4) Too many descriptions of breasts, penises, and other sexual organs.

So, all of these criticisms should be worthy of subtracting more than one point, right? Well, despite all of the flaws, I did enjoy the book quite a bit.

Diane wrote: "Rating: 4 stars

This book really pulled me in. I loved the main characters, the alternate reality, and the overall story. It had the potential to be a five-star read for me, but a few glaring flaw..."

I agree with too many breasts, penises etc

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
5/5

I am continuing my love affair with Murakami. This is the second book that I have read by the author. I knew I would be in for a wild ride and I was not disappointed. I think I enjoyed the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle a tad bit better but I still enjoyed this one. The story takes place in an alternate 1984. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and back stories in this lengthy book. The techniques of alternating points of view for each chapter and ending on a cliff-hanger also worked well for me. I eagerly looked forward to each chapter. I thought the ending was appropriate. I look forward to reading more by this author.

“My life might have been totally different if I hadn't been born with this name.”

“And also, the driver said, facing the mirror, “please remember: things are not what they seem.”

“The train is the story that Tengo wrote, and I was trapped inside that tale. Which explains exactly why I am here now- entirely passive, a confused, clueless bit player wandering in a thick fog.”

Read in 2020. First read books 1 & 2, then Book 3 some time later.

The story of 1Q84 is divided between two protagonists, mathematical genius and would-be writer Tengo and the enigmatic Aomame, and through their alternate chapters these two stories overlap and converge. Tengo is roped in to help rewrite a story by a young girl, and before long mysterious events begin to happen that sweep him along with them. In Book 3, he brings in the voice of investigator Ushikawa, a loner who prides himself on his ability to stick at his task till he unearths the truth. As these three protagonists start to uncover the meaning of all the strange occurrences in this bizarre world, the danger deepens around Tengo and Aomame.

This is a bizarre and often brilliant book, packed with strange symbolism and a complex plot which reveals itself bit by bit. It is original and imaginative, mixing fantasy and reality. Book 3 is an enjoyable continuation of Books 1&2, and the questions are resolved convincingly and logically. The introduction of Ushikawa's perspective adds balance and interest to the narrative, although this is upset to some extent by the diminution of Fuka-Eri's role in events. The main issue for me is that I wasn't convinced the remaining story required another full length novel, and there was some repetition and meandering that I didn't notice in the earlier books.

Overall, I felt Book 3 merited 3.5 stars, with 1Q84 as a whole deserving of 4 stars.