I finished Book 2 and have a few thoughts. 1. 1Q84 is easy to read. It is, in fact, almost compulsively readable - once I start reading, I don't want to stop. The problem is that lately (throughout Book 2), I don't want to start. I am finding the book more and more difficult to pick back up. This is quite curious, so I have given it some thought and concluded that while fun, I am not getting much out of it right now. Why? 2. At first, the book really invites speculation, as illustrated by my earlier notes filled with guesses as to meaning, predictions, metaphors, etc. Now, however, the book is not inspiring interaction, and I haven't written my thoughts about it for a while because, frankly, I am having very few to share. I think this is largely due to Murakami's repetition and a lack of moving forward. I'm stuck because the story seems stuck. Yes the plot is moving forward, but as one of Sarah's professors said once, "it's only plot." I am missing the other elements, - the mystery and the literary devices. The book simply isn't engaging my mind at the moment. 3. (Don't read this one, Sarah, if you haven't finished Book 2) I've been disappointed with the abandonment of ALL of the interesting secondary characters - the professor, the dowager and her body guard (my favorite), Tengo's mistress, the editor, Leader, Tengo's father. I miss these people! We are left with only Fuki-Eri, who is intentionally flat as a pancake, and Tengo and Aomame, whose stories we are delving into with an ever smaller fine-toothed comb. And possibly Ushikawa. I am curious to see if any or all of these characters make a comeback in Book 3. 4. I have been wondering if part of my dissatisfaction with Book 2 is that too much is being lost in translation. There might be a very good reason Japanese literature is not widely read in the West - perhaps neither the language nor the concepts make the change in a satisfying manner. Like Japanese, Russian is a totally different language having no commonality with the Romance languages, but look how much Russian literature is read in the West and how highly it is revered. Sarah, do you think there is a cultural disconnect between the Far East and the West which language alone cannot bridge? 5. I have not given up on the book! Which is a good thing since I have 35% to go. First, Murakami may make changes in Book 3 that reel me back into the story as a participant rather than simply an observer. Also, my problems with 1Q84 right now may be (are likely?) reader error. It wouldn't be the first time I have read a work of pure genius and totally missed its value (To the Lighthouse comes to mind). 5. I'm going to get started on Book 3 tonight - first, because I left Aomame in a bad way and want to see how that situation is resolved (but that's just an exciting plot development), and second, because I want to see if Book 3 engages my monkey brain like Book 1 did, in which case, perhaps the lull of Book 2 is intentional - a calm before the storm. Fingers crossed!
1. 1Q84 is easy to read. It is, in fact, almost compulsively readable - once I start reading, I don't want to stop. The problem is that lately (throughout Book 2), I don't want to start. I am finding the book more and more difficult to pick back up. This is quite curious, so I have given it some thought and concluded that while fun, I am not getting much out of it right now. Why?
2. At first, the book really invites speculation, as illustrated by my earlier notes filled with guesses as to meaning, predictions, metaphors, etc. Now, however, the book is not inspiring interaction, and I haven't written my thoughts about it for a while because, frankly, I am having very few to share. I think this is largely due to Murakami's repetition and a lack of moving forward. I'm stuck because the story seems stuck. Yes the plot is moving forward, but as one of Sarah's professors said once, "it's only plot." I am missing the other elements, - the mystery and the literary devices. The book simply isn't engaging my mind at the moment.
3. (Don't read this one, Sarah, if you haven't finished Book 2) I've been disappointed with the abandonment of ALL of the interesting secondary characters - the professor, the dowager and her body guard (my favorite), Tengo's mistress, the editor, Leader, Tengo's father. I miss these people! We are left with only Fuki-Eri, who is intentionally flat as a pancake, and Tengo and Aomame, whose stories we are delving into with an ever smaller fine-toothed comb. And possibly Ushikawa. I am curious to see if any or all of these characters make a comeback in Book 3.
4. I have been wondering if part of my dissatisfaction with Book 2 is that too much is being lost in translation. There might be a very good reason Japanese literature is not widely read in the West - perhaps neither the language nor the concepts make the change in a satisfying manner. Like Japanese, Russian is a totally different language having no commonality with the Romance languages, but look how much Russian literature is read in the West and how highly it is revered. Sarah, do you think there is a cultural disconnect between the Far East and the West which language alone cannot bridge?
5. I have not given up on the book! Which is a good thing since I have 35% to go. First, Murakami may make changes in Book 3 that reel me back into the story as a participant rather than simply an observer. Also, my problems with 1Q84 right now may be (are likely?) reader error. It wouldn't be the first time I have read a work of pure genius and totally missed its value (To the Lighthouse comes to mind).
5. I'm going to get started on Book 3 tonight - first, because I left Aomame in a bad way and want to see how that situation is resolved (but that's just an exciting plot development), and second, because I want to see if Book 3 engages my monkey brain like Book 1 did, in which case, perhaps the lull of Book 2 is intentional - a calm before the storm. Fingers crossed!