Haruki Murakami fans discussion

Discussion notes for the Aug 2020 buddy read of 1Q84 Book 1.

Just started today. Heres a couple of interesting blog after you finished a chapter:

https://wildmurakamichase.wordpress.c...
http://ichikewhachiyon.blogspot.com/

Starting this today! Really excited

Right off the bat Murakami gave me a possible throw away character I want more from, the taxi driver. He had such depth. No idea if that’s a set up or just good writing but it set the tone for me in such an excellent way.

I discovered Murakami when in a review of 1Q84 I found out about his musical references. Being a musician that is a compelling draw. 1Q84 was the first of his novels that I read and I was hooked by the first sentence “The taxi’s radio was tuned to a classical FM broadcast. Janáček’s Sinfonietta—probably not the ideal music to hear in a taxi caught in traffic. "
Excerpt From: Haruki Murakami. “1Q84.” Apple Books.

What an amazing opening and introduction to a main character's inner life to hear her thoughts and her contextualization of the music within the backdrop of dark forboding history (much like the present moment) . Listen to this music and empathize with Aomame sitting in the cab stuck in traffic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAmuv...

I love all Murakamis musical references. His books make me want to drink whiskey and listen to jazz.

Was anyone else thinking, Alice going down the rabbit hole?

Phrodrick wrote: "Was anyone else thinking, Alice going down the rabbit hole?"
I wasn't until now!

I really respect Aomame so far. She knows what she wants and makes clear choices.

I actually listened to Sinfonietta in the car yesterday and I know little of classical music but the halting feeling of it along with a gradual progression in energy certainly feels like reading this. I mean that in a good way.

Ah, now I see what you mean with the "down the rabbit hole" comment. Most definitely.

I loved learning about the NHK fee collector part of Japanese culture. Seems like its still currently in place - how crazy. It really reminded me of having to go door to door to collect money for my paper route when I was a kid. Havent thought about that in years.

Its so Murakami like for Aomame to quickly come to a conclusion that she must be in parallel worlds and just decide to learn how to deal with it instead of being freaked out.

Im only on chapter 12 and we are quickly approaching a Murakami bingo already: https://imgur.com/a/1liAc15

Agreed, Andrew. When the characters just accept the impossible it cuts out wasted energy so we can move further down the hole together.

It seems this bingo board was made for 1Q84!

I am ready for chat on books 2 and 3 😆 I’ve been just blasting through this.

I’ve gotten bogged down because it’s so easy to look up locations on Google maps and see roughly what Haruki was writing about. Plus music, video, and fashion references. I’ll share when I arrive at a logical place,

Wow, you are fast Garin! I am almost finished with book 1. I wil create new ones for books 2 and 3.

I know what you mean Barry! I am totally slowed down by looking up references, partially see whats real and whats not and partially for learning more about it. Sometimes I get totally lost in a reference and dont even get back to reading for an hour or more.

I certainly need to do more of that immersion you all are participating in.

Finished book 1!

Along with the fantastic story I learned who Marshall McLuhan is and what it means to be "McLuhanesque".

I am finding this to be a comparatively easy read to other Murakami works, other than the sheer length of it. The plot is relatively straightforward and the magical realism is a bare minimum compared to Windup Bird, Kafka, Dance*3, and Wild Sheep Chase.

Seems like its inevitable that Aomame will try to infiltrate Sakigake to look the Leader....and probably find Fuka-Eri in the process. Cant wait to see how it rolls out.

It's hard to imagine that when 1Q84 was first published in Japan Books 1 & 2 were released at the same time in hardcover, and then they had to wait about a year for Book 3! I read the ebook version when it was first released in the US, and ebook versions of his earlier fiction, but since then I've been purchasing the hardcover versions of Murakami's new books.