2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami.

Pages: 607 pages

Length: 1 month (August)

Participants: SarahKat, Lorraine, Dominique

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

My first book from this author. When do you think you will start reading it?

I have a hold on another buddy read book. If that one comes through I'll read it first because it's higher demand, but if it doesn't I'll probably start this early next week!

Lorraine wrote: "My first book from this author. When do you think you will start reading it?"

I'll probably will start tonight. This is my 2nd book from him. Read IQ84 years ago and it was so weird that I enjoyed it!

Dominique wrote: "Lorraine wrote: "My first book from this author. When do you think you will start reading it?"

I'll probably will start tonight. This is my 2nd book from him. Read IQ84 years ago ..."

I've read the first 2 chapters this morning and I kind of understand what you mean by weird! 😂

I started this one. So I'll be reading 4 buddy read books in tandem. Might be slow-going for a while until a finish one or two.

This is my first Murakami book as well but I have 3 on my TBR so I hope I like it!

Finished through chapter 3 and it is weird. I can still follow the story though. Some of it is nonsensical but there is at least a direction our main character is moving and solid goals to achieve (view spoiler)[(find the cat) (hide spoiler)]. As long as I can see where we're going, I like the weirdness.

I finished Book 1. As I also have many buddy reads, I will be reading this book over a few weeks. I find it is not something that I can read like a thriller...after a few chapters, I need to read something else.

I also find this is a weird story. Not sure where the author wants to go but, like SrahKat, I feel he wants to tell us something. Be careful with chapter 12 and 13 in Book 1. (view spoiler)[ Very difficult chapters to read. Not the language but the subject. I also think these are 2 important chapters but not sure why yet. (hide spoiler)]

SarahKat wrote: "I started this one. So I'll be reading 4 buddy read books in tandem. Might be slow-going for a while until a finish one or two.

This is my first Murakami book as well but I have 3 on my TBR so I h..."

(view spoiler)[ For sure he wants us to tell us something, especially with the disapperance of the cat, getting someone to help them find him. I wonder what part the phone call from the woman and the teenager have in this story (hide spoiler)]

Lorraine wrote: "I finished Book 1. As I also have many buddy reads, I will be reading this book over a few weeks. I find it is not something that I can read like a thriller...after a few chapters, I need to read s..."

You're right about those chapters Lorraine.

(view spoiler)[It's interesting people just keep coming to Okada and telling him long, deep personal stories to him. He's just trying to find his cat and now his wife and there a bunch of these very tangential stories. I wonder how everything will connect. (hide spoiler)]

Halfway through!

Through Chapter 13 in Book 2:

(view spoiler)[Well. Things have gotten weirder! The whole situation with the well was very uncomfortable and strange. Why would May Kasahara pull the ladder up like that? Why would he go down there in the first place? Why would Creta go down there after?
What is the significance of the blue mark on his cheek? It's the size of an infant's hand, and that's a random size comparison to make. Does it have something to do with Kumiko getting an abortion? Why would it show up after traveling through a wall in his "dream?"
Everyone seems so surreally detached. Okada just goes with the flow, and the flow seems like it's taking him places he perhaps shouldn't be. He has all these random women in his life, who also all seem very detached. His wife's letter was written very coldly with no emotional investment for her years of marriage with him.
I just have more and more questions, but most importantly, where is the cat?!

I haven't consumed a ton of Japanese literature or film, but it seems like the stuff I have all has similar themes/atmosphere/symbolism. Perhaps that's just me projecting the stuff I've seen/read before onto this book? Cats seem to be a big deal in every Japanese book I've read. The well obviously brings images from The Ring (Ringu). Have you seen that meme that says "If I had a nickel every time _____, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice." That's the well situation. (hide spoiler)]

I am at Chapter 9, Book 2. For now, I am trying to read 3 chapters a day.
(view spoiler)[ I completely agree with you SarahKat, that the story is getting weirder. Why would a sane adult go into a well to think? And from there, if an adult can do that, then a teenager can certainly pull up the ladder?
I have the feeling that Okada is not remembering everything but he is trying to. At one point, in chapter 9, he says something like 'this is not a dream, it’s a real memory' (sorry I am reading it in French so translation might not be exact). And I wonder if the lost cat, does not represent the lost memory? Reason I’m saying that, is that I learn today that this author is using cats in many of his novels. As it is Cats National Day, Penguin put a list of the top ten cats in literature. And here is what is said about Kafka on the Shore by the same author.
‘As a young child, Nakata experiences a sudden blackout that leaves him with amnesia — a loss so complete that it erases his ability to read. While his memory may be gone, he does discover an unexpected new ability: he can now communicate with cats.
Cats are a regular occurrence in Haruki Murakami’s novels — often appearing as mysterious, otherworldly creatures with a hidden message — ‘
I hope that contrary to The Unconsoled, we will not be left again with no explanation! (hide spoiler)]

Lorraine wrote: "I am at Chapter 9, Book 2. For now, I am trying to read 3 chapters a day.
I completely agree with you SarahKat, that the story is getting weirder. Why would a sane adult go into a well to think? ..."

Marukami's work so far seems much more quintessentially "Japanese" to me whereas Ishiguro's growing up in England comes through a little more in his texts. I am definitely not an expert on the subject. Just my layperson's opinion. But yes, hopefully this has an ending unlike The Unconsoled! But I am already much more pleased with this one. It's holding my interest.

I finished the book. I listened to the audiobook.

(view spoiler)[ What a very strange and intense novel. Very focused on desire either through sexual or a desire to have power. Noboru asserting his powers towards both his sister by sexually abusing them so much that he basically takes control of them.

I feel that the cat brought them happiness and when it disappeared the marriage went downhill and strange events were happening to them. When he came back it made Toru felt different and was more focused on finding/helping his wife.

May was pretty weird little girl. She had a death fascination and I think that she wanted to see if Toru was going to die in the well, she even admitted that she sat there while he was down there. Even with all this, they stayed friends (him not getting her letters, who received them or did she just said out loud those letters and never sent them?

He created an atmosphere of good vs evil (Toru and Noburu) and like Creta mentioned the contrast of polar opposites Tory and Kumiko being soft spoken and shy while her brother is outspoken and May and the woman on the phone are very direct.

Over all I enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars (hide spoiler)]

Just finished book 2. I felt the last chapters in book 2 are bringing us somewhere...not sure where though...but (view spoiler)[ looks like Okada is finally at a point where he wants to start searching Kumiko. Is the cat a representation of Kumiko? Or just a cat? Well at least he seems to want to get out of the passivity that seems to describe him since the beginning of the story (hide spoiler)]
A bit jealous of Dominique who has finish the book!

Lorraine wrote: "Just finished book 2. I felt the last chapters in book 2 are bringing us somewhere...not sure where though...but [spoilers removed]
A bit jealous of Dominique who has finish the book!"

It was so quiet at work, a lot of people are still on vacation and I took the opportunity to listen to the audio while working.

Lorraine wrote: "Just finished book 2. I felt the last chapters in book 2 are bringing us somewhere...not sure where though...but [spoilers removed]
A bit jealous of Dominique who has finish the book!"

(view spoiler)[ the cat does have some kind of impact on Toru and Kumiko's life. They did find him at the beginning of their marriage (hide spoiler)]

I'm through Chapter 20 in Book 3!

(view spoiler)[I am glad he found the cat, and equally glad he changed the cat's name to Mackerel. Why would they have named it after Naboro Wataya to begin with? I know it said he reminded them of him but he's (the person) is horrible.

I definitely feel more lost in this book than I had before. Nutmeg and Cinnamon just came out of nowhere. Ushi (I can't remember the ending of his name) is a weird little man. I definitely think something is up and they just wanted access to Cinnamon's computer but why?

And what is the point of May Kasahara's letters? Is Okada reading them or did she even send them? I am still holding out hope that everything is all wrapped up in a nice little bow near the end and everything will... maybe not make sense... but at least fit together somehow. (hide spoiler)]

I finished! Honestly the last section was a bit of a slog for me. I don't know if I just sort of dropped out of the mood for this particular brand of surrealism, if it's just 200 pages too long, or if (view spoiler)[I didn't like the disappearance of most of the side characters and the introduction of 2 new ones, who I never really understood. (hide spoiler)]

You can probably pick apart this book a million different ways. The main thing that stuck out to me though was the relationships, interactions with others, empathy or lack thereof that seems to be a huge contributing factor on what happens to everyone.

(view spoiler)[Almost everyone Toru encounters in his quest to find his cat, and then his wife, tells him some ridiculously long, personal story and he is an avid listener. So much so that sometimes I felt pretty disconnected to him, because he was busy connecting and empathizing with others. Most of the time their stories somehow help him in some way.

Things do just keep getting weirder and dreams and reality become harder to differentiate. He beats someone with a bat in his dream and he is pretty sure it's Noboru Wataya who suffers a stroke at the same time he dream-killed him. Then his wife goes and unplugs her brother because he needs to die and she needs to stay in jail.

I still don't understand Nutmeg or Cinnamon's purpose. Why are they there? How do they know things? Are they the same type of psychics like Malta? (hide spoiler)]

SarahKat wrote: "I finished! Honestly the last section was a bit of a slog for me. I don't know if I just sort of dropped out of the mood for this particular brand of surrealism, if it's just 200 pages too long, or..."

(view spoiler)[ totally agree, Nutmeg and Cinnamon's didn’t make any sense, they were introduced so late in the book.
Even though they were married, they never showed real emotions towards each that much. They had more feelings towards the cat and felt like it was reason they stayed together (hide spoiler)]

Not sure I will finish the book this month. I find it long, very long! And I don't feel like reading it every day. But I will finish it.
I am at chapter 5 book 3. I feel we are getting into a fantasy/dream world. Especially with the young boy seeing 2 men in his backyard without us knowing exactly what they are doing...Maybe I should have listened to the book instead.
I will get back to you if I have questions or when I finish...

Lorraine wrote: "Not sure I will finish the book this month. I find it long, very long! And I don't feel like reading it every day. But I will finish it.
I am at chapter 5 book 3. I feel we are getting into a fant..."

Looking forward to hearing what you think when you finish!

Just finished chapter 10 in book 3. I think this chapter is one of the strongest I read so far (view spoiler)[ For a reminder, this chapter tells the story of the soldiers killing the animals in the zoo and the meeting of the boat Muscade (nutmeg) is on, with the American submarine. I feel this chapter gives us some insight in all those characters ‘indifference’ towards life and what is happening to them (after reading a few books written by Japanese authors, I feel that many of their characters are somewhat indifferent or are lacking personal identity). The chapter also refers to the atomic bomb drop on Nagasaki. Can you imagine the impact of leaving in a country where you have seen a complete city (and its people) disappear in a matter of seconds? (hide spoiler)]. I do not know if there will be other chapters like this but I hope so.

Lorraine wrote: "Just finished chapter 10 in book 3. I think this chapter is one of the strongest I read so far [spoilers removed]. I do not know if there will be other chapters like this but I hope so."

That one was rough. I've read or seen way too many stories such as that one and it always makes me feel sick to my stomach. Ugh. I honestly skimmed it because I hate stuff like that.

I've just finished the book. I liked it but not sure what it is about exactly. :-)
(view spoiler)[ I feel this book is about finding your own identity in a country that was always more concern about being a good Japanese then a happy individual. But like SarahKat, I agree this book can be understood in a million different ways. I am happy I read it. (hide spoiler)]

I felt pretty much the same Lorraine! I liked it but also what exactly did I read? haha

This would be a fun one to pick apart for a literature class.