Vintage 1Q84

Caution: story spoilers in review Okay, I have read a few of the reviews for this book, 1Q84 and find them interesting and thought provoking. While reading this book, I kept thinking, "The style of this author reminds me of another book I read." Yes, "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle" was the book that kept creeping into my memory. Until the dots connected, I thought that maybe this was the way all great Japanese literature is written. So what made me love this novel so much? Well first of all, I love unique story lines that push limits. Secondly, stories written by authors outside of the US that portray life outside the US (even mundane life) fascinate me. Third, Murikama's writing style is captivating. Finally, while reading this book, I kept wanting to get back to the book in place of working, socializing, exercising, and essentially trying to live life outside of the novel. Hmmm, I think the term is hyper-focus. I was hyper-focused on this book. Now add that to the fact that the book is still sticking with me as I ponder loose ends of the story and the story in general. Parts of the book kept exiting and appearing in my life at weird times and strange ways. Emails with subject line of "little people" that dealt with marketing aspects of my job. A dog hair ball floating around my house that looked like air chrysalis. While reading this book, I found myself interfacing with people talking cryptically like Fukaeri. I was actually waiting for a NHK worker to knock on my door. LOL Yes, parts of this book drag. As a reader you have the power to scan those pages. Yes this book seems long and I felt as reading it that this book would make a great series/trilogy. After reading this book, I feel the author could follow Tengo and Aomame in the new dimension they are in....surely this is not the original dimension they are from since the Esso tiger was located on the wrong side of the sign. Yes, the author does focus on the mundane--such as cooking specifics, menial conversations and boring day-to-day activities but I found that enlightening about life in Japan on a daily basis. To me how people around the world live their life is fascinating. Yes, the main characters are flat. However I loved this and thought that the author planned this to demonstrate that the average Joe is flat. I wish I could say that if someone invented me in a novel that I would be fascinating and dynamic but in reality the average person is simply just an average person. Boring, with redemptive qualities. Fantasy--I love how the author presented a fantasy situation in another dimension. The little people fascinated me. I wanted to know more about them but the author wasn't going to share everything. I am still not clear about why Komatsu's hair was used in the chrysalis at the end of the book. Is this fodder for the next book? Sex is huge in this book and I feel that it is well-written while pushing limits. Both Aomame and Tengo engaged in what many would call unsafe sex: sex with a married woman and in Aomame's case sex with strange men she picks up. I think this is essential to the plot because they are each comfortable with their sexual choices and it never crosses their minds that what they are doing is inappropriate. Once their characters develop in the book and their final goal to find each other becomes apparent do these two leave their unsafe sexual practices. This book reminded me of an American novel I read long ago and loved, "Winter's Tale" by Mark Helprin. Out-of-box fantasy that keeps you riveted as you absorb as much as you can as you read leaving you to mourn the end of the book with thoughts and memories that keep returning to remind you of visiting this special place.

I received the book and it's pretty good. It was reached to me in its finest state and I have almost completed the first tome by now. I received it in 2 days thanks to the fast payable shipping.

Este libro fue para mi la primera vez que leo a este autor, y al cerrar la contraportada no pude más que preguntarme ¿que he hecho con mi vida?, 1Q84 es una obra maestra, no hay otra forma de describirlo, como una respuesta directa a 1984 de George Orwell, Murakami logra crear una discusión contemporánea de la obra introduciendo elementos también de otros autores y dándoles un sentido único, su estructura y organización son ejemplares, puede ser que sea muy lento para algunas personas que disfrutan de libros más televisivos, pero si le dan la oportunidad, este libro dejará una huella increíble en sus vidas, ya es de mis libros favoritos, 5 estrellas

Absolutamente genial. Los dos primeros tomos enganchan un montón a pesar de que esté en inglés. Se entiende bastante fácil (nivel B2-C1). El tercero se me hizo demasiado raro y no sé, como algunos otros lectores, pienso que ese tomo se lo podría haber ahorrado. En cuanto al formato del libro, es un tocho considerable, para leer en casa está bien, pero si eres de pasear libros, mejor no. Cómpratelos separados. Y si eres un esquizofrénico con las arrugas en el lomo del libro como yo, este libro te sacará de quicio al ser de tapa blanda.

My all-time favourite book.