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3rd out of 204 books
—
861 voters
My rating:
add to my books
1Q84 (1Q84 #1-3)
The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.
A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ...more
A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ...more
Hardcover, 925 pages
Published
October 25th 2011
by Knopf
(first published September 1st 2010)
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I just finished 1Q84 and already I've begun to notice strange peculiarities in the world around me. As I closed the book and stood up, I looked around my shabby apartment. Same walls, same badly painted walls, same James Dean poster, but something seemed off. Something infinitesimal. The walls seemed closer or were they further away? And James, wasn't there a cigarette clasped between your lips before? Now you're just staring off into space with that amazing, casual air of indifference. I ...more
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Okay, there's a weird ear-fucking thing, and a bit of breast obsession. But with those qualifications, this is maybe the best Murakami book I've read, possible exception of "Wind Up Bird".
Ian Graye
rated it
My Sunken Book Review
My real review is like a treasure hunt in a secret room.
Or a pirate ship laden with booty.
The Little People have tried unsuccessfully to sink it without trace.
It is sunk, but I have traced it.
So my Sunken Book Review, complete with unreliable Maps and Legends (not to mention Narrators), is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2838...
Only go there if you are a child who likes to be spoiled....more
My real review is like a treasure hunt in a secret room.
Or a pirate ship laden with booty.
The Little People have tried unsuccessfully to sink it without trace.
It is sunk, but I have traced it.
So my Sunken Book Review, complete with unreliable Maps and Legends (not to mention Narrators), is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2838...
Only go there if you are a child who likes to be spoiled....more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Tengo did as he was told. He began pumping slowly.
These two sentences, on the second to last page of this 924 page novel, is a neat summary of Murakami’s methods in 1Q84. Tengo has spent the novel longing for Aomame and they have just been reunited after twenty years. ‘Pumping’ refers to the action of Tengo’s penis in Aomame’s vagina.
Underlying Murakami’s general approach to writing is an element of dictation, of simply transcribing the spontaneously generating narrative...more
These two sentences, on the second to last page of this 924 page novel, is a neat summary of Murakami’s methods in 1Q84. Tengo has spent the novel longing for Aomame and they have just been reunited after twenty years. ‘Pumping’ refers to the action of Tengo’s penis in Aomame’s vagina.
Underlying Murakami’s general approach to writing is an element of dictation, of simply transcribing the spontaneously generating narrative...more
Sean
I must confess that this is my first bold step into the world of Haruki Murakami. After roughly four weeks, my journey through the world of 1Q84 has come to end. I was unfamiliar with this author until this massive yet stunningly beautiful book showed up on the new releases table at the bookstore. I then learned that this author (famous in Japan but relatively unknown in America) titled this book as play on George Orwell’s 1984 (one of my favorites). So I decided to brave the 984...more
I must confess that this is my first bold step into the world of Haruki Murakami. After roughly four weeks, my journey through the world of 1Q84 has come to end. I was unfamiliar with this author until this massive yet stunningly beautiful book showed up on the new releases table at the bookstore. I then learned that this author (famous in Japan but relatively unknown in America) titled this book as play on George Orwell’s 1984 (one of my favorites). So I decided to brave the 984...more
Easily one of my favorite Murakami novels. There is a lot here for his fans sink their teeth into. One of the advantages of the novel being so long is that the atmospheric hauntingly lonely never land that you travel to in most Murakami books, sustains for so long here. This book crept into my dreams and popped its head up regularly in my daily routines. On a subtle level I kept expecting to see the world of the book everywhere I looked.
One of the main characters is a novelist, so th...more
One of the main characters is a novelist, so th...more
This book is possibly the best book I have read of all times. It has everything that anyone would want in a book because it is composed of a little of every genre. The book has so many symbolisms and imageries that no one can figure it all out in the first read.
The book is like all of Haruki Murakami's past books where it is about self discovery of the main character. This time it is about how two long lost lovers find each others to the point that they were meant for each other. The ...more
The book is like all of Haruki Murakami's past books where it is about self discovery of the main character. This time it is about how two long lost lovers find each others to the point that they were meant for each other. The ...more
Begone, ye overblown romance: to the M's with ye, and there ye shall stay.
No more will I be forced to read about the "ample breasts" of mysterious, mute women; never again will I be witness to "sexual encounters" that are just a "concept," not the actual bumping of uglies that occurs when a man puts his penis inside of a woman's vagina.
Banished will be the sporty assassinatrix who winds down by having one-night stands with bald-headed men; t...more
No more will I be forced to read about the "ample breasts" of mysterious, mute women; never again will I be witness to "sexual encounters" that are just a "concept," not the actual bumping of uglies that occurs when a man puts his penis inside of a woman's vagina.
Banished will be the sporty assassinatrix who winds down by having one-night stands with bald-headed men; t...more
Murakami zu lesen, ist wie den besten Wein zu trinken. Zuerst musst du ihn atmen lassen (666). Es ist wie der Luftzug, der entsteht, wenn du schwunghaft den Buchdeckel öffnest.
Fühle den Geschmack. Auf deiner Zunge, mit der du Laute bildet und dann zu einem Wort zusammenfasst.
Danach trinkst du. So, wie der Wein dir langsam durch die Kehle rinnt, so werden dir seine Sätze durch jede kleinste Windung deines Gehirns fließen.
Am Ende wirst du völlig berauscht sein. Oder um es a...more
Fühle den Geschmack. Auf deiner Zunge, mit der du Laute bildet und dann zu einem Wort zusammenfasst.
Danach trinkst du. So, wie der Wein dir langsam durch die Kehle rinnt, so werden dir seine Sätze durch jede kleinste Windung deines Gehirns fließen.
Am Ende wirst du völlig berauscht sein. Oder um es a...more
This is the first new Murakami book since I started reading Murakami.
5 Stars
Haruki Murakami may well be the most technically gifted story teller in the world today. I am such a huge fan, and love every minute that I spend in his imaginative worlds. His works bend genre lines, and twist between fantasy, science fiction, historical literature, and fairy tale in nature. He writes novels that transport the reader to places that they have never been before. This book 1Q84, is no exception. It is a love story that transcends time and space and questions reality it...more
Haruki Murakami may well be the most technically gifted story teller in the world today. I am such a huge fan, and love every minute that I spend in his imaginative worlds. His works bend genre lines, and twist between fantasy, science fiction, historical literature, and fairy tale in nature. He writes novels that transport the reader to places that they have never been before. This book 1Q84, is no exception. It is a love story that transcends time and space and questions reality it...more
Still mulling it over but below is the jumble of my initial thoughts.
Cons...
"There’s a kernel of compelling story buried somewhere in 1Q84, but digging through the layers of tone-deaf dialogue, turgid description, and unyielding plot just isn’t worth the strain."--Christian Williams
* Reflective dialog that does nothing more than parrot gets tedious.
* Tension expands like a rapidly inflating balloon only to escape like a quiet moment of flatulen...more
Cons...
"There’s a kernel of compelling story buried somewhere in 1Q84, but digging through the layers of tone-deaf dialogue, turgid description, and unyielding plot just isn’t worth the strain."--Christian Williams
* Reflective dialog that does nothing more than parrot gets tedious.
* Tension expands like a rapidly inflating balloon only to escape like a quiet moment of flatulen...more
Alisan
marked it as to-read
"Reading a Murakami book is like diving into the ocean only to discover that you have always been a fish. Things suddenly start making sense"
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami is wonderful, familiar Murakami-land... taken to new levels. The story, the characters, the themes, everything both separately and taken together is incredibly satisfying. There are cults, children, and a permeable boundary between "reality" and the supernatural. There is everything Murakami fans expect and want from their Murakami-plus. The love story is touching, the characters more than usually well-drawn, and the plot/s interesting. It drags a bit occasional...more
I'll preface this review by saying I have not read a lot of Murakami. I'm really only comparing this book to The Wind Up Bird Chronicle while keeping in mind the opinions of a lot of friends (all very good readers, mind you) who have.
1Q84 seems to me like Murakami's "radio single". I mean this in a good way. I'm not, by any means, saying that he sold out to make this book accessible. He didn't. It's Murakami, through and through: a koanish, surreal fantasy filled with clas...more
1Q84 seems to me like Murakami's "radio single". I mean this in a good way. I'm not, by any means, saying that he sold out to make this book accessible. He didn't. It's Murakami, through and through: a koanish, surreal fantasy filled with clas...more
I read this in my usual Murakami-reading rhythm- very fast. In a week I was done and ready to reflect on whatever the book left me with.
One obvious thing is, the more the book expands its universe* the more it loses its intensity.
Objectively speaking, it gets to that point where it's like a balloon, inflating, getting filled with more (hot) air. So there are a few places where the narrative is clunky.
But I am generous. Making a critique does not mean being malicio...more
One obvious thing is, the more the book expands its universe* the more it loses its intensity.
Objectively speaking, it gets to that point where it's like a balloon, inflating, getting filled with more (hot) air. So there are a few places where the narrative is clunky.
But I am generous. Making a critique does not mean being malicio...more
THE UGLY
It’s the 1Q84 post world so I decided to start off on the bad foot and cut to the chase. The story is odd and interesting, but I think if one doesn’t connect to the deeper elements in this book, the story will fall flat and be very irritating. The main reason is the restless repetition. Even for someone like Murakami this book is padded too much.
I understand this book was originally published as three different publications, and there was a period of time between them, s...more
It’s the 1Q84 post world so I decided to start off on the bad foot and cut to the chase. The story is odd and interesting, but I think if one doesn’t connect to the deeper elements in this book, the story will fall flat and be very irritating. The main reason is the restless repetition. Even for someone like Murakami this book is padded too much.
I understand this book was originally published as three different publications, and there was a period of time between them, s...more
i'm 100 pages from the end but i won't finish this. i've been assaulted enough. oh why why why do we let books assault us so? because they show themselves to us in sheep's clothing, and we trust them. this fuzzy, sweet muzzled sheep cannot possibly brutalize me -- can it? can it?
this book is relentlessly brutal. the narrative is stretched to its stretchable maximum. there is no good reason for this. i suppose that, if you are a murakami fan and like to hear the sound of his voice, t...more
this book is relentlessly brutal. the narrative is stretched to its stretchable maximum. there is no good reason for this. i suppose that, if you are a murakami fan and like to hear the sound of his voice, t...more
(4.5) Really good, quite heavy (literally)
I read this in hardcover and it was quite a load to carry around, let alone hold up with one hand on the train. But totally worth it. You'll just have to read it to appreciate how intricate and entertaining the read is. You should probably read it as an ebook, though you might not enjoy the quirky features of the paper version:
* okay, really high quality paper that was a pleasure to page-turn (no, really, it's noticeable!)
* "...more
I read this in hardcover and it was quite a load to carry around, let alone hold up with one hand on the train. But totally worth it. You'll just have to read it to appreciate how intricate and entertaining the read is. You should probably read it as an ebook, though you might not enjoy the quirky features of the paper version:
* okay, really high quality paper that was a pleasure to page-turn (no, really, it's noticeable!)
* "...more
woohoo, this is Goodreads' favorite novel of the year, and mine as well!
I enjoyed very much After Dark and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, so when I heard that this life opus was coming out, I requested it very early on from my public library, the best ever, and I got it THE DAY IT WAS RELEASED IN BOOKSTORES!
It was really thrilling to be able to dive into it right away, and what a dive it was!
I enjoy long books, but it’s probably the first book of over 900 pages when ...more
I enjoyed very much After Dark and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, so when I heard that this life opus was coming out, I requested it very early on from my public library, the best ever, and I got it THE DAY IT WAS RELEASED IN BOOKSTORES!
It was really thrilling to be able to dive into it right away, and what a dive it was!
I enjoy long books, but it’s probably the first book of over 900 pages when ...more
So far the narrative straight forward and enjoyable. But I know I'm in the world of Murakami and already approaching it with a foreboding of spook - that things are not what they seem. The only weirdness so far is that the Tokyo policemen's uniform are inexplicably different. A change in color and powerful guns. Our female character notes that guns were never used before. But with the typical Murakami mentality she is not questioning but pursues the usual activities. A good female protagonist. T...more
Tengo und Aomame gehen zusammen in die 4. und 5. Klasse. Als Tengo allein im Klassenzimmer war kam Aomame zu ihm und hielt ganz fest seine Hand, für ein paar Minuten. Dann lief sie einfach weg. Trotz diesem intensiven Erlebnis sprachen die beiden nie ein Wort miteinander.
Auch nach 20 Jahre erinnert sich Tengo, inzwischen ist er ein Hobby Schriftsteller und an einer Schule lehrt er Mathematik, an dieses Erlebnis und bereut es zutiefst nicht mit ihr geredet zu haben. Den Mut sie zu suchen hat...more
Auch nach 20 Jahre erinnert sich Tengo, inzwischen ist er ein Hobby Schriftsteller und an einer Schule lehrt er Mathematik, an dieses Erlebnis und bereut es zutiefst nicht mit ihr geredet zu haben. Den Mut sie zu suchen hat...more
“Murakami is like a magician who explains what he’s doing as he performs the trick and still makes you believe he has supernatural powers . . . But while anyone can tell a story that resembles a dream, it's the rare artist, like this one, who can make us feel that we are dreaming it ourselves.” —The New York Times Book Review
Liviu
rated it
I will have a full review soon; for now I will say that despite a little slowing down in the 3rd book (the original Japanese publication was in 3 volumes and the author actually wrote only the first two initially and then wrote #3 a year later and it shows a little as mentioned, with this last book less tight and with some filler), the book is close to genius and it will be most likely my #1 novel of the year and while i need some time to pass, I see it getting to my list of all time favorites t...more
is it the one who reads the most books at the end wins? yes I hurried to get to the end but now I find myself lost in two worlds 2011 and 1Q84 so I need to revisit the year 1Q 84 and savour it allowing it to settle and get comfortable while I digest this story more slowly.
Like all of Murakami's books, this novel is mind-blowingly awesome. IQ84, the setting of the novel, is a weird parallel universe of 1984 Japan. Strange things slowly add up as you and the characters start to wonder what the heck is going on. It's very subtle though, especially at first, which makes it really epic and a major page-turner for the first two thirds. Unfortunately, the last third, though good, started to drag a little, and felt like a bit of a let-down, as it became somewhat clear ho...more
Major theme:
The decisions you make, however small, have the possibility to affect your life dramatically.
Moral of the story:
Make the decision to read this book. Because it is wonderful. It is whimsical and magical. It is lovely and tender. It is wise and it is silly.
Seriously.
Don't be afraid of it's size. Granted, if this is your first Murakami I would recommend starting with Norwegian Wood or maybe Dance Dance Dance.
I Just fini...more
The decisions you make, however small, have the possibility to affect your life dramatically.
Moral of the story:
Make the decision to read this book. Because it is wonderful. It is whimsical and magical. It is lovely and tender. It is wise and it is silly.
Seriously.
Don't be afraid of it's size. Granted, if this is your first Murakami I would recommend starting with Norwegian Wood or maybe Dance Dance Dance.
I Just fini...more
(4.5 stars) I didn't know what to expect from 1Q84 as there was so much hype and I didn't believe it could live up to its expectations, especially as I'd grown quite disillusioned as a Murakami fan in recent years due to a string of uninspired books (Kafka on the Shore; Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman; After Dark). So I was skeptical to enter the world of 1Q84, until I realized that my concern and hesitation about this book were unfounded and I allowed myself to savor the experience.
W...more
W...more
I liked it but not enough to give it a 4 star. Actually a 3.5
in a short three word reason: too much explaining.
a story should be a story and if its a good one the story itself does the telling. There is just too much explaining to me about what is going on and what it means. If the story is really good the story itself stands on its own.
Does that make sense?
Like in other Murakami stories we are thrown into another world that is a dream world but in this on...more
in a short three word reason: too much explaining.
a story should be a story and if its a good one the story itself does the telling. There is just too much explaining to me about what is going on and what it means. If the story is really good the story itself stands on its own.
Does that make sense?
Like in other Murakami stories we are thrown into another world that is a dream world but in this on...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literary Fiction ...: * Discussion: 1Q84 | 119 | 86 | 2 hours, 13 min ago | |
| Page Numbering Clue | 10 | 162 | Feb 21, 2012 07:53am | |
| The Opinionless V...: What role does belief play in the novel? Why does Murakami end the book with the image of Tengo and Aomame gazing at the moon until it becomes “nothing more than a gray paper moon, hanging in the sky?" | 2 | 4 | Feb 19, 2012 09:09am | |
| The Sword and Laser: Aomame | 10 | 108 | Feb 19, 2012 08:09am | |
| The Challenge Fac...: Morgan•Jess 1Q84 | 13 | 19 | Feb 18, 2012 09:55pm |
Haruki Murakami (村上春樹) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. His work has been described by the Virginia Quarterly Review as "easily accessible, yet profoundly complex." Critics suggest his work draws from film noir and contains elements of magical realism.
Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music ...more
More about Haruki Murakami...
Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music ...more
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“That's what the world is , after all: an endless battle of contrasting memories.”
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