The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami 3.5/5

[Nicole D.]

I really messed myself by trying to do this book on audio. The audio was awful, and yet somehow I made it 75% of the way through. The narrator was a British/Australian voicing his Japanese characters with American accents. Worse, there was one (frequent character) who sounded like a South Park character, and the end of the audio for me was a Gilbert Godfrey voice. The guy just overdid every character.

I picked up the print version for the last 25% of the book and I wish I'd read the whole thing.

As far as the story goes, I liked it OK. Didn't love it. So much of it was dreams or dream like. And a lot of those dreams were wet dreams (Sorry.) There's a cat and a wife, a neighbor and a well. Random war stories, a politician brother, and psychic sisters Malta and Creta. I didn't "get it".

I think if this is your first Murakami it could be great and could really grab you because it is unique, but I've read a lot of Murakami and it just didn't do anything for me. I think I'm done with Murakami for now.

[Booknblues]

I read South of the Border, West of the Sun years ago and thought it was ok, but didn't love it. I thought maybe I just didn't get it and started this and put it down out of boredom. I'm not eager to give him a try again.

[Nicole D.]

I've loved most of his stuff leading up to this ...

[Susie]

Oh what a shame. He narrated The Name of the Wind and it was really well done. What’s wrong with an Australian accent huh? ;-)

[Anita]

Nicole D. wrote: "I really messed myself by trying to do this book on audio. The audio was awful, and yet somehow I made it 75% of the way through. The narrator was a British/Australian voicing his Japanese characte..."

Eek.

Ok, well I definitely won't start with the Murakami if I ever get around to him. I think you told me Norwegian Wood was the way to go. Got it.

This book is so acclaimed, but it really sounds like something I would not like at all.

[Nicole D.]

Anita, you would NOT like it. Very much not.

Susie, that's weird because I listened to the Name of the Wind.
I'll have to see what I thought of that narrator, but honestly, he would probably be fine for a fantasy book. He debased Murakami's writing if you ask me. (He never did use an Aussie accent)

[Nicole D.]

Oh, he didn't narrate my version of The Name of the Wind

[Susie]

Oh that’s strange! Rupert Degas?

[Joni]

Maybe it was the audio that messed t up for me....did not like it at all.

[Nicole D.]

yeah, I looked it up Susie ... Rupert Degas did the Oz version, but somebody else did the US version (of Name of the Wind)

[Jess]

I agree about the narrator. Some of the character voice choices were awful!