Monday, April 9, 2012

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Harvill Secker

Pages: 925pgs

The Story

This edition contains Book One, Book Two, and Book Three.

The year is 1984. Aomame sits in a taxi on the expressway in Tokyo.

Her work is not the kind which can be discussed in public but she is in a hurry to carry out an assignment and, with the traffic at a standstill, the driver proposes a solution. She agrees, but as a result of her actions starts to feel increasingly detached from the real world. She has been on a top-secret mission, and her next job will lead her to encounter the apparently superhuman founder of a religious cult.

Meanwhile, Tengo is leading a nondescript life but wishes to become a writer. He inadvertently becomes involved in a strange affair surrounding a literary prize to which a mysterious seventeen-year-old girl has submitted her remarkable first novel. It seems to be based on her own experiences and moves readers in unusual ways. Can her story really be true?

Both Aomame and Tengo notice that the world has grown strange; both realise that they are indispensable to each other. While their stories influence one another, at times by accident and at times intentionally, the two come closer and closer to intertwining.

The Review

The author, Haruki Murakami, has become an international bestseller for his novel 1Q84 and it's no wonder why this is so true, and why so many other readers have raved about it endlessly and recommended to me. This book right here in my greedy little hands is the weirdest, the oddest, the most-confusing but equally as brilliant and unique than anything else I've read before, and when combining those elements together. . . it has ultimately created one of the best pieces of literature I've ever read in my entire life and it will certainly not be the last piece of work I'll read of Murakami's because he's amazing and it was mind-blowing to be honest!

In my hardcover edition of 1Q84 it contains the complete set of books 1-3, so I won't giveaway any specific details about the book, only about the amazeballs of the storyline and everything inside of it. If you've ever seen this book in person or have checked the page count, comparing it to the Harry Potter length and weight, this is an immensely long and heavy book, and probably the longest I've ever read for an adult book! While that may overwhelm readers at the beginning and may you think "Hell no!" but trust me here folks . . . it's well worth reading the three volumes all in one and will leave you speechless.

Now I wouldn't be the only person that will find it hard to explain this particular book to you - so my readers can understand what exactly is going on - and everything twisty and confusing in it, so I'll try and do my best to sum it up in one paragraph. Okay here goes nothing. In the book of 1Q84, the story is set in 1984 where Tokyo is split into two different parts and is told through dual perspective. One part follows Aomame, a young woman who is involved with some serious dubious secret work which will be later revealed in the book whereas the other main character, the other half of the story in which it is told by, is an average young man named Tengo who is a teacher and an unpublished author whom finds himself captivated by a seventeen-year-old girl's novel which ends up having a unusual effect on him and opens up plenty of secrets of his own world around him.

While this book is nothing like anything else that I've read before, I think the main contributing factor to this realisation of mine (you know being officially 'mind-blown') was all due to Murakami's writing within itself. The author possesses this somewhat strange, unnatural and rare gift of knowing how and when to use his suspenseful storytelling at the exact right times and never did I find myself distracted - not even once and not even by the book's length. There was also just something really Japanese about it (an obvious one since the author is japanese himself) and there was something so surreal about the book's own world which I guess captivated me even more, and gave me more reason to continue with it. But it wasn't just those parts that I loved, it was also the structure and how the author layered it out for his readers . . . the language he uses . . . the characters he writes down onto paper . . . the way he shortens chapters to only give you an excuse to keep turning those damn pages . . . and it was needless to say such a brilliant concept and even if the book wasn't as fast-paced like one would hope for, but there's honestly nothing bad I could say about this book except that now it's over and I'm left empty handed. So well done to the author to force me in praising up this highly acclaimed novel because it's pure perfection!

Overall, if you haven't heard of this book, if you haven't considered picking it up, or if you're really looking for the need to be weirded out by true greatness, then I wholeheartedly recommend this book to you - all three of the books in fact - within a heartbeat. Not only does this book make you laugh, cry, ponder and question every single little detail and action and twist-turn the author writes at the most unexpected times . . . it's a truly amazing piece of adult literature and no wonder why it was a big hit despite its critics! LOVED IT!

The Rating

5/5 stars

24 comments:

  1. Wonderful review! I enjoy Murakami's writing, at the moment I'm smack-dab in the middle of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle and he has left me amazed, stunned, disgusted, and wanting more. I am definitely tempted to pick this up after I read a few more of his later works for the AP English test x)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I'll have to read more of Murakami's work and judging by how much I loved THIS book . . . I think I will check out his book very, very soon. :)

      Delete
  2. Oh my gosh! This sounds absolutely fabulous. I've seen it in bookstores here but I haven't picked it up yet. Love your review Erin. <3 It sounds intriguing and intense! Looking forward to the suspense storytelling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you pick this book up. It's honestly a must have!

      Delete
  3. I keep hearing abut this book, though I have to admit I had no idea what it was about before your review. It sounds amazing though - I'm a big fan of books that make you ponder! :P Plus the twists and turns are definitely appealing too. Great review, you've definitely got me excited about a book I otherwise wouldn't have thought of reading. Great review! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't have a clear idea about this book when I picked it up a few months ago, but I got it just based on the high praises. Obviously . . . it was worth it.

      Delete
  4. Wow this book sounds AWESOME. I have heard great things about it and I can't remember whether Murakami has written a novel before 1Q84 but I definitely need to grab copies of his book and read it!

    Awesome review, Erin! ♥ So glad you enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's written loads! You should definitely check them out - he's a great writer. In fact, I'd recommend starting with Kafka on the Shore or Wind-up Bird before tackling 1Q84

      Delete
    2. Celine it IS full of awesomeness. It's a must have.

      Delete
  5. I love Murakami's other books and I am hoping to read this one soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I must read his other work. Heard so many great things.

      Delete
  6. Holy Crap. This is like 1000 pages long! How'd the hell did you get through this?!?!
    Page length aside, THIS SOUNDS FANTASTIC. Reading your review makes me wonder why I stopped reading all those fabulous adult books I loved so much before! And wow...it's set in JAPAN, and written by a JAPANESE author! You know what that means? I'M DEFINITELY READING IT. But probably after my HSC :( Great review, Erin! I'm really glad you loved this<3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shirley it's called a 'sugar high and lot's and lot's of determination'. I honestly have no idea how I finished this book but obviously I did and loved it. haha. Anyway I definitely recommend this - obviously judging by my high praised review.

      Delete
  7. oh wow! 5 stars? I have the first book n myshelf for awhile now and didnt know this was sooo good. Omg. Glad you loved it, cant wait to read it. Great review Erin.x

    Ƹ̴Ӂ̴ƷFICBOOKREVIEWSƸ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one. Hope you love it as much as I do. :)

      Delete
  8. Colour me..... INTRIGUED!! I like to be 'weirded out by true greatness'. It hasn't happened often, but I'm mighty excited when it does :D To be honest, I never would have bothered picking this up had I not read your review. But damn you, you've made me super interested and despite the fact that these days it will take me forever to get through nearly 1000 pages, I'd try it just because. And my 'just because' is mainly all on you and your amazing reviews *shakes fist at Erin!*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's my job to make sure you read great books and this clearly is one of them! :)

      Delete
  9. Oh my gosh, I'm pretty sure I made a pact last year not to read a book over 800 pages after forcing myself through a particularly bad one, but you make me want to break that promise! *adds book to TBR pile* x) I've never heard anything about this book before, but just seeing you describe it perfection and giving it five stars is stamping it as a must read on my shelf! :)

    Amazing review, Erin! I'm a one-sit reader so I'll probably stay up all night finishing (and hopefully loving) this book! ;) <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad I'm responsible for making you break that promise of yours. haha.

      Delete
  10. I know a lot of people have read this book but I've always wondered if it's something I'd enjoy. Your 5/5 rating has made me reconsider, I will at least attempt to read this (when I have LOTS of spare time!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha you would NEED LOTS of spare time for this title. :)

      Delete
  11. Oh wow...
    OK, so: I've been admiring this book in your 'currently reading' sidebar for months. I keep on seeing it in bookstores, and I keep on thinking about you, and wondering how you're going with it.

    It is a GORGEOUS book. The cover, the size... so lovely.

    Umm... but that's all rather immaterial. ERIN. IT SOUNDS AMAZING.

    This sounds like one of those life changing books. One of the ones you read and it forever changes how you look at reading... I'm... wow. I'm genuinely blown away by your review. It's so far out of the realm of what I generally read, or what I'm interested in, but I'm not sure I can go past it. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. Thanks for sharing your AMAZING review! Eek!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww thanks Sarah! This book is just one of those reads you simply can't pass on. :)

      Delete
  12. I want to read this! It's being on every shelf i have passed: The libary, bookstores etc. Great review!
    =D

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...