Haruki Murakami: 1Q84

[Liam]

I'm about 30 pages in and, unlike Bjorn, I am favorably impressed. This is my first Murakami though, so I can't really recommend anything one way or the other.

The design alone, however, is worth the price of the book: it will look absolutely beautiful on your shelves.

[Daniel del Real]

I have to agree with Liam this time, and after reading books 1 & 2 last February I was really impressed on how he handles this very long story. I can't say if this is his best work to date (I will be in better position to tell when I finish book 3, already waiting in my shelves) but this is in the same level than some of my other Murakami favorites like Kafka on the Shore, Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

[Rumpelstilzchen]

I have to agree with Liam this time, and after reading books 1 & 2 last February I was really impressed on how he handles this very long story. I can't say if this is his best work to date (I will be in better position to tell when I finish book 3, already waiting in my shelves) but this is in the same level than some of my other Murakami favorites like Kafka on the Shore, Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

I am always surprised that so many people count Kafka on the Shore as one of their favorite Murakami books, I found it dull and uninteresting (read the English translation). This is really strange, Daniel, since I personally consider the Bird Chronicle (also English translation, but by a different translator) to be hist best one (I read 6 novels overall). I wonder to what extend this comes from translation issues .

Before tackling 1Q84 I will definitely check out one of his short story collections first.

[Caodang]

I am always surprised that so many people count Kafka on the Shore as one of their favorite Murakami books, I found it dull and uninteresting (read the English translation). This is really strange, Daniel, since I personally consider the Bird Chronicle (also English translation, but by a different translator) to be hist best one (I read 6 novels overall). I wonder to what extend this comes from translation issues . Before tackling 1Q84 I will definitely check out one of his short story collections first.

It's the same with me! While I found "Wind Bird" truly brilliant (I translated it into Vietnamese, from the English version!), I was in no way "blown away" by "Kafka on the shore". The latter, at its best, is a mere extension of the previous both in terms of theme and inspiration, at least as far as I personally feel.

[kpjayan]

While I wait for the book to be available in India.. here is the NYT review http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/bo...ooksupdateema1

[Liam]

I'm only at the beginning, but there are some great quotes already: here's one about the literati: "Those bastards all huddle together in their gloomy cave and kiss each other's asses, and lick each other's wounds, and trip each other up, all the while spewing their pompous crap about the mission of literature." How true, how very true!

[Kingbee]

I've just started book 3, and it has left me a little underwhelmed. I'm still wondering if this is because I've read quite a few Murakami and feel that he's a one trick pony (usually a normal guy gets into some weird trouble, with jazz, coffee and tennis shoes all playing a minor part).

After the hype, I was expecting a 5 star book- for me it's a thorough 3.5-4 star. It just seems fairly plodding and very similar to Murakami's other stuff. I'd be interested to see how much Murakami first-timer enjoyed it.

[Timofei]

This is my first Murakami book and as of pg. 70 I'm enjoying it. If all goes well I'll get The Wind-up Bird Chronicle in russian since I hear the english version is cut.

[Daniel del Real]

I've just started book 3, and it has left me a little underwhelmed. I'm still wondering if this is because I've read quite a few Murakami and feel that he's a one trick pony (usually a normal guy gets into some weird trouble, with jazz, coffee and tennis shoes all playing a minor part).

After the hype, I was expecting a 5 star book- for me it's a thorough 3.5-4 star. It just seems fairly plodding and very similar to Murakami's other stuff. I'd be interested to see how much Murakami first-timer enjoyed it.

I got the same impression when I started book 3. It improves towards the middle and then terribly falls at the end. You'll see what I'm talking about when you get to that part.

[Peeping Tom]

I also have just started Book 3, and that particular section is a bit of a letdown for me as well. But I am only at the very beginning of this last section, and have a long way to go before I finish. Like Daniel, I also thought the middle of the book was the strongest, especially the Town of Cats.

[Stiffelio]

This is a rare and brief interview with Haruki Murakami mostly about 1Q84:

http://www.omnivoracious.com/2011/12...-murakami.html

[Liam]

Coming up on 5/15/12:

[Hamlet]

reading Norwegian Wood, in English translation.

[Hamlet]

I spotted a new 'all 3 books....' version of IQ84 over here in the wet and wild UK.

Last time I visited WLF, a few weeks ago, Murakami was a blank, I've since read around half of Norwegian Wood, but don't wish to polish it off just yet, so it's gone back to the library, as it was getting a second place read to other books I was finishing, but it felt like a solid and heartfelt tale about youth, casual sex and memory -- my feeling was this was Proustian, perhaps.

Now I understand that this IQ84 is inspired by Orwell's 1984 and receviing high praise indeed, "it's Murakami's Underworld..." was on the backcover.... it's funny how quickly a new author becomes familiar.

The three volume was a nice £20 and in paperback, painted black spine. What's all this parts 1 & 2 released together, and 3 a year later.... sounds a bit Kill Bill in marketing terms, but that's okay.

I picked up a stand-alone 3 from library, but until I got back to the bookshop didn't tag what I'd gotten hold of.

I've also got this thing I do, called 'author of the week', sometimes it's 5 authors of the week, I just look up some bio and read up on a certain author. Murakami is proving interesting, I've read the plot summs to each of his books, and they are a wide and interesting spread of topics.... hmm, he could become a favourite. We'll see!