1Q84

By: Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin - translator, Philip Gabriel - translator

Narrated by: Allison Hiroto, Marc Vietor, Mark Boyett

Length: 46 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

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 ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.

As Aomame's and Tengo's narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell's, 1Q84 is Haruki Murakami's most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.

BONUS AUDIO: Audible interviews the translators of 1Q84, Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel.

©2011 Haruki Murakami (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This imaginative, lengthy novel satisfies as a mystery, fantasy, and humorous coming-of-age tale—all blended with the vagaries of love and loss in a dystopia mired in strange cults and mathematical/musical dreamscapes. One surmises that it's no accident that the book's enigmatic title relates to George Orwell's 1984." (AudioFile)

“Profound . . . A multilayered narrative of loyalty and loss . . . A fully articulated vision of a not-quite-nightmare world . . . A big sprawling novel [that] achieves what is perhaps the primary function of literature: to reimagine, to reframe, the world . . . At the center of [1Q84’s] reality . . . is the question of love, of how we find it and how we hold it, and the small fragile connections that sustain us, even (or especially) despite the odds . . . This is a major development in Murakami’s writing . . . A vision, and an act of the imagination.” (David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times)

“1Q84 is one of those books that disappear in your hands, pulling you into its mysteries with such speed and skill that you don’t even notice as the hours tick by and the mountain of pages quietly shrinks . . . I finished 1Q84 one fall evening, and when I set it down, baffled and in awe, I couldn’t help looking out the window to see if just the usual moon hung there or if a second orb had somehow joined it. It turned out that this magical novel did not actually alter reality. Even so, its enigmatic glow makes the world seem a little strange long after you turn the last page. Grade: A.” (Rob Brunner, Entertainment Weekly)

incredible

first time I've been exposed to this author, since I hardly ever read fiction. he's my new fave fiction writer

can't get enough murakami!!

this is my second Morikami book and I can't wait to read the rest. His writing opens up my imagination to a world that in my mind eye looks like a Miyazaki film. I would recommend reading or listening to Kafka on the Shore before you take this one on.

Uniquely Marukami

Haruki Marukami's unique blend of fantasy and reality is on vivid display in 1Q84. The penchant for placing unremarkable characters into fantastic situations, the detailed descriptions of impossible events, the nonchalant presentation of the supernatural, and the utter sincerity of his protagonists in accepting their places in a topsy-turvy world are all hallmarks of Murakami's highly original fiction. Part hard-core detective novel, part historical fiction, part fairy tale, and part love story - all mixed together into a rolling monster of a novel, and don't forget the political commentary and the sex. As you are drawn deeper into this strange and wonderful place, you'll find that it's perfectly natural that little people crawl out of the mouths of sleepers to weave giant cocoons out of lint in the night. It's just another normal day, except that today there are two moons instead of one. A secret underground headed by an old widow that tracks down sex criminals? Why not?

The eagerly awaited English translation does not disappoint, and the team of narrators assembled by Audible does a creditable job of delivering the book - especially Alison Hiroto. 1Q84 is destined to rank as one of Murakami's greatest novels, and Murakami is unquestionably one of the most imaginative writers of our age. Even if you've never read him before, this book would be a fine place to start. At 47 hours, it's a commitment on the scale of War and Peace, but you will find yourself sorry to see it come to an end. Just like Aomame and Tengo, you may find that you'll want to stay in 1Q84 forever.

Superb

Liked it a lot. Quite a long project to listen, but it never got old.

Murakami's Magnum Opus Disappointing?

Murakami is my favorite author, but his largest novel was unfortunately a let down. I can honestly say that if this wasn't an Audiobook I wouldn't have been able to finish it. I can see how his work on religious cults and surrealism influenced this novel, but I'd recommend Wind-Up Bird Chronicle over this any day. On a personal level the most exciting part of this was the bonus interview at the end where they talk to one of my former college professors who translates his work (I did my capstone on Murakami and Japanese historical influence). Overall I was really looking forward to tackling this book, but found it a bit too loose ended and long winded (even for Murakami).

I Love This Story

Any additional comments?

Not too fast, not too slow, but just right. I love the style of the author, narrator and characters who do come alive in this reading.

Wonderfully read. Lovely but long story.

I found this book very good, but a little too long. The performances are excellent, and the changing between two and than three readers turns out to suit the story.

Uncertain, vaguely disquieted

What made the experience of listening to 1Q84 the most enjoyable?

Murakami keeps my attention when he writes of normal daily activities. I can' explain why, but his stories are always soothing to listen to completely apart from any emotional or intellectual feelings I have about the story. This story has the same affect. I like his characters. I think.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was left feeling like I should read Proust. Also, left feeling a bit like the ending of the movie Blade Runner (vs. the story Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep) when the protagonist seems to escape. And the end of Brazil.

Which character ??? as performed by the narrators ??? was your favorite?

I liked Tengo the best. I liked his gentle nature, his the way he floated through his life.

Who was the most memorable character of 1Q84 and why?

The second moon was the most memorable character, because so much of the story revolved around it. It's challenging to say much more without revealing plot points.

Any additional comments?

I am not sure what to do with this book. How to incorporate it. I think I have to read (listen) to it again.

Didn't Need To Be That Long

This was my first Muakami book, and I think I will try another. The story was very interesting, but seemed to drag on unnecessarily. Things were rehashed over and over ad nauseum. I also felt like some things were left unresolved at the end.

Also, Allison Hiroto was a terrible narrator. She read like you would read something to a kindergartener who you think might not understand, extremely slow and almost condescending. I don't know if she's always like that, or it was just this particular book. I played her sections at 1.5x speed and it helped. The male narrators were fine.

Glacial exploration of typical tropes

First, I love Murakami and consider him in my top 5 authors. This book is meant to be a long marathon, but even so I found the length and repetition more tiresome than effective. If you love Murakami it is solid, well crafted, and compelling. Far below the enjoyment I had reading his other works.