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1Q84  By  cover art

1Q84

By: Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin - translator, Philip Gabriel - translator
Narrated by: Allison Hiroto, Marc Vietor, Mark Boyett
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Publisher's summary

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 realises, 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 Ltd

Critic reviews

"It is a work of maddening brilliance and gripping originality, deceptively casual in style...vibrating with wit, intellect and ambition." ( The Times)
"Eerie, suspenseful and packed full of gorgeous ordinary details and provocative extraordinary events...funny, fresh and intensely surreal. Unmissable." ( Marie Claire)

What listeners say about 1Q84

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful weirdness

I enjoyed being enthralled in this quirky, suspenseful story of a bizarre journey between the year 1984 and 1Q84. All the characters are totally unique, and constantly in danger of meeting or in danger of not meeting. It left me wondering what if, and what about... So it was great value all round.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Long........

It seems to me like the book is a take on the modern version of 'Alice in the Wonderland' The story itself is rather absurd and one keeps waiting for it to develop. It takes so long to get there, that it becomes a little painfull at times.
The performance is excellent and for all the characters.
Somehow mesmerising in its simplicity and purity of form. Poetic and full of symbolism and allegories.
Unnecessarily long, but cannot say I did not enjoy listening to it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Revisiting this novel was a real pleasure.

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

The magnitude of Murakami's work and his attention to detail made this a pleasurable experience. I first read the novel - Books 1 to 3 - when it was released as one volume in 2010. To revisit it now as an audio novel was like hearing an old friend's voice once more.

What did you like best about this story?

The complexity of the story, its story-within-a-story concept and the wonderful way the two protagonists were narrated by Alison and Marc, were the highlights for me rather than one specific point. The subtle references and repeated themes were cleverly woven into the story and you couldn't help but become filled with hope for Tengo and Aomame as they seek out one another.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The narrators were magnificent and the use, towards of end, of both protagonists' 'voices' made their final union all the more special.

Any additional comments?

Long, complex, unforgettable and real value for money. This is an excellent audio book and I highly recommend '1Q84' to the Audible audience.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating story, excellent narrators

What did you love best about 1Q84?

The magical world of Murakami pulls you in. I found myself looking up at the sky, searching for that second moon.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrators gave life and depth to each of the characters in a way that made the story come to life.

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