The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

A Novel

By: Haruki Murakami

Narrated by: Rupert Degas

Length: 26 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

A "dreamlike and compelling” tour de force (Chicago Tribune)—an astonishingly imaginative detective story, an account of a disintegrating marriage, and an excavation of the buried secrets from Japan’s forgotten campaign in Manchuria during World War II.

In a Tokyo suburb, a young man named Toru Okada searches for his wife’s missing cat—and then for his wife as well—in a netherworld beneath the city’s placid surface. As these searches intersect, he encounters a bizarre group of allies and antagonists. Gripping, prophetic, and suffused with comedy and menace, this is one of Haruki Murakami’s most acclaimed and beloved novels.

©1997 Haruki Murakami (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Dreamlike and compelling.... Murakami is a genius." (Chicago Tribune)

“Mesmerizing.... Murakami’s most ambitious attempt yet to stuff all of modern Japan into a single fictional edifice.” (The Washington Post Book World)

“A significant advance in Murakami’s art ... a bold and generous book.” (The New York Times Book Review)

Depressing

maybe it's just me, or the place that I met in my life right now oh, but I found this novel extremely depressing. the writing is well done, but I just couldn't connect... Or maybe connected too much with this work.

ahh! just give it to me intravenously!

another superb absurdity with amazing characters and cross stories lucidly connected. It reminds me to Almodovar’s serious silliness. Similar carelessness of reality imbedded into another culture. It’s a gem!!!

Good book

It was a good book but you really have to try hard to keep everything going on in it in your mind there's alot there I think it'd be better on second read but this one was pretty long so I might just have to take what I can get out of it for now. If you start though just don't give up its really good just a bit confusing at times

Imaginative and unconventional

This is a LONG meandering story. A combination of Catcher in the Rye and Alice in Wonderland! While reading this book, I checked the Title Details three times, because I couldn't tell what it was about. With that said, I wanted to finish it. The protagonist is likable, so I didn't mind zig-zagging through this story with him. There were a few chapters with graphic sex and violence that I could have done without. Overall, this is imaginative and comes together in the end.

A six month long bedtime story

I had never listened to a fiction audio book before. At first I was not sure how I felt about the voice acting, but quickly grew to look forward to the narrator’s voice each night before bed. I can't imagine how difficult voice acting must be. To effectively distinguish one character from the next just with your voice. Not once was I confused as to which character was speaking and it added a liveliness to each chapter. The flexibility of the actor’s voice surprised me throughout the 60+ chapters and I enjoyed listening to every minute of the book.

This won't be my last Murakami book

As I listened to this book, I envisioned a limited film series directed by someone like Tarantino. It was interesting; it made me think. I'm still thinking after completing the novel. Contrary to some other reviews, I thought that Rupert Degas did an admirable job in narration. Was it perfect? No, but if it wasn't for his narration, I don't think I would have finished the book if I was literally reading it. I'm not a fast reader; hence, the Audibles. I am now in the Murakami Rabbit Hole, or should I say Rabbit Well.....

Very captivating

Haruki Murakami is undoubtedly a man with an odd mind and it shows in his novels. But this is why you are here! The narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. I read that people think he's annoying and I could see that, but I think his effort really makes the story come alive.

Disturbing and clever

clever plot, quite horrifying in places but for good reason with historical war references, a complex weaving of a very unreal yet somehow believable plot that at times makes one doubt your own reality

Murakami has mommy issues

As the title of my review says, clear mommy issues. Also, I thought the VO was good, except that there are some characters he voices with an affect that is unbearable.

Loved the narration!

Any additional comments?

The storyline was complex and VERY imaginative. From reading some of the other reviews, it seems that people either love the narration or hate it. I really enjoyed that Mr. Degas was able to create such distinct voices for each of the characters. It made the audio easy to follow. I admit that some of the voices were a bit exaggerated, consistent with the perceived nature of the particular character, but for me, that was a plus. I enjoyed both the story and the performance.