IQ84 by Haruki Marakami

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1Q84

This book is my first experience with Murakami. This book is without a doubt a unique piece of literature. I figured that with all of the hype that I needed to give it a try. The best way for me to describe it is that it starts out fairly normal and slowly the reality unravels as the supernatural takes it place.

If you are reading this book then I understand it is 900 pages. If you are listening to this book, as I did, then it is almost 47 hours of listening. So, getting through this book requires a true investment of time. I enjoyed the voice acting of the 3 narrators and appreciated how their voices interacted with each other’s.

The novel is actually split up into 3 books that were released in Japan at separate times. As I went further and further down the rabbit hole that is this book, I was compelled to continue reading to see where the bizarre was all leading. Some readers may be disappointed in the ending of this book as Murakami doesn’t leave the book with all of the story lines tied up nicely with a pretty bow. I, however, really appreciate how the author ends things. It is as if he is saying “I didn’t wrap-up all of the story lines because in the end only one story line matters. The rest is just details.”

The other story lines remind me of what Hitchcock termed a MacGuffin, an element of a story used to drive the plot but serves no other purpose. This novel may not be for everyone but it is for those who appreciate a story that is in and of itself compelling while at the same time encourages quite a bit of thought on the part of the reader.

Purchase Links: Hardcover, Kindle Edition, Audible.com Audiobook

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