Review of 'IQ84: Books 1 and 2'

IQ84: Books 1 and 2 by Haruki Murakami

As an innovative and exciting Japanese author I have been anxious to read Haruki Murakami's 1Q84 novel right after I read what it was about. I was not disappointed. I took the opportunity to also try out reading something fairly serious (the hard cover is truly a door-stop) on my new Kindle device. I could not really put this down.

Aomame is a young woman stuck on a Japanese expressway. In her anxiety to get to her next appointment she takes the advice of the taxi driver and uses an emergency exit little realising that this leads her from her world of 1984 into a new world of 1Q84 where things are a bit different (but not so different that we stray into the realms of Science Fiction). Aomame herself, regardless of world, is an interesting character as she is spending some time in the employ of a wealthy benefactor who has contracted her to “eliminate” particularly nasty men. The story builds to the murder of a particularly key person to the whole story who is not entirely normal…

The second weave of 1Q84 involves Tengo who is a talented but unpublished author (and part-time cram school teacher) who is asked to re-work an unusual story written by a 17-year old girl (a story, admittedly, verging on the fantastic). The success of his work goes beyond his wildest dreams thrusting him quickly and dramatically into the world of 1Q84.

Incredibly vivid and lurid prose paints a picture of the world of Tokyo in 1984 with compassionate and very real characters. Their stories are enthralling and as the book progresses it is very clear to see how the two different strands connect leading up to the book's climax. If you spend the time to read this novel carefully the details are amazing with the many different strands of narration weaving in and out of each other over and over again.

If I were to be asked to find fault, I am not sure I would be able to find anything. I suppose it is a trifle long and it does occasionally dwell in sentimentality but each of these actually contributes to the narrative whole and cannot be ignored in light of the whole piece. This, I feel, is one of the modern classics of literature from a wonderful writer. Ok, fair enough, there is some nasty violence and some vivid sex here (it is NOT PG) but it is all very much within context. Ok, perhaps, some of the Japanese cultural references not be understood by a western reader (I find it fascinating but this is likely due to my studying the culture for some time now).

I very much look forward to the conclusion of the story in “book 3” that I very much hope to read soon…

Seriously, if you can, pick this up and read it. I think you will not be disappointed if you put in a bit of effort.

Rating: “Nearly perfect, but not quite”

Review Date: 2012-03-31


Genre: General Fiction

Publisher: Vintage Digital

Publication Date: 2011


Other reviewed books by Haruki Murakami: