Haruki Murakami 1Q84 Discussion Thread - There's always only one reality.

[GrayGhost81]

Aomame, in Japanese, is a large soybean/pea - not sure if that helps with character development at all, but it struck me as an intentional choice, and Japan has a cultural fixation with soybeans.

Nice catch. It is addressed almost immediately in the book too.

On a different note, I didn't realize this was classified as a "hipster" book. That people concern themselves with such things amazes me, though I suppose I'm fueling the fire by sharing this link.

http://www.huffingtonpost...pster-book_n_5242399.html

[techwizard]

Aomame, in Japanese, is a large soybean/pea - not sure if that helps with character development at all, but it struck me as an intentional choice, and Japan has a cultural fixation with soybeans.

Nice catch. It is addressed almost immediately in the book too.

On a different note, I didn't realize this was classified as a "hipster" book. That people concern themselves with such things amazes me, though I suppose I'm fueling the fire by sharing this link.

http://www.huffingtonpost...pster-book_n_5242399.html

i browse 4chan's /lit/ board regularly, they look down on this book quite often but anything they say obviously is taken with a grain of salt.

I just started it last night and am about 20 pages in, partway through chapter 2. the last few pages of chapter 1 were really interesting, especially the staircase and Aomame's walk to it. i had a strong impression of Alice going down the rabbit hole, or maybe Persephone's descent into Hades. Anyone else notice that?

Maybe it'll come up later as the story unfolds but there must be some significance to Aomame's misshapen left ear, Murakami draws too much attention to it for it to be meaningless. I can't think of what it could mean at this point though.

[singlebanana]

He has a bit of thing for ears (see "Wild Sheep Chase")

[GrayGhost81]

i had a strong impression of Alice going down the rabbit hole, or maybe Persephone's descent into Hades. Anyone else notice that?

As obvious as that one might seem, I didn't pick up on it myself but I like it now that you pointed it out.

Maybe it'll come up later as the story unfolds but there must be some significance to Aomame's misshapen left ear, Murakami draws too much attention to it for it to be meaningless. I can't think of what it could mean at this point though.

What Rich said, but also I think it will receive further explanation.

[techwizard]

just found out that 1Q84 is a trilogy...the 900 page one is all 3 combined, i had no idea.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

See any parallels yet between 1984 and 1Q84, tech?

[GrayGhost81]

just found out that 1Q84 is a trilogy...the 900 page one is all 3 combined, i had no idea.

1Q84 is a novel by Haruki Murakami written in three volumes in Japanese between 2009-2010 and released in English 2011.

Sometimes it pays to read the OP .

[techwizard]

just found out that 1Q84 is a trilogy...the 900 page one is all 3 combined, i had no idea.

1Q84 is a novel by Haruki Murakami written in three volumes in Japanese between 2009-2010 and released in English 2011.

Sometimes it pays to read the OP .

oh, it does say three volumes there lol didn't even notice...i swear i read most of the OP

@shadow not entirely, a few minor similarities like it opening in April of 1984 just like in orwell's 1984. And that Aomame and Tengo both share some similarities with Winston Smith, but nothing major yet.

[GrayGhost81]

I'm six chapters into book two. The pendulum swings back towards Aomame's chapters being a lot more exciting towards the end of book one but now Tengo's chapters are heating up again.

Spoiler (hover to show)

There is a very noticeable first time when each character recalls his or her memories of the other by name. Although it's almost certain that their memories were of each other, having it be confirmed so solidly changes how the reader speculates about everything else. And I'm certainly doing a lot of speculating.

I haven't read 1984 since high school, but I'm not seeing huge parallels yet. The characters make various references to it constantly though.

Last week I noted something about the explicit sexual nature of this novel. Almost halfway through the book, it really doesn't let up. It's almost a bit too much at times.

I'm still enjoying the book immensely though.

[techwizard]

not much to say yet, i'm still only about 65 or 70 pages in. parts of it feel like they're starting to get very repetitious, especially with Tengo talking about Fuka-Eri being so mysterious...he says the same core things about her repeatedly in slightly different wording.

the one explicit scene with aomame and the old guy at the hotel pub that i've read so far did seem a bit much. it really seems like the sex is treated poorly, there's no elegance to it and it just feels like Murakami wanted shock value more than anything. if it felt more realistic i might forgive it being graphic, but come on, she goes and asks a complete stranger how big his dick is in the middle of a fairly decent public place, then he just goes along with it like it's a little weird but hardly out of the ordinary.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

What, that's not a normal social interaction?

[techwizard]

just hit the start of book 1 chapter 10, a little over 110 pages in. shawn and rich, how many pages in are you? i can't tell how far behind i am from chapters alone without a table of contents...worried about spoiling things if i look ahead too much.

[GrayGhost81]

I'm working on chapter 11 of book two (556 pages in). Basically, I'm halfway through the entire novel. I had a few long plane flights this past weekend and was able to knock out almost 300 pages rather quickly.

It's interesting how you and I feel so differently about Fuka-Eri. I think I just have "taken the bait" much the way Tengo has.

And yeah, the sexual stuff doesn't let up. I've just kind of accepted it. It is part of real life, and some authors (and filmmakers etc) choose to include more sexual details in their work and it just seems Murakami is one of those authors. I don't actually think he includes these details just for shock value. Although some points seem gratuitously salacious, I do believe they are satisfactorily justified for character development.

[techwizard]

I'm working on chapter 11 of book two (556 pages in). Basically, I'm halfway through the entire novel. I had a few long plane flights this past weekend and was able to knock out almost 300 pages rather quickly.

It's interesting how you and I feel so differently about Fuka-Eri. I think I just have "taken the bait" much the way Tengo has.

And yeah, the sexual stuff doesn't let up. I've just kind of accepted it. It is part of real life, and some authors (and filmmakers etc) choose to include more sexual details in their work and it just seems Murakami is one of those authors. I don't actually think he includes these details just for shock value. Although some points seem gratuitously salacious, I do believe they are satisfactorily justified for character development.

like i said i'm still early enough in where i don't have a whole lot to say yet, any opinions i have now could easily change as the story progresses. it's not a bad book by any means, it just has some things that at this point feel flawed.

[techwizard]

almost 200 pages in, the connections between Aomame and Tengo are really getting stronger. i definitely like your analogy about the drops of paint Shawn, it fits very well.

i can also completely see the comparison between this book and Cloud Atlas, i'd highly recommend that to anyone who likes 1Q84 and vice versa.