Book Review: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (2009)
Having only read a short story of two from Murakami which were mundane to say the least, I’m not sure why I undertook the epic length of 1Q84. Yet I did and came to find the book is not without any merit. The prose of the much-ballyhooed novel certainly flows well-enough and I can say that I’ve never come across such an unusual plot before, even having read a good deal of surreal fiction; I love the book’s originality in that regard. I also enjoyed characters that are well-developed. However, I have a number of misgivings preventing me from finding this a satisfying read: For starters, Murakami is a writer for people who like their scenes explained in mind-numbing detail. That’s all well and good for some readers, but for others like myself its entirely frustrating. In 1Q84’s case, it often felt like Murakami was trying to meet a page count, where entire chapters did little – and on occasion – nothing at all to advance the story. There is also a great deal of sex throughout the book ...