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 and while I’m no prude, sex scenes or numerous descriptions of a character’s body should be there, again, to advance the story. Also in regards to sex, the author is so absolutely obsessed with breasts and nipples that it simply became comical at a certain point, and thus, distracting. I also said earlier that the prose flowed well enough and this is true, except in instances where characters are CONSTANTLY repeating what someone has just said to them. That’s something a particular character might be in the habit of doing but not everyone in the book; it made a great deal of the dialogue unrealistic. Also, in what might be a translation issue, Murakami appears to love using the word ‘taciturn.’ Seriously, he – or the translators- should use another word once in a while. Finally, come that anticlimactic ending, there are a number of plot turns that go unresolved while the story’s (true) antagonists never have their motives explained. Some characters exit the story altogether rather abruptly and are never addressed again.

I wanted to like this book more, and I probably would have if at least an entire third had been trimmed from its waist. That, and the ending needs to be upgraded as its entirely too pedestrian given the scope of the story. All that said, I think Murakami’s style will certainly have its fans, but to them I would say let’s not pretend this is a book that will go down in history. It has its merits and it has its faults. And if a writer makes you never want to read one of their stories again, well, at least they made you feel something.

Final Score: 6/10

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