Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Harvill Secker (2011), 364 pages
Description
Book Two of 1Q84 ended with Aomame standing on the Metropolitan Expressway with a gun between her lips. She knows she is being hunted, and that she has put herself in terrible danger in order to save the man she loves. But things are moving forward, and Aomame does not yet know that she and Tengo are more closely bound than ever. Tengo is searching for Aomame, and he must find her before this world's rules loosen up too much. He must find her before someone else does.
Media reviews
[...] en romanförfattares främsta uppgift är att skriva bra romaner snarare än företräda en eller annan nation, ideologi eller religion. Det anser i alla fall jag, och på denna enda grund kan jag från hjärtat rekommendera ”1Q84”.
Berättelsen lunkar på i sin makliga takt, ändå kan man inte sluta läsa.
Murakami är i grunden en gammal hederlig sagoberättare. En moralist som genom sagans exempel vill lära oss någonting om den verkliga världen.
User reviews
LibraryThing member joecflee
This is Part 3 of the Murakami 1Q84 books.
The pace is still inexplicably slow, paragraphs keep repeating the same themes over and over. Sometimes, it feels like he's simply trying to get the page count higher.
(spoiler alert)
There seems to be little logic behind the story; the ending is far from
Tough to tell if the whole series was a love story, a SF story about alternate universes, a bashing of the various cult groups in Japan, the general cultural demise of the nation.
I applaud Murakami's absolute dedication to details, the thought processes behind the characters, and the ability to portray that everything is so gray. He plays effectively on 'timing'... that everything in life depends so much on little coincidences and when things occur, and how they are all so interconnected. But perhaps he takes too long to make those points. It's hard to see an American reader staying patient with him.
The pace is still inexplicably slow, paragraphs keep repeating the same themes over and over. Sometimes, it feels like he's simply trying to get the page count higher.
(spoiler alert)
There seems to be little logic behind the story; the ending is far from
Show More
satisfying in that nothing is resolved, we're left in limbo, the Little People are still around, and the two main characters are now together.Tough to tell if the whole series was a love story, a SF story about alternate universes, a bashing of the various cult groups in Japan, the general cultural demise of the nation.
I applaud Murakami's absolute dedication to details, the thought processes behind the characters, and the ability to portray that everything is so gray. He plays effectively on 'timing'... that everything in life depends so much on little coincidences and when things occur, and how they are all so interconnected. But perhaps he takes too long to make those points. It's hard to see an American reader staying patient with him.
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LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
Rather disappointing - I wish he had just stopped at the end of Book II.
LibraryThing member gregandlarry
Wonderful story. You never quite know where it is heading. I found it a bit slow at times, but at other times I couldn't put it down. He plays tricks with the time stream mirroring the experiences in the book.
LibraryThing member pgmcc
OK! So I’m in trouble. I’ve found another author who has a long list of books to his credit and I am now inclined to read them all. Bottom line, I enjoyed 1Q84 Book One, Book Two and Book Three. How I got to that bottom line is a meandering tale of inverted snobbery, ignorance, misconceptions,
I was not intimately familiar with Murakami’s work. When I first became aware of 1Q84 it was the cover of Book Three that attracted me; the dark background, the enigmatic title, “1Q84”, with a crow perched on the Q, and the title and the crow silhouetted against an image of a somewhat distorted moon, not to mention a smaller, green hued moon a short distance to the bottom left. (I hope you can all see the second moon. Please tell me you can.)
After my initial attraction to the cover I read some of the online blurb about the book. (I try to avoid reading reviews of books before I read the actual work in case they give away plot lines and spoil the work for me. That is also why I try never to give anything other than the highest level plot information in the reviews I write. I believe the author has laid out the plot of his/her work in the way he/she intends the reader to discover it and that a preview of the plot is just something that can only remove an element of the pleasure to be gleaned by reading the book unsullied by prior knowledge. Of course, some book blurbs can be equally dangerous in this regard. End of sermon.) There was mention of Orwell’s 1984 which left me with the, as it turned out, misconception that it was simply a re-write of 1984. That was when my revulsion kicked in. “Why”, thought I, “do people just rewrite other people’s stories? I don’t think I would enjoy reading just a rewrite of 1984.”
Also, thought I, I’ve never heard of this book before and the first thing I see is Book Three. What about books One and Two? Oh, how convenient, they are available in a single volume. Clever; heavily market Book Three and draw people into having to buy the previous two books. This reminded me of my experience of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” books. I first became aware of “The Amber Spyglass” being marketed heavily and being a very stunning looking volume. I had never noticed the earlier volumes. I thought the 1Q84 publishers were pulling the same trick and I was a bit reluctant to be a victim to clever marketing.
The 1Q84 book covers are designed very differently from Murakami’s other novels. This prevented my realising that Murakami was the same person who wrote “Kafka on the Shore”, a book that I had noticed being critically acclaimed but had, due to my superficial scanning of news articles on the book, considered as one of those “literary” works of merit that mere mortals such as myself could not appreciate without having swallowed a dictionary of literary terms and fully paid my dues as a member of the literati. Yes, this was my inverted snobbery and ignorance.
Anyway, I found myself in a bookshop and the combined Book One and Book Two volume of 1Q84 was in front of me. I decided to try the first page. That was a fatal mistake. I immediately bought the two volume set and have not regretted it one bit. As you can see, I had a lot of emotional energy invested in these books before I started reading them. Being a reader is so draining.
“What about the books?” I hear you cry.
1Q84 Books One & Two were published in a single volume which, apparently, is in line with the original Japanese publication. In my opinion they are really a single book. The subtlety of the dividing line between one book and the next escaped me. It just appeared to be an arbitrary delineation of the end of one book and the beginning of another; perhaps I'm just not sensitive enough or perhaps it’s my overdue membership for the literati being exposed.
Regardless, I enjoyed the book. Its structure worked well; chapters alternated between the viewpoint of one of the two primary characters and that of the other. Having finished the book (or "books" if you prefer) I can say it (they) constitute a good, enjoyable novel. If Book 3 had never come into existence I would be happy that Books 1 and 2 were sufficient in themselves to be regarded as a good work of fiction.
The primary theme in Book One and Book Two is violence against women. However, here are many other themes worked into the story; namely, love, family (in particular parent/child relationships), religious sects, justice, helplessness, isolation, etc... There is also a strong "coming of age" element. In addition, there are many episodes of sexual gymnastics. I hasten to add that I was enjoying the book before I reached Chapter 3, and I didn't enjoyed it any less having read the hot lesbian encounter in that chapter.
Chapter 1 introduces Aomame (pronounced “Ah-oh-mah-meh” and meaning “green peas”) and describes a piece of music by Janáček, as well as providing some historical context for Janáček’s music. Chapter 2 gives some interesting information on the workings of the world of publishing and some pointers on writing, as well as introducing Tengo Kawana, a maths teaching aspiring author. Described in the fashion above chapters 1 and 2 may not appear to be material that would draw a reader into a three book story. I was well hooked before even getting to chapter 2 and was in the landing net before I got to chapter three.
The strongest characters in all three books are female. This includes the primary character Aomame, some of her friends and a rather enigmatic seventeen year old. Tengo and Tamaru (you’ll have to read the book to find out who he is) are no slouches, but the ladies do have the majority of the strong roles. This is not a “women good – men bad” sort of novel, but more everyone is equal story.
Another message from Book One and Book Two is that the bad guy may not necessarily be the bad guy; he/she could be a victim too.
Book Two ends with many questions unanswered, but it is not necessary to answer these questions. The fact that they are not answered is a strength of the book. Had this been the end of the story I would have been quite happy and would still feel it was a good tale. It reminded me of the end of K-Pax by Gene Brewer. The fact that there was a third 1Q84 book scared me. K-Pax was an excellent book but the author went on to produce K-Pax II and K-Pax III, books that destroyed the mystery, the wonder and the awe of the original K-Pax story (which is faithfully and excellently replicated in the film of the same name). My fear was that Book Three of 1Q84 would destroy the great work done in Book One and Book Two.
I need not have worried. While Book Three may not have been necessary it did work well and complemented the earlier work. While it tied up some loose ends it still left enough unanswered questions to leave the reader with a mind buzzing with queries and wondering about many things. It can often be what is not said that gives the reader the most reward.
Book Three was not predominantly about violence against women, but was much more a thriller with danger at every turn, a powerfully romantic love story, a tale of tenacity, and realisation that we all face sojourns in a dangerous world filled with unknowns, and that we sometimes have to take the bull by the horns and dictate the path of our own destiny; and that sometimes this does not always work out.
Murakami keeps the tension up right to the very end. This is not a story where one gets to the penultimate chapter and knows what is going to happen. A very rewarding read.
The translation of Book One and Book Tow by Jay Rubin was excellent. I say this based on the easy flow of the book's English rather than from any knowledge of how well the English reflected the original Japanese meaning. One piece had me puzzled though, and I don't know if it was due to literal translation, differences in Japanese language structure, an error or whatever; it was where one of the characters asks about the difference between lunatic and insane, and the words are both described as being adjectives. Not a major issue, but it has me curious about the Japanese language.
Book Three was translated by Philip Gabriel. Another competent job.
This book also encouraged me to look at the geography of Japan and to finally go and look at a map to see were all the places I’ve heard of in the past are actually located.
Murakami is excellent at inserting references to Japanese cuisine and lifestyle. His books also contain interesting references to pieces of music and several classic texts.
In summary, an enjoyable read with some thought provoking elements.
Show More
clever marketing, revulsion, and susceptibility to beautifully designed book covers.I was not intimately familiar with Murakami’s work. When I first became aware of 1Q84 it was the cover of Book Three that attracted me; the dark background, the enigmatic title, “1Q84”, with a crow perched on the Q, and the title and the crow silhouetted against an image of a somewhat distorted moon, not to mention a smaller, green hued moon a short distance to the bottom left. (I hope you can all see the second moon. Please tell me you can.)
After my initial attraction to the cover I read some of the online blurb about the book. (I try to avoid reading reviews of books before I read the actual work in case they give away plot lines and spoil the work for me. That is also why I try never to give anything other than the highest level plot information in the reviews I write. I believe the author has laid out the plot of his/her work in the way he/she intends the reader to discover it and that a preview of the plot is just something that can only remove an element of the pleasure to be gleaned by reading the book unsullied by prior knowledge. Of course, some book blurbs can be equally dangerous in this regard. End of sermon.) There was mention of Orwell’s 1984 which left me with the, as it turned out, misconception that it was simply a re-write of 1984. That was when my revulsion kicked in. “Why”, thought I, “do people just rewrite other people’s stories? I don’t think I would enjoy reading just a rewrite of 1984.”
Also, thought I, I’ve never heard of this book before and the first thing I see is Book Three. What about books One and Two? Oh, how convenient, they are available in a single volume. Clever; heavily market Book Three and draw people into having to buy the previous two books. This reminded me of my experience of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” books. I first became aware of “The Amber Spyglass” being marketed heavily and being a very stunning looking volume. I had never noticed the earlier volumes. I thought the 1Q84 publishers were pulling the same trick and I was a bit reluctant to be a victim to clever marketing.
The 1Q84 book covers are designed very differently from Murakami’s other novels. This prevented my realising that Murakami was the same person who wrote “Kafka on the Shore”, a book that I had noticed being critically acclaimed but had, due to my superficial scanning of news articles on the book, considered as one of those “literary” works of merit that mere mortals such as myself could not appreciate without having swallowed a dictionary of literary terms and fully paid my dues as a member of the literati. Yes, this was my inverted snobbery and ignorance.
Anyway, I found myself in a bookshop and the combined Book One and Book Two volume of 1Q84 was in front of me. I decided to try the first page. That was a fatal mistake. I immediately bought the two volume set and have not regretted it one bit. As you can see, I had a lot of emotional energy invested in these books before I started reading them. Being a reader is so draining.
“What about the books?” I hear you cry.
1Q84 Books One & Two were published in a single volume which, apparently, is in line with the original Japanese publication. In my opinion they are really a single book. The subtlety of the dividing line between one book and the next escaped me. It just appeared to be an arbitrary delineation of the end of one book and the beginning of another; perhaps I'm just not sensitive enough or perhaps it’s my overdue membership for the literati being exposed.
Regardless, I enjoyed the book. Its structure worked well; chapters alternated between the viewpoint of one of the two primary characters and that of the other. Having finished the book (or "books" if you prefer) I can say it (they) constitute a good, enjoyable novel. If Book 3 had never come into existence I would be happy that Books 1 and 2 were sufficient in themselves to be regarded as a good work of fiction.
The primary theme in Book One and Book Two is violence against women. However, here are many other themes worked into the story; namely, love, family (in particular parent/child relationships), religious sects, justice, helplessness, isolation, etc... There is also a strong "coming of age" element. In addition, there are many episodes of sexual gymnastics. I hasten to add that I was enjoying the book before I reached Chapter 3, and I didn't enjoyed it any less having read the hot lesbian encounter in that chapter.
Chapter 1 introduces Aomame (pronounced “Ah-oh-mah-meh” and meaning “green peas”) and describes a piece of music by Janáček, as well as providing some historical context for Janáček’s music. Chapter 2 gives some interesting information on the workings of the world of publishing and some pointers on writing, as well as introducing Tengo Kawana, a maths teaching aspiring author. Described in the fashion above chapters 1 and 2 may not appear to be material that would draw a reader into a three book story. I was well hooked before even getting to chapter 2 and was in the landing net before I got to chapter three.
The strongest characters in all three books are female. This includes the primary character Aomame, some of her friends and a rather enigmatic seventeen year old. Tengo and Tamaru (you’ll have to read the book to find out who he is) are no slouches, but the ladies do have the majority of the strong roles. This is not a “women good – men bad” sort of novel, but more everyone is equal story.
Another message from Book One and Book Two is that the bad guy may not necessarily be the bad guy; he/she could be a victim too.
Book Two ends with many questions unanswered, but it is not necessary to answer these questions. The fact that they are not answered is a strength of the book. Had this been the end of the story I would have been quite happy and would still feel it was a good tale. It reminded me of the end of K-Pax by Gene Brewer. The fact that there was a third 1Q84 book scared me. K-Pax was an excellent book but the author went on to produce K-Pax II and K-Pax III, books that destroyed the mystery, the wonder and the awe of the original K-Pax story (which is faithfully and excellently replicated in the film of the same name). My fear was that Book Three of 1Q84 would destroy the great work done in Book One and Book Two.
I need not have worried. While Book Three may not have been necessary it did work well and complemented the earlier work. While it tied up some loose ends it still left enough unanswered questions to leave the reader with a mind buzzing with queries and wondering about many things. It can often be what is not said that gives the reader the most reward.
Book Three was not predominantly about violence against women, but was much more a thriller with danger at every turn, a powerfully romantic love story, a tale of tenacity, and realisation that we all face sojourns in a dangerous world filled with unknowns, and that we sometimes have to take the bull by the horns and dictate the path of our own destiny; and that sometimes this does not always work out.
Murakami keeps the tension up right to the very end. This is not a story where one gets to the penultimate chapter and knows what is going to happen. A very rewarding read.
The translation of Book One and Book Tow by Jay Rubin was excellent. I say this based on the easy flow of the book's English rather than from any knowledge of how well the English reflected the original Japanese meaning. One piece had me puzzled though, and I don't know if it was due to literal translation, differences in Japanese language structure, an error or whatever; it was where one of the characters asks about the difference between lunatic and insane, and the words are both described as being adjectives. Not a major issue, but it has me curious about the Japanese language.
Book Three was translated by Philip Gabriel. Another competent job.
This book also encouraged me to look at the geography of Japan and to finally go and look at a map to see were all the places I’ve heard of in the past are actually located.
Murakami is excellent at inserting references to Japanese cuisine and lifestyle. His books also contain interesting references to pieces of music and several classic texts.
In summary, an enjoyable read with some thought provoking elements.
Show Less
LibraryThing member YossarianXeno
Murakami novels are hard to pin down or put down, and all three books of 1Q84 are no exception. You could simply state that it is a story about a brilliant young author (Fuka-Eri) and her experiences as the daughter of the leader of a religious cult (Sakigake), the leader's death at the hands of a
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hit woman (Aomame) and her (Aomame's) love for a man (Tengo) she knew briefly as a ten year old but hasn't seen for twenty years. On top of that list is the private detective (Ushikawa) who is seeking to track down Aomane on behalf of Sakigake. Except, of course, being a Murakami novel it is much more than that. The characters move in and out of the ethereal alternative world of 1Q84. There is more of a structured plot in this novel than is typical of Murakami, yet still his use of language means the story almost drifts, unfolding through evocative use of language, focused on the emotions and experiences of the lead characters, though all the while things move at a fair pace. One thing the lead characters have in common is their self sufficiency. It is a joy to read, yet as the story concludes in Book Three many things - not least 1Q84 - still feel unexplained. Show Less
LibraryThing member riida
there is something about the way murakami writes...he reels me in and just keeps holding me tight. as with 'kafka on the shore', his world is weird and a touch halucinogenic. as with 'norwegian wood', there is an intensity that you never truly grasp but you are certain is there, lurking under the
a lot of readers say that 1Q84 is a love or hate thing...for me, I LOVED IT! :)
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characters' words and thoughts. and you hold your breath until the very last pages, not knowing whether the plot will explode, implode, or peter out beautifully. and you can't figure out for yourself which type of ending you'd rather want to see. For a three volume book that easily translates to 1000+ pages in paperback, 1Q84's plot, language, and rythm is very terse, poetic, and with hints here and there of contained power.a lot of readers say that 1Q84 is a love or hate thing...for me, I LOVED IT! :)
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LibraryThing member tixylix
I read the third part of this trilogy somewhat slower than books 1 and 2, even though it was a good deal shorter and I think this relates to the slowness of the book. It continues the story of Aomame and Tengo and this time chapters are alternated with Ushikawa's perspective. The term 'delayed
The more I think about it, the more I find elements of the events and narration slightly irksome. I don't mind the author harping on about various lesbian encounters but the this really sounded a little out of place: "...Aomame thought again of Tamaki. She remembered her smooth, beautifully shaped breasts. So different from my own underdeveloped chest, she thought. But those beautiful breasts are now gone forever." It just didn't sit right with me somehow in the scheme of things, but maybe I'm just reading too much into it.
I enjoyed the trilogy overall and would recommend it, but I don't think it's Murakami's best.
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gratification' springs to mind with this one: as a reader you are made to wait for whatever happens at the end (I'm not spoiling it for anyone!) but I guess 350 pages isn't too long to wait. The more I think about it, the more I find elements of the events and narration slightly irksome. I don't mind the author harping on about various lesbian encounters but the this really sounded a little out of place: "...Aomame thought again of Tamaki. She remembered her smooth, beautifully shaped breasts. So different from my own underdeveloped chest, she thought. But those beautiful breasts are now gone forever." It just didn't sit right with me somehow in the scheme of things, but maybe I'm just reading too much into it.
I enjoyed the trilogy overall and would recommend it, but I don't think it's Murakami's best.
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LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
An amazing novel. I started with some trepidation as I have occasionally struggled with Murakami in the past. However, I was completely captivated by this novel within a few pages, and certainly well before the end of the first chapter.
The novel is set in 1984 and focuses on two separate
Meanwhile Tengo, Aomame's contemporary, is excited by a manuscript he has just read. Although his principal occupation is as a maths teacher in a Tokyo cramming school, his great ambition is to be a writer. As the book opens Tengo has had some minor success in having a few short stories published, and he also writes a fake astrology column for a magazine. In addition to this he also works as a screener for a literary competition, sifting through manuscripts submitted for consideration for a literary prize, similar to our Costa Prize.
One of the entries has been submitted by a seventeen year old girl and though haltingly written it sets out a fascinating story involving life in a secret sect where strange, almost supernatural events seem to happen.
Murakami devotes alternative chapters to Aomame's and Tengo's stories between Aomame and Tengo, and with each new chapter pulls the reader deeper and deeper into an utterly absorbing story, and effortlessly ensures total suspension of disbelief.
This was actually the second time I have read this novel, and though it was less than a year since the first time I still found its impact astounding.
The novel is set in 1984 and focuses on two separate
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characters, both aged around thirty, living in Tokyo. We are first introduced to Aomame (pronounced Ah-oh-mah-may), a young woman travelling in the back of a luxurious taxi on an elevated freeway. As the taxi dries along Janacek's Sinfonietta comes on the radio. Although she hasn't heard the piece before Aomame suddenly realises that she knows the work, and the history of its Czech composer. Finding the traffic gridlocked she decides to leave the cab and descend to ground level by means of a conveniently-situated emergency staircase. From that point on everything in her life starts to change.Meanwhile Tengo, Aomame's contemporary, is excited by a manuscript he has just read. Although his principal occupation is as a maths teacher in a Tokyo cramming school, his great ambition is to be a writer. As the book opens Tengo has had some minor success in having a few short stories published, and he also writes a fake astrology column for a magazine. In addition to this he also works as a screener for a literary competition, sifting through manuscripts submitted for consideration for a literary prize, similar to our Costa Prize.
One of the entries has been submitted by a seventeen year old girl and though haltingly written it sets out a fascinating story involving life in a secret sect where strange, almost supernatural events seem to happen.
Murakami devotes alternative chapters to Aomame's and Tengo's stories between Aomame and Tengo, and with each new chapter pulls the reader deeper and deeper into an utterly absorbing story, and effortlessly ensures total suspension of disbelief.
This was actually the second time I have read this novel, and though it was less than a year since the first time I still found its impact astounding.
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LibraryThing member xuebi
The third and final volume of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84 concludes the story of Aomame and Tengo, as they finally find each other and escape the parallel world of 1Q84/The Cat Town. Yet, this final volume feels different from the previous two: the magical realism and surrealist elements are fewer and
The main problem here is that Murakami does not explore any of the plotlines he spent the previous two volumes developing: the Little People, the effects of the Leader's death on Sakigaki, and the significance of the two moons for example.
Though the second volume ends on an exciting and intriguing cliff-hanger, the third volume feels repetitive and padded. The inaction that permeates this volume makes it a disappointing successor to the first two.
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the addition of Ushikawa's surveillance plot basically retells the plot of the previous two volumes.The main problem here is that Murakami does not explore any of the plotlines he spent the previous two volumes developing: the Little People, the effects of the Leader's death on Sakigaki, and the significance of the two moons for example.
Though the second volume ends on an exciting and intriguing cliff-hanger, the third volume feels repetitive and padded. The inaction that permeates this volume makes it a disappointing successor to the first two.
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LibraryThing member TheWasp
Book 3 sees Aomame and Tengo united, and some questions answered.
I found this volume quite repetitive, with a "child-like" quality, although the style of overlapping chapters was well done.
I found this volume quite repetitive, with a "child-like" quality, although the style of overlapping chapters was well done.
LibraryThing member mirshad
I don't want to give away any spoilers so I'll just say that I miss this series already. It was difficult to stop reading and now I missed I'd paced myself a bit more because there's no more left.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
9.45 inches
ISBN
1846554055 / 9781846554056