村上春樹之1Q84年

Title: 1Q84
Author: Murakami Haruki (1949- )
Translated by Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel from Japanese
New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2011 
925 p. ; 24 cm 
Read by: 5/20/2013, borrowed from WBPL
Genre: Science Fiction

Spotted this book from the short list of Dublin's 2013 IMPAC nomination, I went for a trial run. This is my first read by Murakami Haruki, the first ever really by a Japanese. Without knowing anything, I checked it out from our library, then I was warned that it is an obscured novel, I'd better to begin with his earlier works. How? I'd like to know. Never had anything obscured, I ventured in. Very pleased, so far, up to 300 pages. The author built momentum in the early part of book one. Two stories were happening in parallel, that of Tengo and Aomame. With three books and 900 some pages, the author took his time to introduce new intrigue in each switch between the two stories. So far I have noticed the weaves of literature world, religion, politics, science fiction… The feel of heavy texture drag is showing. Will keep reading and watching, I would hate to see more to be added, it would thin out the threads for characters. Will I be stunned by the end as a review promised? Hope not by the plot, because it won't last long. To me, the power of language and the heart deep meaning will stay.

Now that I have finished the book, I was neither stunned nor impressed. My expectation was built up too high by the promise of 900 pages. By the second half of book two, the momentum got lost. The author started to repeat, new intrigue was running out, mystery was unpeeled by the new character Ushikawa thus the thrill was lowering. The ending, or rather the entire book three was anticlimax. We spent great deal of interest untying threads and tearing wraps from layers of layers of boxes. In the end lies a regular gift you can find in any general store – a love story. Not that I am anti love story, the author probably wanted to show us the power of love with this surreal story, I just do not buy it. I am not going to get into the argument with the author about the logic of the two worlds 1Q84 and 1984, any test will fail as the author claimed there is no logic in the world of 1Q84. Somehow I expect a better science fiction. This book to me is more of a fairy tale. So I pretty much shot down the book, and maybe the author. But I will give a try to another book of his before shotting down the author. Norwegian Woods, a birthday gift I got lately will be my next read, just don’t know when.