1Q84 - Haruki Murakami ----------------- 4 Stars

I've read a few other Murakami books over the last few years (reviews here) with the hope that I would build up and eventually be able to take on 1Q84. Well, I finally felt I had the time and energy to take on his behemoth of a novel. Unfortunately, like the last couple of books of his, the read didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Some regard 1Q84 as one the best sciencey ficitiony books of the last 25 years (I say "sciency fictiony" as it's certainly not pure science fiction; rather, it's much more magical realism or surrealism but is labelled otherwise). As a whole, it's a pretty solid read with some fantastic parts. There were times when I was so enthralled I could not put the book down and felt this may be one of the best books I'd ever read. There were other times where I was falling asleep as Murakami repetitively offered the same parts over and again.

To describe it briefly - its about two main characters who, eventually, become a love interest. Set in 1984 and a deritivate universe called 1Q84, the book is part mystery, action adventure, religious/cult focused, and an existential quest. Really, the whole thing is a lot to grasp and share, while at the same time, in the span of the 6 months of 1984 this book encompasses, not that much actually takes place (at least for the 928 pages it offers).

What I loved - the characters are amazing and fascinating. I loved to learn about their uniqueness an couldn't want to find out what some would do next. I also deeply enjoyed how entertaining Murakami can make mundane tasks. Pages and pages can go by with truly nothing happening but, because of his superb narrative skills, I would continue to be engaged. The story is told in 3 parts and the first two are really strong. As I read the last 50 to 100 pages of the second part, I truly couldn't put the book down.

What I disliked - the length. It's hard to get past the 900+ pages, especially as the third part slowed the narrative down notably. Relatedly, the ending had a lot to be desired as, after the large investment to get there, it was a bit of a let down. I also struggled with understanding what was real and what was magical. While that is part of the allure and joy of the novel (the mixing of reality and fiction), it could also lead to frustrations. Besides not being clear on occasion of what was happening, it did seem to leave the author too easy of a reason to move the plot in any possible direction.

I was really hoping this book might be better than it was. This continues to be a frustration that my style and interest don't jive as closely with Murakami's books as I would like. In general, it's hard to fully recommend this book; especially if it's your first foray into Murakami. Besides the length, it can be a tough style to get used to. However, it's really quite a story and there are tremendous highs. I certainly don't regret reading it but I did know what I was getting into before giving it a go. I hope this might help some of you if your thinking about taking it on. Good luck!