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1Q84
- Narrated by: Allison Hiroto, Marc Vietor, Mark Boyett
- Length: 46 hrs and 45 mins
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1Q84
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Summary
The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.
A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver's enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realises, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 - 'Q' is for 'question mark'. A world that bears a question.
Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.
As Aomame's and Tengo's narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.
A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell's, 1Q84 is Haruki Murakami's most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.
BONUS AUDIO: Audible interviews the translators of 1Q84, Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel.
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 04-12-11
Magical
If you like Murakami you will love this long, engaging and magical book. The characters, even the minor ones, are all interesting and original and draw you to them. Some of the professional reviewers said that the plot sagged in places but I did not find this and it maintained my interest throughout. The narration, while not quite of the quality of that of Wind Up Bird, does do the book justice. I did find, however, that in parts Allison Hiroto used the same intonation repeatedly (you'll recognise it when you hear it) and it just jarred a little. If you want a long, leisurely read and a gripping story full of
imagination, drama and surprise then read it. Sex scenes sometimes hilarious!
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-02-19
interesting but very long and slow
Sorry for the negative review, but whilst very discriptive and well written, I found the book long and very slow.
When I finished the book I was was not left with a feeling of satisfaction that I get when I have enjoyed a book; Maybe it's a cultural difference as the book is translated from Japanese.
My other frustration with the book is that after all the hours building the plot and describing the events the end feels rushed and rather abrupt. oh and be prepared for significant amounts of detailed sex, masterbation and sexual fantasy - I do not have an issue with this but in this text it is rather in your face, (probably some deep symbolism, around birth, rebirth and traversing the dimensions through penetration that sort of thing)- following this I think I will read War a Peace as some light reading.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- N. J. Hobbs
- 04-03-21
A strange tale
This is my first Murakami's novel and I still can't say whether I like it or not. I like the fantasy and surreal elements but I don't appreciate the obsession with underage girls in the story. The narration is rather dry, and not because of the narrators but because of the narration itself. It might be a case of translation work but I don't read Japanese so I wouldn't know. There are a lot of repeated bits, as if the reader has the shortest memory.
The two male narrators are great, and it is unfortunate that Allison Hiroto who voiced Aomame isn't as good as the other two narrators. Her intonation doesn't really reflect the emotions of the narrative. Her dialogues are marginally better, but I breathe a sigh of relief when it's Tengo's chapter and I don't have to listen to Aomame's bit for a while.
I won't say this is a terrible book but I would caution anyone who's relatively new to Murakami. Maybe this isn't the best book to start with.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- KT
- 02-03-15
🌓 reality is more my thing
Not my kind of book, it was difficult to believe and too long! It was easy to loose concentration at times.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- WJ CARCARY
- 15-01-15
Brilliant
Intriguingly twisting storyline with great strong characters and couldn't put it down. This is my first audio book I ever finished, and I have read several other Murakami books, this is one of my favourite. Thanks
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-04-24
Hypnotic book but the paedophilia is grating.
Not really too much to elaborate on here - it's a rough listen in patches because it felt like an apologists dream. If someone is having sex with 10 year old children, even if there are mitigating circumstances present it still reads like some people's fantasy and it's fairly triggering. I wish I had been more aware before starting the book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- G. A. Thart
- 19-03-19
I love this book
Excellent written and beautiful description of landscape people situations. Beautifully written! I will certainly read more!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- tempranello
- 14-03-17
An enriching experience
I'm very happy that I read this book. Carefully and mindfully written. A wonderful journey.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Angela
- 04-12-12
Intriguing
This is an interesting novel which is both thought provoking and enlightening. Murakami creates a non 'space age' type science fictionesque story with a refreshing twist.
The narration is very good and brings the characters to life.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- amanda
- 28-07-12
Well recommended Murakami
I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book and will buy more now from the same author. Contrary to other reviewer I particularly enjoyed the parts narrated by Allison Hiroto and did not find her at all grating. It made the listening easier having a separate reader for each main character.
There's a bit of a breast obsession at times within the novel however the story itself is powerful and gripping. Well recommended audio book.
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