A review by jammasterjamie
Number9dream by David Mitchell

3.0

If author's were musicians, this book would be considered as David Mitchell putting out an album of Haruki Murakami covers. That's what it felt like to me, anyhow. And there's nothing wrong with that - I love both authors and both are numbered among my favourites. That said, something about this one left me feeling a little bit hollow. I didn't get that shocking kick to the imagination that I usually do when I read a Mitchell book, and at the same time I didn't get that feeling of ethereal unreality that I get from a Murakami novel. Rather, this one sits just somewhere in between. Well-written and an interesting story for sure, but there's something about this one that just doesn't ring as truth for me. If this is the only David Mitchell book you've ever read and you didn't like it, please give any of his other books a chance before you give up on him. If this is the only David Mitchell book you've ever read and you loved it, please give Haruki Murakami a chance because I guarantee you'll love him.

In summary, I enjoyed the story and the manner in which it was told, but it wasn't my favourite by Mitchell and with the high expectations he has set for me as a reader, I couldn't help but feel just a little let down. Loved the ending, though, and I have to admit that some of my lack of enjoyment of this book could very well have come with the narrator's obsession with cigarettes as I have been in the midst of quitting smoking (again) while reading this one, so maybe that made me overly critical.