A review by jennifer_
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

i have a few things to say about this one. number one being: somebody needs check this man's hard drive!!!!!!! the hyper-sexual descriptions of actual children and mentally-childlike girls, the gratuitous descriptions of child rape, the very strange (and very difficult to believe) perspective of the female narrator towards sex, sexuality, and her body.... all of these elements were inescapable for the duration of the book. they did nothing to contribute to the novel's plot, themes, or character development. i would consider myself to be tolerant to mature themes in books when they are tactfully incorporated into the book's larger message, but i left this book just feeling very disturbed. my biggest takeaway from this story was not the revered complex storyline, themes of absurdity and surrealism, or enduring true love, but ultimately the pedophilia, misogyny, and perversion that the reader was subjected to for 1000(!) pages.

sadly, this has to be the most disappointing book i've ever read due to my hopefulness going in. this was my first time reading murakami, and i had heard rave reviews about his work, including this series. while i am giving this book 1.5 starts instead of 1 star, it is only because of the slight bit of merit in the book's prose and unique premise. 

however, i can't recommend it, and i'm sad to think about the other books that i could have read during the long and tedious hours spent on this book. please, learn from my mistakes, and spare yourself. 

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