Reviews with content warning for Abortion - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

I just...So many people said this book was 10 out of 10. I've read one other of his books, but after reading this.....I'm never reading Murakami again. I hate how his books focus on an uninteresting, unemployed male character who never seems to care about anything happening around him. Murakami's portrayal of female characters is the kicker for me. He only writes about eccentric women who float about the protagonist and have sex with him. It feels like he adds trauma to the female characters to make them "deeper/more interesting". I slogged through this book hoping it would get better. Finally, some plot unfolds in the last 50 pages. Not worth it. SKIP

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sas_lk's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes

4.25

I think this is now my second favourite Murakami book. I appreciate what he did with it, though sometimes I felt like some parts were just too long or unnecessary.
He has this way of blending realities and making you question what reality truly is. That's what I love so much about his books. He makes you so aware of how the world around us is always moving, and that maybe it isn't always linear.

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ninthwave's review

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

It feels too soon to review this book. I'm giving it three and 1/2 stars for now, but may change that later. I believe I'll have a better understanding after it has had some time to sink in.

As far as basic enjoyment goes, I didn't realize it would be quite so violent. I understand the necessity of it in the narrative, I just didn't expect it going in. If you haven't read it and are considering doing so, it is very graphic.

It's interesting that readers spend so much intimate time with the main character in his head, yet very few of the other characters with whom he interacts ever address him by his first name; indeed, only one character ever addresses him by his first name alone, and only once, as I recall. This decision by the author is an effective technique that increases the sense of distance between the protagonist and his world.

This was well-written, but I preferred 1Q84's story.

It's difficult to assign a star rating. There's plenty of symbolism and some of the prose is beautiful. However, the pacing dragged for me at certain points, and I didn't find the tale as a whole consistently compelling, particularly some of Mamiya's recollections. Comparing Murakami to Murakami, I think 1Q84 is the stronger work.

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jacob_dion's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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directorpurry's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

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toves's review

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

As someone in-between jobs & on a wild goose chase for an indefinable something that is trapped somewhere in an incomprehensible psychic labyrinth--this book really resonated with me. Sometimes you have to go down into the deepest well you can find and just sit there.

This is my second time reading this book--I read it in high school and remembered it being 'dreamlike and chill'. Was very surprised at the level of graphic content. You'd think I would have remembered That One Part in Lt. Mamiya's Long Story, at the very least! Wow!

Thanks to this book I: cooked pasta while listening to the overture to 'The Thieving Magpie' (& I agree with Mr. Wind-up Bird; it's a good time), took photos of my ears, now refer to the ducks at my local park as 'the duck people'. I still want to: write a description of the alley behind my house, spend a day at the mall staring at people's faces.

LISTEN, TLDR: IS THE CAT OK?:

Yes!

Content Warnings

geonox's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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