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A review by ninthwave
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Sexual assault, and Sexual content