1Q84: BOOK REVIEW + Thoughts

By Cathy H - 8:17 PM

This book of almost 1000 pages took me almost a month to finish because I usually do not read for fun unless its Murakami or really popular book series. Anyway, I have to say I was very absorbed in the characters and found myself agreeing to their philosophies and internal conflicts throughout. I love his words on fate, as the book bases on multiple realities and multiple universes. "Free will may be an illusion" sometimes I find myself wondering if I chose to lose everyone I did, meet every new person I did and go to every place I did by choice. Or maybe..at that moment it was already predetermined that within that time and space the people and events happening to me were already planned? This is what Aomame and Tengo went through since they held each others hands when they were 10, but that memory and love it gave lasted them 20 years without seeing each other but subconsciously loving each other. I find Haruki's characters always very mellow and against conventional beauty and ideologies. In reality, is it really possible that holding someone's hands at 10 could develop into unconditional love for that person?

I find that outlook very unrealistic yet desirable, because in society today alot of people cheat in relationships and find all the wrong people that result in conflicts and a very short time together. It's hard to "love" someone despite everything for a prolonged period of time with everything you got. I find myself relating alot of Aomame in terms of her independent attitude. Also, I find the concept of revenge very interesting because Aomame's job was to kill abuse men involved in domestic violence. But her last journey involved killing a man that was not the "conventional evil". I think Haruki wanted to emphasize that everything in this world is balanced out- there is no such thing as 100% good or 100% evil, instead its set out like a Venn diagram. As well, the concept of hope is an important one. Most often people think being by oneself is the saddest and most lonely thing, yet being with the wrong people to fill whatever void people have in themselves is the loneliest- just like what happened to Ayumi. Though Aomame and Tengo haven't seen each other in 20 years, their flicker of hope in reuniting kept them isolated yet never lonely. Being together doesn't necessary require physical distance- it is how many times you think of them when you need hope and how much you would do to make sure they're happy. Sometimes I find myself, much like Aomame to seek out guys for sake of loneliness yet never ending up finding myself in them. Patience is the key- if one is patient enough to wait, the best thing will be presented to them.

Overall, I found this novel magical and insightful. The next Murakami book I'm starting on is "After Dark"!

P.S. Below are my most favorite qoutes from the book.