1Q84, by Haruki Murakami

You know a book is going to be complex when you need to look up how to pronounce the title. Looks like most people say, “1-cue-8-4.” I call it, “That Q number book thing.” 

This is the second Murakami book I’ve read, and I liked it a lot. Do I understand it? Hahaha…yes. But I’m sworn to secrecy. 

The story follows two protagonists, a young man and young woman, who get transported to an alternate reality. Everything is mostly normal…until it’s not. The two characters spend most of the (long) book apart, but there is a connection between them. 

It’s tough to explain. But as complex as the story gets, it’s never difficult to read. Once again, Murakami shows his powers as a masterful writer. Simple sentences suddenly take abstract twists and turns and before you know it, you’re reading about tiny mythical people who spin cocoons out of air and your brain says, “Yep, this all seems legit. I shall keep reading this normal story.” 

I don’t know how he does it! It’s almost hypnotic. 

The book is long and has a lot of ideas, but it’s not dense in the way that Infinite Jest is dense. Infinite Jest often reads like a smarty-pants college thesis, but 1Q84 often reads like a breezy dream. The biggest problem is that Murakami makes it look easy. So many would-be writers probably think they can be just as wild as him. 

Here’s my attempt at Murakami magical realism:

“Hello,” said the man. 

“I’m glad you’re here,” said the woman, as she turned into an umbrella. 

It’s that easy, folks…

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