He complies to secretly polish a novella, originally penned by an aloof young girl with connections to a mysterious cult. His simple, solitary life becomes complicated when his love for literature leads him on a dubious path as a ghostwriter. Murakami may write the same character over and over, but he does write him well: Protagonist Tengo is passive but relatable. “Nobody’s easier to fool, than the person who is convinced that he is right” (793)… “They were particularly lacking in the sort of healthy skepticism needed to attain any degree of wisdom” (913). Murakami too calls readers to question everything, and believes a writer’s role is to do the same. Tengo felt a certain responsibility for having foisted such a state of affairs upon the public.” Readers be warned. “He pictured a bunch of dismayed-looking people clutching at colorful floatation rings as they drifted aimlessly in a large pool full of question marks. fate, and the role of the self in society) and the story spills imaginative metaphors…īut - as with most of Murakami’s works - do not expect solid answers in the end! Murakami mixes up a delicious mystery soup for readers to swallow, before swiftly escaping out the window to beat impending inquires about the ingredients… The character we can suppose is Murakami himself in 1Q84, who is also a writer, feels sympathetic for the readers he leaves with many more questions than answers. It’s message is wide-scope (commenting on perceptions of reality, free will vs. This is easily Murakami’s most mature and transcendental novel. 1Q84 is a bulky novel but is strangely light on its feet it remains an easy-read while grappling with weighty themes…Think of an astronaut floating through a dark and starry zero-gravity atmosphere.

1q84 review