1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Here it is. I finally finished the book. I am not relieved because it was a bad book; I actually enjoyed it a lot. Usually when I read books this long I get bored of the story and find myself wondering how much more is left. In 1Q84 I noticed that the book was long when reading it, but I was not in a rush to finish it. The story stays interesting throughout the entire novel and I never bored of the characters.The storyline flowed easily, each character had a purpose, and their story felt important. While I was reading I kept sensing that there was some deep meaning behind everything that was happening. It makes you think, what am I missing here and what does all this mean?

I noticed that there were some sexual themes in this book. I don't know why they popped out at me, they are not inappropriately sexual or misplaced in the storyline. I would describe them as honest. All adults think and experience sex, and this book is not afraid of it and chooses to include it in the thoughts and actions of its characters. Maybe I noticed it because it was not the same as  the romance books we are used to where the scenes are designed to be romantic, these scenes are just a natural part of the story. I think the author uses them well to get her point across, although it can be a little unsettling at times. Only because they are so unashamed by it. Sometimes I find talking about sex has become a little foe paux in our society. Of course we joke about it all the time, I am referring to serious discussions, everyone is a little uncomfortable giving their kids that talk.

I would classify this as a science fiction novel as well as a drama and a mystery. In order to enjoy this book you have to appreciate the unexplained and unusual. Keep an open mind, some of the ideas are hard to understand and I was often confused with what exactly was happening. The book starts with a simple question of what happened to Aomame when she climbed down from the highway. Instead of having this question answered each chapter opens up new questions. I was constantly hoping for answers, and each time something was revealed it seemed that several more questions took its place. Tengo's story started a little slow but since the books layout has you switching from Aomame to Tengo every chapter, I got threw his chapters quick because I was trying to get to the next chapter to see what was happening to Aomame.Tengo's story does pick up later. The constant cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, kept me wanting to read on. For example, if I was left hanging at the end of a chapter involving Tengo, I would have to read through a chapter with Aomame (or perhaps another character) before I could find out what happened. This was a good strategy to keeping the reader always looking towards the future of the book. It disguises its length a little.

There is also small romantic part to the book, between the two characters Tengo and Aomame. It is not the main theme but it is an important part of the decisions and actions of the two characters. The characters are both very interesting and I kept wanting the learn more about their lives. The author made them both very believable by slowly giving information about their past. In each of Tengo's flashbacks, you learn a little more about him, which explains his actions and who he has become in the present day. Each dip into the past made me more curious about what weird event was happening to them both, and if their experiences were in any way related.

I would recommend this book, to anyone who is not afraid of a long novel. The author has created a very unique world, that asks questions about cults, religion, and our perception of the world around us. It is a very smart book that made me think about fate and if our paths are pre-chosen.