1Q84 – Things Are Not What They Seem

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Aomame stared at the two moons with narrowed eyes. Then she closed her eyes, let a moment pass, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes again, expecting to find that everything had returned to normal and there was only one moon. But nothing had changed. The light was not playing tricks on her, nor had her eyesight gone strange. There could be no doubt that two moons were clearly floating in the sky side by side — a yellow one and a green one. (196)

Early in the novel, a cab driver tells Aomame that remember that things are not what they seem, that there is only one reality. One of the first things I try and focus on when reading a book is what are the rules for this particular world? I’m over 200 pages into this one, and I’m not quite sure what they are.

I’ve read some of the bad reviews of this book on GoodReads, and it sounds like most people like the general plot but hate that it took over 900 pages to unfold. I can see how most people are impatient and wants things to go go go. But I’m loving the subtlely Haruki Murakami uses, how deliberate things are.

One thing that is bothering me is how difficult it is to read Aomame. I don’t know whether she likes having a new girl friend or whether she finds her completely annoying.

I don’t know. Just some thoughts as I’m getting through this.