I read “1Q84” during this summer vacation. I’m not a fan of Haruki Murakami, but I have been wanting to know why he can capture a lot of people’s heart, especially in the younger generation.
“1Q84” is 3 volumes long. The main characters are 青豆, and 天吾. Now, they are 30years old. They have serious traumas in their background. When they were 11 years old, they made a great impression on each other, but 青豆 moved to other school. They haven’t seen each other for a long time, but they are still interested in the other.
One day, 青豆 did an unusual thing, she was dropped off a high way. At that time, she went into another world, 1Q84. The world of a fanatical group “さきがけ”, and little and little, this group allows 青豆 and 天吾 is destinies to be intertwined.
I’ve heard that the idea of the story came to Haruki Murakami, when he saw what happen on September 11th. If September 11th hadn’t occurred, we now might be living in another world. When I imagine that, I’ve felt that my existence is intangible.
Well, the fanatical group in the book, reminds me of “Oumu Shinrikyou”, Japanese cult religion committed to crime, like the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack. In this other world, the group has a great power, and 青豆 is pursued by this back, because she killed the reader of “さきがけ”.
After reading, I’m reminded of two things.
One is utopia. I know that the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack greatly influenced Haruki Murakami. Still now, all over the world, a lot of people pursue utopia, and believe they can create a perfect utopia? Each of us has different views and minds, if we try to create a perfect utopia, we have to push ourselves very severely. I’m afraid that people living in such a severe world, not a peaceful, might lose their minds. And, is that the really peaceful world? I’m sorry that people wish so enthusiastically that they can’t live in the utopia
The other thing is that I’ve felt something different from his past novels. The main character of his book always pursues something he whishes, but he never finds out it. There is just a small hope in the end.
I had been thinking that the main theme of his novels is sense of desolation and loss.
When I read his book at the first time, I was confused by a lot of riddles and complicated minds of characters, and I got scared the loneliness. I might identify a life of character as myself.
But a lot of people say, "when I read his novels, I can sympathize with his world", they might feel secure to know the same ways they do. Any way, I need more to hear from a fan of Haruki Murakami.
In his past novels, I often hit a lot of riddles. But, I could read “1Q84” more smoothly than I expected.
After reading “1Q84”, I’m not completely satisfied with the end of the story. I think that I wasn’t the only one.