1Q84

by Haruki Murakami

[Texts]

blessing and a curse to have accidentally picked up an edition with only the first two books, as opposed to all three. don’t think I’ll read the third for a while though

i appreciate the characterization of Tengo: unambitious fiction-writing mathematician turned cram-school teacher. it captures a particular overlooked twist on the ‘genius’ narrative

yet it’s absurdly superficial? the women in the novel read as if they’re written by a pseudo-intellectual teenage boy, with character traits 1) in service to the plot and 2) predicated on sexual taboos. there are no novel archetypes, no recognition that perhaps some things are better off living between the lines, and the core relationship is predicated on a love story of ten-year olds??

does the final installment have any interesting subversions? maybe I’m over-primed for Japanese pop fiction, but jesus christ