The novel is a sub-melodramatic sentimental metafictional love story in a ficticious world with two moons in the sky, a thriller packed with cults, assassinations and grotesque sex (newyorkobserver). The title is a play on the Japanese pronunciation of the year 1984 of George Orwell. The novel was longlisted for the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize and placed No. 2 in Amazon.com's top books of the year.
The edition that I read was more than 1100 pages, but I never got tired of reading it, or felt like I needed a break. This is in some ways Murakami’s strangest novel, but it is as fascinatingly readable as any of his work.
DNF'd because it isn't good and I realized I was only 10% through. I couldn't take another bad Sexual conversation or pedophilic line of thought.
29 year old Tengo has an uncomfortably pedophilic perspective of a 17 year old.
Aomame has very awkward Sexual encounters. Sean Connery's head shape is mentioned many times.
There is a preoccupation with boob size and the shape of women's bodies.
And I quote:
His penis was in fact somewhat larger than normal, though not too large, as advertised. Aomame's expert handling soon made it big and hard. She took off her blouse and skirt.
"I know youre thinking my breasts are small," she said coldly as she looked down at him in her underwear. "You came through with a good-sized cock and all you get in return is these puny things. I bet you feel cheated."'
