Group Read: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

This thread is for the discussion of Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Discussion starts tomorrow, February 10, and will cover pages 1 -206 (Tuesday's Wind-Up Bird/Six Fingers and Four Breasts - Divine Grace Lost/Prostitute of the Mind).

Happy reading!

I love this story so far! I think I'm going to have to add Murakami as a favorite after this.

I'm just a few pages shy of the first goal, and I'm sure I'll finish those today. I'm enjoying the book, maybe more than I thought I would. I'm anticipating that things will come together a little more, and I keep looking for those connections between the characters.

Karen O.

Same here Karen, I've never read Murakami before, but I'm really enjoying it so far, when I first started I was a little 'huh?', but it's growing on me :)

RebeccaAnn,

Has the goal for the next month been set? Another couple hundred pages?

Karen

>5 klobrien2:: Doh! So sorry! I've been doing so much work for school that I didn't even realize I hadn't posted here yet.

The assignment for the next month will be up to page 414 (So, Then, The Next Problem (May Kasahara's Point of View: 2))

My thoughts so far: While I'm not quite up to where I should be yet, I am enjoying this book immensely. I like how the novel kind of flirts the line between realism and magical realism, yet always keeps its distinctly postmodern feel. I admit that I'm a little confused as to where the story in general is going (anyone else get this?).

I'm also curious about the thing with names. There's the cat named after Kumiko's brother (who's not really shown as a good person). There's Malta and Creta Kano, both of who changed their names for various reasons. And I don't know if they've been mentioned yet (they haven't at the point I'm at right now but I am behind a bit), but there's Nutmeg and Cinnamon Akasaka.

And though I cannot remember where the specific incidents are, I am curious about Toru's dreams. They seem to play a prominent role in the novel, yet they're indecipherable and never really mentioned. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out :)

Thanks, RebeccaAnn. I'm very impressed by those of you who are in school/teaching school, and still have time to read "for fun." I imagine you grab spare moments when you can to read--best of luck to you.

I also enjoy how the novel keeps moving from realism to magical realism--it keeps me on my toes. It will be interesting to see how things merge/diverge/change in the next 200 pages.

Karen

"I'm very impressed by those of you who are in school/teaching school, and still have time to read "for fun." "

It's not too hard when you don't really have a social life ;-)

RebeccaAnn, I laughed out loud (or should I say, I LOLed). Choosing to be a reader does impact how we spend our free time, doesn't it?

Karen

I'm now about half way through the book. Each chapter seems to end in such a way that you read yet another. The writing style is nice and easy to read.

Enjoying it so far, and I hope that by the finish it comes together nicely. Fingers crossed!

Oh and I think I'd rather read than just about anything else.......

Jeremy

"I hope that by the finish it comes together nicely"

you've not read much Murakami before then I take it ;-)

Have to agree with #11.... with Murakami it's more about the journey than the destination. Enjoy the ride.

>11 arukiyomi:: Or postmodernism. Plot (exposition, rising action, climax, resolution) isn't really necessary is pomo literature. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. I agree with #12 - enjoy the ride and don't think too hard :)

#11-13: Oh, so he doesn't wind things up? Things don't start gelling? This is good to know--I'll take the advice and just enjoy what comes along then.

Karen

>14 klobrien2:: I just about fell off my chair laughing at that one :)

yeah... the "wind-up" part of the title actually applies to what Murakami does to any reader who has any expectations of a plot... or much of a point I suppose... unless the point is that there is no plot... or no point... or... I'm kind of glad my Murakami days are over... nearly... just like to finish off with Sputnik Sweetheart

I've noticed that I've been having some really vivid and bizarre dreams while reading this. Anyone else?

17:PaperbackPirate: Oh, interesting...my dreams haven't been any more vivid or bizarre than they usually are. Are any of the elements from the book a part of your dreams?

Karen

I ended up not being able to wait for the group read and reading the book ahead of time. I also had strange dreams while reading the book. Maybe the dreamlike quality of the book just brings it out.
--BJ

I had a dream that there was a monster killing cats and me and one of my friends was trying to save two kittens. I don't know if it was because of this book or not, but it was a weird one.

Well I've just finished. A journey through utter wackiness. What the hell did I just read? Should I even try and make some sense of this? I didn't quite get the internal logic of this. Good luck to all other participants in this group read!

And yes this was my first Murakami - is this what to expect? Looks side-wise at my tbr Kafka on the Shore and whimpers slightly.......

18: klobrien2 - There hasn't been anything from the book in my dreams, just a lot of wackiness.

19/20: billiejean and RebeccaAnn - good to know I'm not alone!

21: jdaniel3760 - Yes, this is what to expect! In fact, I felt like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was wrapped up a little more cleanly in the end than Kafka on the Shore. I love them both!

I think Kafka is a bit better in terms of narrative if that's what you need so take heart. But if you're at all squeamish, particularly if you're a cat-lover, you might not even want to start it.

I'm so behind! I've only just started - but I think I may already be hooked... yup all the syptoms are there... wanting to creep off and read... contemplating sticking my daughter in front of CBBC so I can go read it... no must resist!

Anyway to paraphrase - started and liking.

Oh and not a cat-lover - rather the opposite so am totally safe :)

I wouldn't worry too much about the cat (yet, anyways). I'm almost to where we're supposed to be for March 10 and as far as I know, no harm has come to it. Still plenty of time for that to change though...

Whoops! Just realized today is the 10th! This thread isn't too big so I think it would be okay to reuse it so we don't clutter up the forum :)

Feel free to post comments!

#24 I felt the same way at the beginning of the book. It is strangely compelling and full of suspense.
--BJ

I made the March 10 goal, and I'm finding myself more and more interested in what is going on in the book (which is a relief, because it took me a while to get to this point). I have so many questions about the book and the meaning of elements (the blue mark? the well? Dunkin' Donuts?)

So, for April 10, we aim to finish the book, right? I feel like it will go much faster for me--I might just push through.

Karen O.

I'm still really behind, but I am still so so intrigued - totally one of the weirdest things I've read in a long time.

I found this short blog post about phantasmagoria and our book if anyone cares to read it:
http://stephanieaustin.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/phantasmagoria-fan-taz-muh-gor-e...

Postmodern! I've read this with high school students at Nagoya International School in Japan, and they pretty much go with the flow. So much for linear and the concept of "well-wrought".

I'm almost done with the book, and I'm more comfortable with the style now than I was at first. I'm glad that the group chose to read this book.

Karen O.

I'm a 100 or so pages from the end (it's been on hold for some time...) and whilst I do love it, I'd kinda like him to keep out of the darn well!

I finished Wind-up Bird today. Very happy to be done!

Karen O.

whats up with the boy and the tree. He saw two people in a tree. He also found a heart under the tree. Very strange. + what happens in the hotel - is he Kumiko. What does the Wind-Up bird symbolize.

Finished! Finally!

What the heck? Gonna leave that to percolate in my head for a while... but seriously? What was that all about!

I can't believe how behind I am in reading this novel--only 125 pages headway. But while I've had to force myself to read other Murakami books, I find this one more enjoyable. Not sure if I've just gotten used to the style or if this really was his best book...

I love the novel... it still haunts me after reading it about 6 years ago. lOVE IT.

That's the problem... I finished it this morning in relief. Now I kinda want more. It's just totally messed with my head!