The Wind Up Bird Chronicle Puns

Oh my God. OH MY GOD!!!!! What the fuck!!! What an amazing work of magical realism. Holy shit. I wish I could forget all about this book just so I could read it again.

... and I’m going to miss May Kasahara so much.

I've looked up a few reading order suggestions (including the one on this subreddit!) and despite trying to follow them, my curiosity about other books has gotten the best of me, so I'm kinda just reading whichever ones I'm most interested in. However, I'm pretty torn between Wind Up Bird Chronicle & Kafka and have seen conflicting opinions on when to read these two books. So, I'm curious about people's suggestions on reading order just between the two of these.

Here's what I've read by Murakami so far in order, if that helps:

1. 1Q84 (first & still favorite)
2. Strange Library (least favorite)
3. Norwegian Wood
4. After Dark (close 2nd to 1Q84)

Thanks!

Edit-- I do plan to read both! I'm working my way through most, if not all of his books, was just curious about specific suggestions!

Edit 2-- thank you for all of your suggestions! After reading through all of them, I think I'm going to go with Kafka first, but seeing all the varying opinions has me even more excited to read both!

I feel a little incomplete. I have read Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore before, but the ending of WUBC is very different from those two! Not saying that it's good or bad, but the end certainly produced more questions than answers. Nonetheless, what a fascinating and mesmerizing read! I thought I'd be used to Murakami's surrealistic adventures by now, but the level only just keeps on increasing. I loved the way how the events in Toru's life are in a way linked to the Second World War and Japan's exertions in Manchuria (Lieutenant Mamiya's stories were gripping!). In a strange way, I could feel I was there in Manchuria gazing at the endless plains in the cold as Lieutenant Mamiya unraveled his story. These were undoubtedly my favourite parts of the book!

Overall, the book leaves the reader perplexed with a lot of things/characters/events left to be understood, but that I guess is what makes it so special & different from other two Murakami books that I have read. Everything in the story is somehow interconnected and it's up to the reader to pick up the clues and join the dots. On the surface, the story appears to be vague and abstract, but one has to go through the layers that Murakami has weaved to understand that the story very intricately deals with the concepts of guilt, regret & suffering, amongst a host of other things.

Truly a magnificent read!

First of all, I've been reading at a much slower pace these days (I was big into the 52 week challenge for a while there) and I find myself enjoying books much more for what they are other than slamming through trying to read as much as possible. I've mainly been reading Haruki Murakami books lately and loved 1Q84 and Norwegian Wood, but I just finished book 1 of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and damn...

I don't think I've been more affected by a couple of chapters in my life. The last 3 chapters (or so) were so in depth and disturbing I had to take a break from the book when I was done. Murakami is an absolute master story teller, and these sequences of characters telling stories within the story and plot of the book itself were exceptional. If you've read the book, then you probably know which story I'm referring to. Lieutenant Mamiya relaying his war stories and sufferings to Toru. Once Mr. Honda dies, Toru is delivered a message and a package from My. Honda, by Lieutenat Mamiya. That's when Mamiya goes into his relationship with Mr. Honda, and the witnessing of their war companion being skinned alive and Mamiya being spared. Instead of being skinned alive, or shot in the back of the head, he was dumped into a well. He suffered in the well for some time, had a broken shoulder and leg but was eventually saved by Mr. Honda who had escaped their foes before taken captive. Mr. Honda told Mamiya, previously in their war journeys, that he would not die. Some how, maybe with some sort of omnipotence, he knew. And Mamiya lived, and lived a full life without answers.

Anyways, maybe the answers will be revealed later, I'm still barely into book 2. That first book had such amazing writing, vivid imagery, and page turning captivation I don't know if I'll ever read something so impactful ever again. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Hey guys, I really liked Norwegian Wood and The Wind Up Bird Chronicles. But now I want to give rest to Murakami. What should I read next which is not much different than these two but has some different writing style ? Please help.

Just finished the book a 2nd time. Yet i am still befuddled with countless questions:

+) what happened to kano malta? Why did she have mackerel's tail? At the end, when toru asked creta how malta was doing, why did she just dadly look at him?

+) was the 17 chronicles the very book itself?

+) what was the thing in the darkness that toru never got to see aftee he beat the darkness?

+) who was the waiter that was always whistling the thieving magpie?

+) exactly what did noboru do to kumiko? Did he unbridle the darkness inside her? And why did noboru lock in the room? What did she have to do with him?

+) why was that the bat disappeard and was later given back to him by kumiko in the room?

+) i can't help but wonder: does kasahara may represent a hidden side of kumiko?

Did the ending of the book leave you with a lot of questions unanswered? I have mixed feelings about the ending. I thought the revelation of the Chronicle Chapter 17 Toru finds in Cinnamon's pc was a bit underwhelming? But at the same time the amount of questions unanswered also hint that so much of the story and what was happening was just in his mind rather than in real life. And I guess that makes the book even more charming. Questions were unanswered like whether Creta and Kumiko were the same person, the connection between the musician and the other characters, why did heeding to Boris's advise about "leaving imagination" to someone else yield Toru good rather than more damage? so many more.

I keep remembering something profound I found in WUBC, but I can't find it anywhere.

So I was wondering if you guys could help me, if you have it jotted down or where it is in the book.

What I know is,

• it's a dialogue between May Kasahara and Mr. Wind-Up Bird
• it's something similar to "Don't you see? You can't run away from yourself that's why you are in such a mess." (Main point being, you can't escape from yourself or you'll be in a lot of problems)
• I don't remember if it's a letter exchange from the Point of View chapters, or a regular one to one dialogue.
• I believe the subject came up about Kumiko, and how Toru wanted to run away from his old life and start something new, which is what prompted May Kasahara to say this quote

If anyone knows where it is in the book or have any pointers, do let me know.

EDIT: I had a convo about the book and know what I wanted to know now.

Hi everyone,

I finished this book today. My second Murakami book. I’ve ordered many more to build my collection. Next, I’ll read After Dark. I’m excited. But there were two things I couldn’t grasp or missek in the novel. I feel like I’ll ask more in time. For the mean time, I want answers to these.

1. Is it depicted how Toru does the fittings, I didn’t skip any pages. But some page I read about suggests the women did some freaky stuff to his mark on his cheek.

2. In the ending, what does Toru mean by drifting away, far away from people

The second question is probably me questioning the book too hard. But it kinda ticked me off. Anyway, thanks in advance to the people who read up to here.

Quick question if you don't mind. I've had The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle recommended to me by a two people I know who I consider brilliant at language and literature, but I have a concern over the translation. I have heard though I can't remember from where, that the most commonly available translation to English is only four fifths of the complete novel.

Is this true? If so, does the edit damage the novel's experience? Is there a more faithful and complete translation available?

Thanks

Just finished reading this brilliant book and I'm left mesmerised but with a lot of questions. Now I know you're supposed to feel confused after reading this book and the plot is very messy. I can just about interpret most of the storylines in my own term but there is one event I can't wrap my head around which is the little boy who woke up one night and saw two suspicious men in his garden. I remember him finding an organ one of the men buried and the other man climbed onto a tree and never came down...I mean what do you guys think this event symbolises? This particular part feels quite disjointed from rest of the story and feels more unresolved than the other events. Is the little boy Cinnamon? Which might explain he became very quiet? But maybe not because someone murdered Cinnamon's dad and pulled his organ out so the little boy was just happened to witness where the murderers buried Cinnamon's dad's organ?

Anyway, this is a great book and I'd love to discuss with you all!

I recently finished both novels and was listening to a review of Kafka. The reviewer said that one of the cats in Kafka is the same cat that runs away in the Wind up Bird. I don't know which cat they could be referring to and was wondering if someone can help me out.

I enjoyed the dream-like nature of the experience of reading it, and from what I knew ahead of time I did not expect everything to have a concrete explantation. I would like to discuss the book though, to understand others' impressions and perspectives! I haven't heard many interpretations of the significance of the wind-up bird itself within the story. Does anyone have any ideas of what its cry represents, why it appears when it does, and why it is heard only by certain characters? One of my favorite things in the book coming fresh off of it was the Nutmeg and Cinnamon subplot (Cinnamon might be my favorite character, though I'll have to think back through the book as a whole). I found the use of newspaper articles very clever and a delightful surprise when I caught on to what was going on. The shift in perspective put an additional air of mystery around Toru's collaboration with the Akasakas, and it gave context when characters would discuss the articles. As much as I enjoyed a great deal of it, the book did get very intense and graphic for my tastes at times. Are there other books of his that don't get quite as overtly sexual and violent? I'd like to read more of his writing, but I feel like I need a little breather before jumping back in. Anyway, I just wanted to chime in with some thoughts from my first experience reading Murakami!

I’ve been in japan for a few days now and decided to finally start reading something from Murakami since this book in particular takes place mostly in Tokyo.

I’m one third through and so far the book and all its characters has really gripped my imagination! And made me slightly ill... I think this is one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read so far. I’m not even sure what the story is going to turn into, with all its odd characters and unexpected twists, but I can’t wait to finish it and find out.

Has anyone else read this book? Are all of murakamis books this odd?

(Sorry for bad English)

So I just finished Norwegian Wood and I absolutely loved it. I wanted to start another immediately so I went hunting around a few used book stores around the city as I was trying to snag a copy of Kafka on the Shore with the John Gall art. I didn't manage to find it but I did grab The Wind Up Bird Chronicle with his art. From what I've read here and on other subreddits it seems like it's one of his more dense complex reads. Would Wind Up Bird be a good next step or would I feel more comfortable with another one of Murakami's works?

As the title would suggest, I just finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. It's worth noting that this is the first book I've read by Murakami. I also have a copy of 1Q84 which I was intending on reading first but a friend recommended I start with TWUBC.

I'm still trying to process the story and put the plot together in my head, but what's more puzzling to me than the plot itself is the meaning behind the various "powers" that some of the characters have. The last 50 pages or so of the book seemed to really speed up quite a bit, which might add to my sense of "What just happened..." I really enjoyed it overall, but still have a lot of thinking to do. Also worth noting that I read the english translation.

Did anyone else feel like the book sped up a bit at the end? Any other thoughts?

Not sure whether to post this on /r/araragi or here, but here we go

I have recently finished reading the Wind Up Bird Chronicles (WUBC from here out), and I can't help but see a similarity between this and the monogatari LN and anime series. (I am going to assume that you, the reader of this post, knows the monogatari series, at least the basis. I won't be explaining the show at all)

First I will talk about the similarities that I notice. I could entirely be drawing lines between to completely different titles, but hear me out at least. I don't have any specific hard evidence, it is purely speculation. Anyway, the first point that really grabbed my attention was the similarities in the cast, the style, and the pacing. I feel like the cast in WUBC is very similar to how the cast is in the Monogatari series. Specifically, how both are surrounded by mostly women, both are very loyal to their significant other, both have stranger male characters, and both characters (araragi and okada) are morally straight-ish. I first began to think this near the end of the novel with May Kasahara's letters to Okada. Her situation and character, both seeming outlandish and real at the same time, gave me similar vibes as I got from characters such as shinobu, or hachikuji.

I also feel like the style is just so similar in both works. The strange and at times confusing nature of the characters and setting, seems to fit perfectly with both.

I thought about this at school today, and thought I had more to say. I guess I don't

Seeing as the WUBC was published in 1995, perhaps the author of the monogatari series was influenced by Murakami's work? I am posting this more to start a discussion and maybe perhaps someone else things the same.

I just finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and about a month ago I also read 1Q84. I think I know where Tengo's married girlfriend went when she was "Irretrievably lost". There's a TL;DR in the bottom.

Before I make my point I want to note out a few similarities between the two books (possibly these elements repeat themselves in Murakami's other books but these are the only two I've read so far so bear with me!).

• In both books the main character likes to cook.

• In both books the main female character (for 1Q84 I'd call that Fuka Eri and in Wind-Up I'd say it's Kumiko) has a fucked up childhood - and greatly relies on her sister - she's the only one this character can talk to as a child. Likewise with Creta Kano and Malta Kano.

• Ushikawa appears in both books! How awesome is that?

• In both books the main character has a kind of dreamy-like "mental sex" with a girl and knocks her up. I know in 1Q84 Tengo actually had sex with Fuka Eri and Aomame was the one to get pregnant but I still felt similarities in the sex scenes.

I thought of more similarities but I can't remember them all right now.

Now to the point! I think maybe Tengo's girlfriend disappeared just like Kumiko did - except in Kumiko's case she had Toro who rescued her. I'm not saying it was definitely Noboru Wataya who violated Tengo's girlfriend - maybe it was her husband, maybe it was someone else and her husband realized what happened to her but he - unlike Toro - couldn't rescue her. Oh - and yet another similarity is that she was cheating on her husband just like Kumiko was cheating on Toro.

TL;DR: I think maybe Tengo's girlfriend disappeared just like Kumiko did - except in Kumiko's case she had Toro who rescued her.

What are you thoughts?

hi. i have a copy of dance dance dance, but i noticed online that the book is a sequel to a wild sheep chase. is it necessary for me to read the prequel first?

edit: wind up bird chronicle should be a wild sheep chase in title.

I'm in the middle of reading The Wind Up Bird Chronicles and it seems like Toru's uncle is very similar to the protagonist of "South of the Border, West of the Sun", are they the same person?

Just finished re-reading Sputnik Sweetheart and noted down a couple of connections between Sputnik/Wind-Up. I'd love to hear thoughts on them because my mind's pretty tangled right now haha.

1. In Sputnik, we never get told Miu's real name, but we know that she's 'split in two'. Is Miu in 'the real world' and 'the other' the same person as Kreta and Malta Kano in The Wind-Up Bird? I came to think of this because the island of Kreta is in Greece, where Sumire disappears in Sputnik – and I think K discusses Malta in Sputnik Sweetheart as well. Also, if I remember correctly – doesn't one of the Kano's take over Toru's wife's clothes? That somehow fit perfectly? Similarly, as Miu and Sumire get acquainted, Sumire inherits a bunch of clothes from "Miu's friend", or something like that.

2. As K searches for Sumire in Sputnik, he talks extensively about the possibility of her falling down a well, as well as her being 'on the other side'. Doesn't seem like any person would come up with someone falling down a well – is there a connection to Wind-Up here too?

edit: another thing I just came to think about: 3) 1Q84!!! Now, it's been a while since I read the trilogy, but the ending of Sputnik is eerily similar to some aspects of it too. In the end of Sputnik, Sumire calls K from a phone booth; she's back. Back from where, we don't exactly know, but as Sumire describes the scenery she's in, she mentions the moon – a moldy-colored half-moon – to which K thinks: "We’re both looking at the same moon, in the same world". Wasn't there something about phone booths in 1Q84, too? And the moons of course, distinguishing 'reality' with 'the other'.

I don't really know what to say. My first Murakami experience was after the quake and I fell in love his stories. I decided to read WUBC immediately afterwards and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm left with several questions about the plot that I'll never have answered (like who was the call girl was among other questions) and the book as a whole will haunt me for years to come. Trying to piece together a story from our unreliable narrator Toru was a total mindfuck. Above all else, I thought the book was captivating and strangely beautiful. I'm not too smart and there are many things I can't conceptualize and put into words, but I loved reading the WUBC. What should I read next?

I just finished reading The Wind Up Bird Chronicle last night and firstly, let me just say wow. Really blown away. This is my second Murakami next to Colorless and Im already a fan.

However reading through TWUBC I had kind of a surreal experience I wanted to share with you guys. I was a couple chapters after the Lieutenant shares his story of being stuck in the well wishing to die, and the part where the sun came shining in briefly and he didnt understand the signifigance really stuck with me.

I was reading the part where Toru was in the well and thinking of his past with Kumiko, specifically the part where he and Kumiko are drinking wine talking about getting the abortion, I read the part where she said she was unsure if she can differentiate what things really did or didnt happen.

I was reading alone in my apartment with just one lamp on in my bedroom, and as soon as I read that line my lamp went dark, and then turned back on with a brighter intensity than before and it did this kind of flickering for about 20 seconds (making a noise too) before it faded back to its lower brightness and stayed there.

I was pretty freaked out to be honest, and my lamp has never done that before nor has it done it since reading that part relatively early on in the story. Obviously I understand its just my cheap lamp spazzing out but It really reminded me of the scene in the well and really helped me bring a new understanding towards the book

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wind_up_bird.jpg

Or is it just online fan art? Anything similar for the other titles?

The beach http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AEDDSTI/

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XT605Y/

I don't know how long these prices will last and I don't know if this is appropriate for this sub. But, they have both been on my wish list for awhile and I saw the price drop today.

I am subscribed to bookbub, but if anyone knows of other sites that shows deals like these, please let me know. I often check my wishlist and see massive price drops that last for a day or two, but they are never advertised on the kindle deal page. Don't know how that works.

Just thought I would share, and if there is a better sub for sharing this kind of thing please let me know.

*Fixed the link to remove any appearance of profit. I truly just copied the link from my browser. This was in no way meant as an advertisement as user cold-n-sour claims below.

should i give murakami another chance? i have a couple of days before summer class starts, and ive heard this book is great

For the Japanese version, did Murakami edit the three volumes together before their release, or was this written and released as three separate novels (ie he had to live with wherever the narrative landed after each volume and write the next as if it were a sequel?)

Does anyone know the quote about all fridges in the world opening at once? I think I remember reading it in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and having a good chuckle but now I'm struggling to find it.

EDIT: Found it!

When Toru asks Kumiko's parents for her hand in marriage.

"To say that their reception of me was cool would be an understatement. The doors of all the world’s refrigerators seemed to have been thrown open at once." The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Page 30

Hi,

I have just completed this book and I loved it. The inherent metaphors like water, the baseball bat, the well, the mark on his cheek coupled with the frame narratives (the boy observing the 2 men from his window, the zoo, and war tales by Mamiya) compelled a lot of thinking and retrospection.

While I may have my personal views on what these might mean in the story, I would also love to hear from the community what they think about them.

1. My biggest conundrum would be the frame narrative of the boy observing the two men from his window.

I can only gather from what is later added that Cinnamon's husband had his insides gouged out, it bore some semblance to the "heart" in the sack that was thrown into the hole.

2. What roles do the Kanos hold in this book?

3. What do you think of the Kanos entering Toru's dreams/subconscious? What is the significance of them doing so?

TLDR; Please tell me what you think of this book. Questions & opinions are welcome. I know there were past discussions but I feel this book is worthy of another.

In the second chapter of Wind Up Bird Chronicles, Murakami, using Toru Okada as the narrator, says, “ We can invest enormous time and energy in serious efforts to know another person, but in the end, how close can we come to that person’s essence? We convince ourselves that we know each other well, but do we really know anything important about anyone?”

This highlights an underlying flaw of our existence, about how we will never truly be understood and be forever lonely within. Therefore, further deserting life of any palpable meaning.

But nearing the end of the story, even without any mean of talking to his wife, Kumiko, Toru is able to understand her problem. He’s able to fathom how she’s purposefully trying to push him away from her life for his benefit. He’s able to understand the catastrophe that devours her, even without any communication with her. This implies that Toru is able to fully and deeply understand Kumiko. Therefore, nullifying the aforementioned narrative.

So does that mean that Murakami indeed is an optimist? Or am I misconstruing his intention?

I have a goal of 12 books this year and I'm almost done with my first!

I just finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and about a month ago I also read 1Q84. I think I know where Tengo's married girlfriend went when she was "Irretrievably lost". There's a TL;DR in the bottom.

Before I make my point I want to note out a few similarities between the two books (possibly these elements repeat themselves in Murakami's other books but these are the only two I've read so far so bear with me!).

• In both books the main character likes to cook.

• In both books the main female character (for 1Q84 I'd call that Fuka Eri and in Wind-Up I'd say it's Kumiko) has a fucked up childhood - and greatly relies on her sister - she's the only one this character can talk to as a child. Likewise with Creta Kano and Malta Kano.

• Ushikawa appears in both books! How awesome is that?

• In both books the main character has a kind of dreamy-like "mental sex" with a girl and knocks her up. I know in 1Q84 Tengo actually had sex with Fuka Eri and Aomame was the one to get pregnant but I still felt similarities in the sex scenes.

I thought of more similarities but I can't remember them all right now.

Now to the point! I think maybe Tengo's girlfriend disappeared just like Kumiko did - except in Kumiko's case she had Toro who rescued her. I'm not saying it was definitely Noboru Wataya who violated Tengo's girlfriend - maybe it was her husband, maybe it was someone else and her husband realized what happened to her but he - unlike Toro - couldn't rescue her. Oh - and yet another similarity is that she was cheating on her husband just like Kumiko was cheating on Toro.

TL;DR: I think maybe Tengo's girlfriend disappeared just like Kumiko did - except in Kumiko's case she had Toro who rescued her.

What are you thoughts?