The voices of different characters put me off

If you can read the book just read it yourself. You won’t be able to concentrate by the noises of this audiobook.

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Good but lengthy

I was a bit annoyed by the voice of Mae Kasahara, but I think that was also the point of the character. If the story wasn’t this long, I would listen to it again to comprehend it better. Now it will probably take me a few years to start again. Would recommend!

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Japanese illusion of consciousness

Interesting book, "very Japanese" if that makes sense, but too much of a "visual" descriptions makes it unacceptable for some.

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Brilliant book, ingenious narration

I have read this incredible book a few years ago, and very happy to discover that it has been also narrated so brilliantly. Highly recommend!

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not the best Murakami narration

the way the narrator does pretty much all of the women's voices, but especially May is really distracting and annoying. the story is good but I felt like I couldn't follow it because I couldn't stand listening to half the dialogue.

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Intriguing

Some have mentioned they had an issue with the narration but I thought it was a wonderful performance. Murakami books are always so deliciously dreamlike and this is no different. I highly recommend it.

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Good story, narration irritating in places

This is the the third Murikami that I've listened to. I had high expectations as loved the previous ones. This one disappointed a little. I found the story too meandering places but there was enough of a strong plot to sustain my interest.

The principle narration is good - what really brings it down is when he voices other characters in the book. The irritating female voices destroyed (and some of the male) the experience for me. Indeed on some of them they were so grating that I would have to fast forward some of the longer sections of narration as it was too painful to listen to.

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brilliant novel - superb reading by Robert Degas

Other reviewers have complained about the female voices adopted by the reader, and at the outset I agreed - especially in respect of the voice given to May Kasahara. I continued to listen even so, and as the reading proceeded I came to think that Rupert Degas had done a superb job of characterising each and every character that features in this marvellous, moving, often surreal, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, utterly engaging novel. I should say that Degas gave careful consideration to each of the voices so that, for example, irritating as May Kasahara's voice may be, it's entirely suitable to this fabulously wayward teenage girl. Ditto for the lazy drawl allotted to Nutmeg Akasaka, the rich, middle-aged, superbly dressed woman who helps Toru Okada acquire the hanging house.
I first read the book a good 20 years ago, soon after the English translation appeared. I had read several Murakami novels by that time, and I thought that The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was definitely the best. Indeed it remains unsurpassed by any of his later novels, fascinating though they are. There's no doubt that this is a great addition to the Audible library.

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Brilliant book

Loved the book - so dreamlike and weird and intriguing. Every character in it was interesting . Great narrator too.

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Wonderful story - terrible narration

I love Murikami and this book is one of my favourites. However, I have to agree with others thst thr narration is just awful and I almost returned the boo because of it.

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