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The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

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The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

By: Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin - translator
Narrated by: Rupert Degas
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Toru Okada's cat has disappeared and this has unsettled his wife, who is herself growing more distant every day. Then there are the increasingly explicit telephone calls he has started receiving. As this compelling story unfolds, the tidy suburban realities of Okada's vague and blameless life, spent cooking, reading, listening to jazz and opera and drinking beer at the kitchen table, are turned inside out, and he embarks on a bizarre journey, guided (however obscurely) by a succession of characters, each with a tale to tell.

© Haruki Murakami 1994 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism World Literature Fantasy Magic Mind-bending
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Critic reviews

Murakami writes of contemporary Japan, urban alienation and journeys of self-discovery, and in this book he combines recollections of the war with metaphysics, dreams and hallucinations into a powerful and impressionistic work
Deeply philosophical and teasingly perplexing, it is impossible to put down
Murakami weaves these textured layers of reality into a shot-silk garment of deceptive beauty
Critics have variously likened him to Raymond Carver, Raymond Chandler, Arthur C. Clarke, Don DeLillo, Philip K. Dick, Bret Easton Ellis and Thomas Pynchon - a roster so ill assorted as to suggest Murakami is in fact an original
Mesmerising, surreal, this really is the work of a true original
How does Murakami manage to make poetry while writing of contemporary life and emotions? I am weak-kneed with admiration
[A] mesmeric story
Visionary...a bold and generous book
All stars
Most relevant
Great narration of book. Engaging and interesting novel. Like nothing I’ve ever read before. Highly recommended!

Brilliant!

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interesting meandering tale in true murakami style. the narrator takes a while to get used to but ended up very comfortable with his flow.

classic murakami style pros

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Stunning. Lyrical, magical, mind bending, funny, gripping and enriching story. Exceptionally well read and performed.

Wonderful

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Well where do I start. I got the book because of Rupert Degas and would not have finished it if it were not for him. After 26 hours or so I am still not sure what happened but I liked it. Rupert as usual brought the characters to life and I won’t forget May Kasahara.

Absurdly weird but strangely addictive

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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.

Wonderful story - terrible narration

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