1Q84
by Haruki Murakami (read by Allison Hiroto, Marc Vietor, Mark Boyett)
Audible (audiobook)
IQ84 is one of the novels of the year. This audio version, featuring three narrators and two translators, lives up to expectations. Translating Haruki Murakami's dizzying plots from eye to ear is no mean feat. I personally rewound more than once to work out what was going on in this tale of parallel Japans set in parallel 1984s. We enter via Aomame (read with delicate wonderment by Allison Hiroto). An assassin (and, slightly strangely, a fitness instructor), she takes revenge on misogynists everywhere. Murakami soon entangles Aomame's story with that of a writer called Tengo who becomes obsessed with the story he is ghostwriting, or perhaps re-writing: its author is a mysterious young woman called Fuka-Eri. Slowly the plots tie up with all manner of weirdness thrown in. IQ84 is long: 46 hours and 50 minutes. I listened at home, on the bus, the train, in a car, while I was running, walking, in the bath, and in my bed. I loved it but am glad to get back to reality. Whatever that is.
Extras: an interview with IQ84's translators, Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel.