Murakami's 1Q84 is a Heavyweight

As the Japanese release date for Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 approaches, more information has begun to appear. Although the plot and the title’s meaning remain a total mystery, Amazon.co.jp has put up a page count, and it’s a whopping 1,055 pages. While size isn’t everything, it seem to be working in the book’s favor; published in two volumes, it currently occupies the top two spots on Amazon Japan’s book rankings. Although I’ve yet to find confirmation of who is doing the English translation or when it will be released, English translations of Japanese text tend to be 1.5 to 2 times longer than the source text. In other words, you won’t want to drop this on your toe.

The book comes out this Friday in Japan. Check in next week for a roundup of reviews and commentary.

The Millions' future depends on your support. Become a member today.

Ben Dooley is a Washington correspondent for the Japanese news service Kyodo News. He writes on US-Japan relations, reporting from the White House and the Pentagon. In his spare time, he works as a translator. He is currently writing a police noir set in Japan. Follow him on Twitter @benjamindooley.