1984 by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell, 328 pages

From the MARC: "The year 1984 has come and gone, but George Orwell's nightmare vision from 1949 of the world we are becoming is timelier that ever. 1984 is the great modern classic of a 'negative utopia' - a startlingly original and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing."

1984 is a classic that slipped through the cracks in my education. I was aware of the novel and its importance to literature, but until now I had never actually read it. Haunting is a good word for the vision provided in this story. The events feel eeriely relevant and sharply prescient. I hate to say that I enjoyed the novel because it was terrifying

 

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami, 925 pages

1Q84 is a book with two parallel storylines that gradually become interwoven.  Aomame is a beautiful young fitness instructor who also kills abusive husbands on the side; Tengo is a young teacher at a cram school who gets in over his head when he ghost-writes a book for a mysterious young woman.  They are gradually brought together by a cult, little people, an "air chrysalis", and a shared destiny.  The writing is lovely, the Japanese details fascinating, the imagery striking, and the payoff almost worth the time invested.