1Q84 - Haruki Murakami: Review

A couple of weeks ago I promised to write a review about a book, fact is I was reading A Song Of Ice And Fire so I kinda forgot about it, but since I'm back (and sad because I'll have to wait to know what happens next) I feel ready to write this review.

I know I said it was going to be one book, but it's going to be two. As you can see from the picture I didn't read them in English but rather in Catalan (for those who don't recognize what "Llibre" means it means book). I got 1Q84 Books 1 and 2 last year for Sant Jordi which happens to be the International Book Day, and 1Q84 Book 3 for Christmas (most of my presents this year for Christmas have been books).

So let's talk about the books. First I feel the need to say that there are different kinds of Murakami's readers, there are the die-hard fans who love almost everything that he writes (that would be me), then there are the ones who enjoy more realistic books like "Tokyo Blues", "South of the Border, West of the Sun" or "Sputnik Sweetheart", then there are the ones that prefer "Kafka in the shore" or "1Q84" and finally the ones that love "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" being as crazy as it is. If you've never read Murakami I don't really know where you should start, but I started with "Kafka in the shore"and it remains one of my favorite.

1Q84, as I said, would sit in the middle of realistic novels and crazy stories. It contains the stories of a girl and a boy: Aomame and Tengo, who have really different lifestyles but that are actually connected in a way none of them could have thought. The first book, or as I should say "Book 1 and 2" happen in two different worlds, in the third one both Aomame and Tengo are in the same one searching one another.

I really liked this books for various reasons, as usual Murakami's characters got something special, none of them is perfect they have really complex personalities and reasons to do what they do, also the more fantastic part tends to be wicked but it is completely blended with the more rational part to a point you cannot tell which is which. Also, if you've ever read Murakami I guess you'll agree with me, the dialogues are gold, specially the ones that involve Fukaeri. And just everything happens for a reason, even the smallest thing it has a connection with the story, it's not insignificant.

I've been trying to find some "negative" aspects of this book, but I couldn't it doesn't mean it doesn't have any but rather that since I'm such a Murakami's fan I cannot find a flaw on his books.

I encourage you all to read these books even if you've never read Murakami before, I think it would be a great start.

Arctic Monkeys (Barcelona - 01/28/12)

Yesterday a friend and I went to the Arctic Monkeys' concert in Barcelona. We've been wanting to go to see them for a long time, but we couldn't go to FIB last year so when I heard they were coming we bought the tickets rapidly. However, I have to admit that since the last CD is so different to the other ones (and it took us some time to grow to appreciate it) we were kinda reluctant about the concert.

So, yesterday we drove to Barcelona and got to Palau Sant Jordi to see what Arctic Monkeys were gonna give us (the public). I've got to say that the organization was a bit messy and that the queues for the entrance where soon a mass of people without any order, and I think that some of the people who was in the seating places actually got in when Miles Kane was already on stage. By the way, I didn't know Miles and I really licked him, I danced and sang (I get the chorus lyrics pretty easily so I can sing along after listening only once).

Arctic Monkeys were really really good, I've never seen them live before so I cannot compare previous performances, but they were great and the sound was also really good, which is actually kinda difficult to find in a concert, I don't really know that. They played both old songs and new songs (Brick by Brick, I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, When The Sun Goes Down, Library Pictures, Brianstorm, 505, Fluorescent Adolescent), and although it was not a long concert I think they finished brilliantly and I didn't feel like I needed more songs. Of course I'd have loved to hear them play Mardy Bum or Cornerstone (I love this song), but they cannot play every song they've recorded, so I was more than happy with their selection. If there's something that I missed it might be a bit more of interaction with the public, I mean they did interact and Alex talked and everything, but before this concert I went to Mando Diao's and they were always teasing the public, but I guess this depends more on the person so you cannot change it.

Well, if you're asking yourself if you should go to an Arctic Monkeys' concert the answer is yes as long as you like their music. And, yes I'll go again when they come back.

P.D.: I plan on doing a review on every concert I go this year, so I can tell you that unless there's something for free coming up soon the next review will be about Frank Turner at Wembley Arena on April 13th.

Moral Integrity

Today at a seminar of the PhD programme we've been talking about conflicts of interest in Science, to do so we've done a role play in which one of us was a scientist in need of money. It made me think, a lot. Since I was playing the role of the scientist in need of money I was supposed to leave ethics appart and accept the money, but I have a really strict set of principles. Too strict maybe. I've realized that if something is against my beliefs or my opinions I'd rather starve than sell myself, and life is supposed to be about being flexible so you can move with the wind, but even knowing that I cannot do it. I guess it's just stubbornness and that as I grow old I'll be more keen on being flexible, that it comes with experience.

But young and stubborn as I am I may take some time to change.

Starting to write again

A couple of years ago (actually closer to three years ago) I had a short period of my life when inspiration came to me at any moment and in any form and I could write many stories in a really short period of time. But after that it was gone, I couldn't think of anything and every story that I wrote was just stupid and senseless.

I've said it before but I want to try to write stories again, I started a novel before going to Montréal and maybe I could try to finish it, but since it is handwritten the first thing I'm going to do is rewrite it on the computer, maybe then I'll find the inspiration I need since the story has been in my head for quite a long time already. On the other hand I've got a problem while writing and it is that everything needs to make sense, even the smallest thing and even if it is only fiction, I need everything to make sense, I guess this is the scientific part of my mind that needs an explanation for everything.

Anyways if I do as I pretend to I'll keep you updated of my (possible) progress.

By the way, next post is going to be a book review, I hope that before the end of the week though I cannot promise anything.