The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami

[Lykren]

As the title suggests, I'm currently reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. It's certainly an engaging, lively book, but there's something wrong with the translation. It's got just a few too many words to it (I realize this sounds like someone telling Mozart, too many notes), as though the translator didn't know how to be efficient with his language, as if he hadn't read Strunk and White. So, I was wondering, has anyone else read Jay Rubin's translation of this book, and if so, what impression did you get? Particularly of the quality of the prose? Thanks.

[mona amon]

I didn't notice all that as I was completely blown away by the book. Definitely one of the best I've read in recent times. I heard that the English translation is slightly abridged.

[mal4mac]

I wasn't that impressed. I thought the plot was, generally, very slow moving, shallow, and tedious (with a few lively bits here and there.) Given its length it may be that there are just too many words to support such a shallow plot, in Japanese or English!

[mona amon]

It was totally whacky, but in a way that clicked with me.

[Lykren]

I feel very ambivalent about it. Sometimes it seems to contain deep, original thinking, sometimes it feels a little bland and insipid, especially in terms of the prose, which is why I brought up the issue of the translation.