Book One Chapter 7: 青豆：蝶を起こさないようにとても静かに Haruki Murakami's 1Q84

Saida · October 24, 2020, 6:55pm

This is the discussion thread for chapter 7 of 1Q84. In chapter count, that means we’re halfway though the book! In page count chapter 7 seems to also start exactly halfway through, so we’re officially halfway through the book .

Main thread: Hashing out the details for reading Murakami Haruki’s 1Q84 (Intermediate/Advanced Book)

Threads list

Warnings (read please!)

This story contains themes of an adult and/or sensitive nature, including cults, sex, murder, and sexual abuse of children, both mentioned, and graphic (though not until Book 2, in the latter case).

第７章：青豆：蝶を起こさないようにとても静かに
Title translation: So softly that you wouldn’t even wake up a butterfly

Our character's journey so far. 青豆

As anyone would after murdering someone, how lowly of a rat you might think they are, Aomame makes her way to a hotel bar to find a one night stand that suits her rather specific tastes. The guy needs a bit of convincing, but takes her up to his room eventually.

Now, poll time:

I’m reading along
I’m still reading this book, but I haven’t reached this part yet
I’ve finished this part
I’m no longer reading the book

0 voters

Belerith · November 3, 2020, 10:21pm

I… Just changed my vote to reading along since I finished the last chapter. So theoretically I’m caught up until the next thread this weekend?

Saida · November 3, 2020, 10:53pm

Me too! We’re halfway through! I’ll get started on chapter 7 tomorrow or Thursday.

Belerith · December 1, 2020, 10:59pm

So after catching up I stopped reading for a bit to concentrate on other books.

Since I’m mostly done with that I read this chapter today.

I enjoyed learning a bit more about Aomame and her employer, as well as their motivations. The employer is a super interesting character. What’s up with those butterflies, and why is it Aomame never noticed the policemen’s uniform change until now?

And what does all this have to do with the other half of our protagonists? I have a bad feeling what a connection might look like, based on this chapter. If there even is one!

@Saida, did you make a chapter 8 (and 9 since I’m late ) thread?

Saida · December 2, 2020, 9:15am

No, I’m terrible I brought my laptop to work today, so I will write them up on my break time.

morteASD · December 2, 2020, 9:24am

Been silent for long, but I had to pause reading quite early from the start. Barely been able to read my current book. Seems like I’m really bad at juggling many books at once .

Just figured I’d mention something, since I was originally one of the supporters of the book club… Sorry for bailing. I’ll get to it at some point!

Belerith · December 2, 2020, 10:03am

I’ve found I enjoy books more when I read them a bit faster, or maybe consistently is the word. So I can totally understand how it can be much easier to just read one book.

When you do read this one, please feel free to start up (or start, haha) the discussion again.

Don’t worry too much about it, @Saida! How are you doing with the reading?

Saida · December 2, 2020, 11:40am

I find myself not making the time to read, doing other unimportant stuff instead. I’m about halfway through chapter 7. Sometimes I pick out a word to add to my personal excel sheet of interesting words not on WK.

morteASD · December 2, 2020, 8:04pm

Yup, I tend to really get into what I’m reading, and having a longer break just makes it super hard to start again. Same thing happens with video games. A week or two’s break especially in JRPGs and it’s like “Who am I again?”

Definitely! Murakami is high up in my to-read list.

Belerith · December 2, 2020, 11:24pm

I’ve ended up restarting games so often because I have the same issue with those! When I don’t pick it up regularly I end up forgetting for a bit longer than a couple weeks, and then on starting it up again… might as well right? and then there go 30 hours, haha…

Nice! I’ll be looking forward to getting some reminders on what I thought at this point in the story!

NicoleRauch · April 6, 2021, 3:27pm

Finished this chapter the other day.

Some thoughts

In this chapter we get to see Aomame’s “client” and why she was ordered to kill that person in the hotel.
I was looking forward to that scene very much! I vividly remember the greenhouse and the butterflies from back when I was reading the book in German.
We also get to know Tomaru - I really like him as a character, he is so spot-on.
And the spinach-eating dog! I had totally forgotten about that eating habit (but not about the existence of the dog itself).
Also, the confusion regarding the change of clothing and weapons for police officers continues to keep Aomame’s mind busy.

Interesting grammar:
真夏を別にして - except in the middle of summer. I had not learned about this other meaning of 別に yet, so that was very interesting.

Funny phrases:
「最後がよければすべてがいい」ー「もしどこかに最後というものがあれば」This little exchange between Tomaru and Aomame made me chuckle

(talking about the other dudes who abused their wives, and that it was so bad as to warrant them being killed:) 「こちらで処理できるだろう」ー「合法的に」ー「おおむね合法的に。」
Did I mention that I really like Tomaru’s attitude?