The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle cover art

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

By: Haruki Murakami
Narrated by: Rupert Degas
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $43.99

Buy Now for $43.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Toru Okada's cat has disappeared, and this has unsettled his wife, who is herself growing more distant every day. Then there are the increasingly explicit telephone calls he has started receiving. As this compelling story unfolds, the tidy suburban realities of Okada's vague and blameless life, spent cooking, reading, listening to jazz and opera and drinking beer at the kitchen table, are turned inside out and he embarks on a bizarre journey, guided (however obscurely) by a succession of characters, each with a tale to tell.

©1994 Haruki Murakami (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Fiction Magical Realism Fantasy

What listeners say about The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    45
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    51
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    41
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Excellent Narration

Overall an excellent narration, especially considering the number of female characters.

I hit a wall reading this around 65-80% of the way through, but the story was good overall with a satisfactory (but not stellar) ending.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic story and narrator

Loved the story as you’d expect with Murakami but the narrator was so good, it made so much better.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

Love this book, story, performance, takes you on such a journey, this is my third haruki book and my new favourite

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Very sureal

Good story, but be prepared to challenge your thoughts, was a little confusing and i constantly questioned if I was interpreting correctly (but I’m not super smart)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic narration

Seems totally random and pointless but I enjoyed the narration enough to keep me in until the different storylines started to click. I don't know what it is it's just really good narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Extraordinary

Extraordinary tale, unlike anything else I’ve ever read. Amazing performance really captures the different characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A convoluted tale, performed well

Rupert Degas’ reading and performance of this book is simply astoundingly brilliant. His character vocalisation and intonation is world building and emotive.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is Murakami at his finest with unexpected turns and revelations layered into rich story devices. An enjoyable long listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Vocal performance is hit and miss

I really enjoyed the book overall, but had some trouble with the voices for a couple of characters, particularly May Kasahara. On the flip side, the narrator's regular speaking voice is quite soothing, and to a non Japanese speaker it seemed that he put some work into understanding the correct pronunciation of some Japanese words and names.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

These worlds that Murakami sends us into are beautiful and scary dreams that we've all experienced from time to time. But you want to be in them, you want to find the message and have control to explore. This story is such freedom.
The tales that twist around the story could easily be books all of their own. Every character has so much to share.
Fantastic experience.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Kept me wanting more

Pure Murakami wonder. Lots of twists and turns that kept me wanting more. A definitely read if you like his books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.