1Q84, Haruki Murakami's tale of loneliness and reminiscence, has two protagonists: a man (Tengo) and a woman (Aomame). Driven by emotional yearning for each other, each attempts to navigate a series of otherworldly affairs. Delivered through alternating chapters, the two stories, though narratively parallel and interconnected, are isolated by the conventonal linear book format.
Inspired to create a physical presentation that reflects the narrative's sensibility, 1Q84 Parallel is composed of two spiral-bound booklets sharing the same front / back cover. The reader is confronted with both stories simultaneously, and it is up to them to decide when and how the narratives overlap. 1Q84 Parallel intentionally exchanges coherence in favor of moments of serendipity.
A constellation-like graphic, introduced on the front cover, is carried throughout the chapters, each time generating a different abstract pattern. Reflecting the arc of the narrative, the connections finally found their place, and revealed the names of the protagonists; they are there, albeit hidden, from the very beginning.
