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Number9Dream

david mitchell

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David Mitchell follows his eerily precocious, globe-striding first novel, Ghostwritten, with a work that is in its way even more ambitious. In outward form, number9dream is a Dickensian coming-of-age journey: Young dreamer Eiji Miyake, from remote rural Japan, thrust out on his own by his sister’s death and his mother’s breakdown, comes to Tokyo in pursuit of the father who abandoned him. Stumbling around this strange, awesome city, he trips over and crosses—through a hidden destiny or just monstrously bad luck—a number of its secret power centers. Suddenly, the riddle of his father’s identity becomes just one of the increasingly urgent questions Eiji must answer. Why is the line between the world of his experiences and the world of his dreams so blurry? Why do so many horrible things keep happening to him? What is it about the number 9? To answer these questions, and ultimately to come to terms with his inheritance, Eiji must somehow acquire an insight into the workings of history and fate that would be rare in anyone, much less in a boy from out of town with a price on his head and less than the cost of a Beatles disc to his name.

401 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,2001
Literary awards
booker prize, james tait black memorial prize, 
Places
tokyo, 

This edition

Format
401 pages, Paperback
Published
February 11, 2003 by Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN
9780812966923
ASIN
0812966929
Language
English
Characters More characters

More editions

About the author

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david mitchell

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David Mitchell was born in Southport, Merseyside, in England, raised in Malvern, Worcestershire, and educated at the University of Kent, studying for a degree in English and American Literature followed by an M.A. in Comparative Literature. He lived for a year in Sicily, then moved to Hiroshima, Japan, where he taught English to technical students for eight years, before returning to England. After another stint in Japan, he currently lives in Ireland with his wife Keiko and their two children. In an essay for Random House, Mitchell wrote: "I knew I wanted to be a writer since I was a kid, but until I came to Japan to live in 1994 I was too easily distracted to do much about it. I would probably have become a writer wherever I lived, but would I have become the same writer if I'd spent the last 6 years in London, or Cape Town, or Moose Jaw, on an oil rig or in the circus? This is my answer to myself." Mitchell's first novel, Ghostwritten (1999), moves around the globe, from Okinawa to Mongolia to pre-Millennial New York City, as nine narrators tell stories that interlock and intersect. The novel won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize (for best work of British literature written by an author under 35) and was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. His two subsequent novels, number9dream (2001) and Cloud Atlas (2004), were both shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. In 2003, he was selected as one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists. In 2007, Mitchell was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World. Mitchell's American editor at Random House is novelist David Ebershoff.

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Community Reviews

Rating(3.9 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
31(31%)
4 stars
32(32%)
3 stars
37(37%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
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Towa_No_Hana
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Number9Dream, what is a relatively administered star-rating system compared to the joy I experience while reading you? Faults and all.

I don't completely understand everything you revealed with my mind awake, but your echo resonates lucidly through my dreamtime. You say: "Time may be what stops everything happening at once, but rules are different asleep." How I know this to be true, yet could never prove.

Fantasies and dreams. Cause and effect. Repeated conclusions reveal nothing where conclusions don't exist. What we experience, day and night, happens, regardless of comprehensible explanations.

"Dreams are shores where the ocean of spirit meets the land of matter...where the yet-to-be, the once-were, the will-never-be may walk awhile with the still-are."

With eyes open or closed, meaning lurks everywhere amongst these pages, knowing no boundaries.
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alhiris
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I want to say, "It was me, it wasn't you," to this novel. She and I just didn't click. She's obviously got a lot going for her besides her perfect neck, including a horribly pretentious style and a vividly dramatic penchant for detail, but while I had a very good time with some of his other novels all lined up in a row like some Voltron Robot of literature, this one just seemed to go on and on with rambling and disjointed plot-lines that EVENTUALLY, like, at the END wrapped up into the Matrix-Style "This Is Only A Dream" Science Fantasy extravaganza with immortal witches and people Outside Of Time that so punctuated his other novels.

Don't get me wrong. I really wanted to like her. The novel feels just as epic as a wandering and hopeless kid with a very, very late destiny can aspire to. Maybe I've just run out of patience after getting through so many of David Mitchell's novels. The glorious bits are glorious, the normal bits are strongly detailed and interesting in their way, and the density of ideas is sometimes an awesome pleasure to behold.

But the overall structure of these monstrosities?

I Just Don't Know. I feel like I'm trying to suck a fifth of Whisky from a bottle left unbroken. I want to love the insanity and I want to love sheer chutzpah. It's always a heavy mix of traditional literature, fascinating locations, interesting peoples, and OUT-THERE SF to tie it all together like a nightmare or a dream.

Indeed. A dream. *sigh*

I'm sorry, number9dream. It was me, not you.
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maegan_kk
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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About three years ago a friend gave me a copy of a novel written by an English teacher living in Hiroshima. I had expected not to like it and was pleasantly surprised and wrote a book review, which became my first professional journalistic piece (i.e. I was paid for it), it was a book review of David Mitchell's impressive debut, Ghostwritten.

It wasn't until recently that I read his follow up, number9dream (2001), I'm not sure why I waited so long, since, I, myself, had pointed out that he had enormous talent and was looking forward to what he'd write next. I think the reviews of the novel's content turned me off, however, I can't say exactly what it was. But now having read the acclaimed book, which was short listed for the Booker prize, I know exactly what it is that I don't like about it.

The previous novel was a collection of stories that interconnected to form a novel. One of those stories owed a heavy debt to Haruki Murakami, as does this novel. It is a sort of mystery (a boy searching for his father), which is one of Murakami's favorite genres. It features a female character praised for an atypical beauty point, in Murakami's case it was the ears, here it is her neck. There are elements of fantasy and science fiction, however, I can't see how they move the story along or add to it. I find it something that I usually overlooked in Murakami's work, because of all the other great qualities his novels possess. Early in the novel, the main character Eiji has several sci-fi fantasy sequences that do little other than introduce some characters and make you wonder what kind of book you've gotten yourself into. Later, there is a sequence where Eiji is hiding out reading fantastical stories by the occupant of the safe house, which almost seems like filler, and to be honest I skimmed most of those stories. And instead of naming his novel after a Beatles song like Murakami, "Norwegian Wood", he has named it after a John Lennon song, "number9dream."

Furthermore, I had trouble getting around the English slang. I know he was making an approximation of how Japanese in meaning and tone would sound in English. And he has had success with an idea that I've had as well, which is to write a typical literary story, but set it in Japan in order to distinguish it from the hundreds of other literary novels. And to Mitchell's credit, he has had a lot of success in doing so.

He seems to be dealing with some big issues like fate, the nature of evil, and man's role in society. But sometimes the story comes across like a manga (comic book) story, with every evil character being cartoonishly so over the top.

I know that Mitchell lives in Hiroshima, but must have spent extensive time in Tokyo, because he knows all the right stations and describes the city with an eye for detail. He chooses obscure areas in shita-machi (downtown) like Kita-Senju and Ueno station. That being said Mitchell is an impressive stylist. In professional terms this was a successful follow-up to his initial book. But in my eyes he is capable of more.
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LendariaRosca
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Schwieriger Fall für mich, ich mag die Story-Ideen von Mitchell wirklich sehr, ich wollte auch diesen Roman mögen …. Aber … ich hab es nicht geschafft reinzukommen, vielleicht ist mein Englisch zu schwach oder oder oder. Irgendwann hab ich’s nach der Hälfte aufgegeben. Sprachlich haben mich die vielen Sätze, oft 10 und mehr hintereinander, die mit He oder She oder I beginnen. Das ergibt dann so einen unangenehm hektischen Stakkato-Duktus, der kaum mal durch etwas kontemplativere, reflektierende Phasen kontrastiert wird. So fühle ich mich streckenweise als würde ich versuchen ein vernünftiges Gespräch mit einem manisch zappelnden Crack-Junkie zu machen, der gerade auf Trip ist.

Habe es dann über die Jahre immer wieder versucht aber nur noch querfeldein gelesen. Vielleicht beende ich es irgendwann noch auf regulärem Weg, fürchte aber dass es an meiner Bewertung nicht mehr viel ändern würde.
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P_D_S
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I'm not saying don't read it. Three stars is not a slam in my ranking system. Mitchell gets his bearings and it is worth reading for lots of reasons. If you're interested in Japan, for example, that interest may be your entry point or if you've enjoyed his other novels. I will probably read all of them eventually.
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CocosAthelier
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Strange coincidence. I started reading this novel about a week after finishing Norwegian Wood. They feel like conjoined cousins. Murakami's novel was a five star read for me. I liked how straightforward it was compared to the other Murakami I've read. Number9dream was a three star read. I liked it, but it was the least straightforward Mitchell novel I've read, to the point that I had a hard time following what was going on in parts.
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klesun
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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No less than 5 amazing stars.

Originally posted here.

Nine things about n  number9dreamn

1. That was one helluva whirlwind read! Alternating between reality and fantasies-cum-dreams took me for a loop, but I'd gladly do it again. No one can do that to me and totally awe me like Mitchell just did.

2. Is this metafiction? Are there traces of metafiction in this novel? If the answer is yes to either question, then I think I could definitely get used to the genre.

3. "Maybe the meaning of life lies in looking for it."

4. Study of Tales. Story within a story. Within a story.

5. There is no question now about Mitchell's writing talent - to echo a buddy's observation, is there anything the guy couldn't do? He can write convincingly as a different person, all within a single novel. He jumbles and interjects the literal with the figurative. He's like a literary architect who combines various structural motifs to make a fabulous whole.

6. Notwithstanding the reading slump I endured while this book was on my currently-reading shelf, its appeal did not diminish the least bit. That tells a lot about how awesome this book is, doesn't it?

7. It made me curious about John Lennon's song, #9dream, from which the title is derived. Because of this, I'm set to make a playlist devoted solely to songs mentioned in books.

8. The number of references to the Philippines and its citizens brings hope that one of these days, Mitchell will pay a visit to Manila. Fangirl mode!

9. [blank]
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BMbluemonkey
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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n  
Music. You eat it, but it eats you too.

We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.

Time may be what prevents everything from happening at the same time in waking reality, but the rules are different in dreams.

Trust what you dream. Not what you think.

Dreams are shores where the ocean of spirit meets the land of matter. Beaches where the yet-to-be, the once-were, the will-never-be may walk amid the still-are.

A dream is a fusion of spirit and matter. Fusion releases energy – hence sleep, with dreams, refreshes. In fact, without dreams, you cannot hold on to your mind for more than a week.n

Това е поредната книга-игра на Мичъл и за да минеш нивото често пъти се налага да се върнеш назад.

Книгата е инспирирана от песента на Джон Ленън #9 dream и прави връзка с друга негова песен “Norwegian Wood”.

n  “#9dream” is a descendant of “Norwegian Wood”. Both are ghost stories. “She” in “Norwegian Wood” curses you with loneliness. The “Two spirits dancing so strange” in “#9dream” bless you with harmony. But people prefer loneliness to harmony.’
‘What does the title mean?’
‘The ninth dream begins after every ending.’n

Със сигурност има корелация с "Норвежка гора" на Мураками, но засъжаление не съм я чел и не мога да коментирам.
Към средата се споменава "Хроника на птицата с пружина" в един много кратък коментар на Ейджи.

Първоначално книгата изглеждаше да бъде със структура на една история. Това, разбира се, щеше да е прецедент за Мичъл. Впоследствие се случи точно обратното и на то��и етап ми се струва, че това е книгата му събрала най-много истории. Толкова образи се струпват в един момент, че започваш да изпускаш някои моменти. Но понеже е типично мичълско всяка от книгите му да има точки на пресичане с останалите, няма как да кажа, че някоя от тях е била излишна. Все пак, през цялото време върви една основна история с ужасно много разклонения и сънища. Към края на книгата сънищата зачестяват до такава степен, че реалност и сън се размиват в едно.

В романа се откроява една лична история на Kaiten - торпедо - камикадзе.

Краят. Хм, точно затова става дума, не може да бъдеш убеден, къде точно се случва този "край". Въобще нещо случило ли се е, особено ако някой притежава силата да се събуди от реалността.

Може и това да е идеята, а именно, ти да избереш случващото се и случилото се. Шантаво е.

Това за мен е най-неясната от книгите му.

И в този роман са засегнати анхоритите и хоролозите, но изключително завоалирано.

Още не мога да определя точно ролите им. Със сигурност в образа на анхоритите се вписват мафиотите, Mama-san - Queen of Spades’ , която играе двоен агент, евентуално и майката на Yuki Chiyo.
Докато за хоролозите имам само предположения: Buntaro, не ми е ясен Lao Tzu, Mrs Persimmon (Персимон - Райска ябълка) - бабата с плетката, която може и да е котката на Мияке ... :)

ПП. Интересна, отново книга-игра. Ще се повторя, Мичъл ми се струва уникален за тийнейджърите - съчетава фантастика, трилър, мистерия, история, крими, хорър ... Защо не го промотират у нас, защо книгите му в книжарниците все ги сбутват някъде? При това, изключително прецизно си изпипва историите.

Ултра-кратък синопсис:

Близнаци са изоставени от разделените си родители и са отгледани от тяхната баба. Когато момчето (Ейджи Мияке) е вече тийнейджър на 19 г. напуска селото на баба си и заминава за Токио, за да се опита да намери баща си. Неочаквано друг негов роднина открива Ейджи. През това време получава писмо от майка си и се случват всевъзможни неща ...
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