Number9Dream A Novel

BytheNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofTheBoneClocksandCloudAtlas|ShortlistedfortheManBookerPrize“Anovelasaccomplishedasanythingbeingwritten.”—NewsweekNumber9Dreamistheinternationalliterarysensationfromawriterwithastonishingrangeandimaginativeenergy—anintoxicatingridethroughTokyo’sdarkunderworldsandtheevenmoremysteriouslandscapesofourcollectivedreams.DavidMitchellfollowshiseerilyprecocious,globe-stridingfirstnovel,Ghostwritten,withaworkthatisinitswayevenmoreambitious.Inoutwardform,Number9DreamisaDickensiancoming-of-agejourney:YoungdreamerEijiMiyake,fromremoteruralJapan,thrustoutonhisownbyhissister’sdeathandhismother’sbreakdown,comestoTokyoinpursuitofthefatherwhoabandonedhim.Stumblingaroundthisstrange,awesomecity,hetripsoverandcrosses—throughahiddendestinyorjustmonstrouslybadluck—anumberofitssecretpowercenters.Suddenly,theriddleofhisfather’sidentitybecomesjustoneoftheincreasinglyurgentquestionsEijimustanswer.Whyisthelinebetweentheworldofhisexperiencesandtheworldofhisdreamssoblurry?Whydosomanyhorriblethingskeephappeningtohim?Whatisitaboutthenumber9?Toanswerthesequestions,andultimatelytocometotermswithhisinheritance,Eijimustsomehowacquireaninsightintotheworkingsofhistoryandfatethatwouldberareinanyone,muchlessinaboyfromoutoftownwithapriceonhisheadandlessthanthecostofaBeatlesdisctohisname.PraiseforNumber9Dream?“Delirious—agrandblurofoverwhelmingsensation.”—EntertainmentWeekly?“TocallMitchell’sbookasimplequestnovel..islikecallingDonDeLillo’sUnderworldthestoryofamissingbaseball.”—TheNewYorkTimesBookReview?“Number9Dream,withitspropulsiveenergy,itsJoyceaneruptionoflanguageandplayfulness,representsfurtherconfirmationthatDavidMitchellshouldbecountedamongthetopyoungnovelistsworkingtoday.”—SanFranciscoChronicle?“Mitchell’snewnovelhasbeendescribedasacrossbetweenDonDeLilloandWilliamGibson,andalthoughthat’saperfectlyserviceablecocktail-partyformula,itdoesn’tdojusticetothisodd,fitfullycompellingwork.”—TheNewYorker?“Leapingwitheasefromsurrealistfablestoateenagecoming-of-agestoryandthenspinningbacktoYakuzagangsterbattlesandWorldWarII?Cerakamikazediaries,Mitchellisanaerialfreestyleski-jumperoffiction.Somehow,afterperformingfeatsofliterarygymnastics,hemanagestostickthelanding.”—TheSeattlePost-IntelligencerFromtheHardcoveredition.,