4.5

i love Murakami. His stories are always unlike anything else I've read. Even though others might disagree, this is actually one of my favorites. Maybe because of all the literary references or the library. But I loved the time I spent with it as I always do when I get lost in one of Murakami's worlds.

with gratitude to netgalley and Knopf for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls is a book that I am still thinking about. We follow the main character as he falls in love as a 17-year-old boy and copes with lost love and then into adulthood as a man in his mid-forties as he has still not forgotten his first love and reminisces by returning to the “fictional” city they created as teenagers. There is most definitely some deeper meaning as to what the “real” world and the city “with its uncertain walls” where they have no shadows and I have some ideas but still unsure. I finished this book yesterday and have not been able to stop thinking about it. I think I would rate it closer to 3.75 or maybe higher the more I think about it? Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an early ebook copy of this book!

I liked this well enough, but I'm questioning whether this was the right book to begin my Murakami journey with. I'm actually not sure what to say about it. The author did a great job of getting me engaged with the characters. The main protagonist is searching for his lost teenage love, but also for his higher purpose. He finds himself, in middle age, working as a librarian in a tiny town in Japan and the rest of the story sort of unfolds from there.

This is beautifully written but I would maybe suggest starting with a different book by this author, unless you have already done that, and this rounds out your collection.

While I normally review books based on character, plot, and setting, for this review I am going to structure my review based on the book's parts, as each was a completely different reading experience.

Part 1 follows a nameless teen boy and girl. The girl vanishes from the boy's life, with his longing for her haunting him into middle age. He sets off to find her in a city where people's shadows are not allowed. This part of the novel bounces back and forth between the mysterious city (and the middle-aged man's experiences there) and the "real" world (and the teen's living in it). For me, this part of the novel felt very slow, despite the events taking place. It wasn't until I finished the book that I realized I had a hard time connecting with this part of the novel because the characters felt very flat. I did not have a sense of who the boy/man was, or any sense of the girl he stated he was in love with. As a result, the longing he described didn't resonate or pull me in.

In Part 2, the man (now firmly middle-aged) is entirely in the "real" world, still haunted by memories of the girl he loved. He moves to a small mountain town and takes up a job as a librarian. This part of the novel was a better reading experience for me, as the main character began to feel more developed. We also meet several new characters who, while not deeply developed, did not feel completely flat. The story here also had more motion, which resulted in a better pace. Mysteries and questions in this part also helped pull me into and through the story, and held echoes of part 1.

In Part 3, the man is returned to the mysterious, no shadows allowed, city, now in pursuit of a young boy he met in the small town in Part 2. I expected this part of the novel to pull together threads from Parts 1 and 2 and clarify what Murakami was trying to say about death and existence.. Many of the story world rules set up in Part 1 are broken in Part 3, with the story acknowledging the breaking of the rules. There is no explanation for how, or why, however, which resulted in this part of the story not making sense to me as a reader.

In the end, I was left with a sense that Murakami was trying to say something about death and human existence, but I did not have a clear sense of what that statement was. I am curious if other readers had a different experience of the novel, and a better understanding of Murakami's intended message.

To me this was the perfect fall read. It moved slowly, was calmer in tone and less edgy than some of Murakami’s previous works while still keeping his signature style and themes. It was introspective and circular and I really liked taking my time to read it. I’ve been noticing a trend of authors revisiting their previous works after years have passed and I’m a big fan of seeing the shift in their approaches. I think what I loved the most with this one was that it felt like a magical realism novel that was ultimately a love letter to books and magical realism itself. I definitely don’t think you need to have read Murakami before to enjoy this one (and if you enjoy his hard edges this might feel too mellow), it might even be a great start to a magical realism journey if you’re new to the genre.

An excellent and moving novel by one of the masters of the magical surrealism genre. Really enjoyed this one.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i have not read murakami before and after hearing good things, i decided to start with this one. it's not that i didn't like or love it, but that maybe i am not smart enough for the concepts? it was a lot of metaphors and talking around things. i took a long time to get through it and unsure how i feel in the end.

5 Stars

I just completed this novel and I loved it! This is the type of story that works for me on a personal level as a reader. I’ll do my best to review it without leaning too heavily into my personal tastes.

This story, put simply, is an exploration of the surreal and the introspective. Murakami demonstrates his unparalleled talent for blending the mystical with the mundane. Fans of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (my personal favorite Murakami novel), this will feel like returning home to a familiar yet intriguingly altered dreamscape. Its themes echo earlier work, particularly in its exploration of dual realities, memory, and the fragile boundaries between self and the external world.

The narrative is haunting and layered, filled with Murakami’s signature motifs (parallel worlds, enigmatic characters, and a melancholic sense of longing… cats!). The writing is vivid and lyrical, drawing readers into an intricately imagined universe where every detail, no matter how small, seems to hold symbolic weight. The story begs you to reflect on identity, the nature of connection, and the struggle to reconcile inner truths with external realities. Despite all this, the novel never loses its human touch. It is emotionally resonant, as we examine the vulnerability of the human experience. The pacing is deliberate but absorbing, pulling you further into a labyrinth of mystery. This story will definitely stick with me, and I’m already considering a reread!

I recommend this novel to longtime fans and newcomers who love the weird and surreal.

*Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for access to the advanced reader's copy for this book!

Attempting to read my first Haruki Murakami book while in the midst of a book and life slump? Probably not a great idea.
I have been interested in reading a Murakami book for quite a while and could not pass on the opportunity to receive early access to his latest translated novel. Unfortunately, I have struggled throughout the month of November with regards to feeling engaged and invested in the books I've been reading.
I was initially highly intrigued with the way Murakami deftly alternated between the two timelines of this story in the first part of this book. It piqued my interest and made me want to keep reading, wanting to unravel the mystery of The City.
As this book, which is told in three parts, progressed to part two, I found myself disengaged from the meandering plot and less invested in solving the story's hidden secrets. I feel this section of the book is far too drawn out and would have better served the overall story with some heavy editing down.
The third part of this novel does pull together our alternating timelines and brings clarity to the happenings within the story, but it almost feels too little, too late given the exasperating second part of the book.
Would I feel differently about this story had I not read it while in a major book slump? It's possible, especially with my initial positive feelings towards this work. Unfortunately, I'm left feeling underwhelmed and dissatisfied, and will likely not be picking up another Murakami book for a while (if ever). To me, this book is highly skippable, but take that with all book slump context included!

I'm very far behind on my Murakami reading. I've read several of his earlier books, but nothing (aside from <i>The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle</i>) more recent than <i>Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World</i>. In a sense, that's unexpectedly appropriate - Murakami's afterword places the initial attempts at this story around the same time as <i>Wonderland</i>, and I feel like that book (what little I remember of it) had a similar vibe, with some weird dreamlike shit going on at various times. This book is kind of two narratives sandwiched together, one about a strange city where nobody has shadows (or maybe, everyone <i>is</i> a shadow) and people can read dreams, one about a guy who goes to become the head librarian of a rural library where there's some strange goings-on about his predecessor. The library part was far more coherent and captured my interest much more; the shadow city part was too bewildering for my taste and I found myself skimming much of it. Perhaps I could have discerned more of a meaningful connection between the two parts, were I skimming less, but ultimately I just didn't care about the city. The library part was a lot more interesting, but ultimately a little unsatisfying because it is obviously trying to circle back around to the city part.

Murakami is one of those authors where people seem to either love them, or hate them. There's not much middle ground. I'm in the first camp and this book didn't disapoint. The City and its Uncertain Walls was deeply weird. As akways, the language was beautiful, the characters introspective, and the plot full of myseteries. Reading this book made me want to give up my own shadow and become a Dream Reader in the City.

The only thing that was a little jarring for me was that the main character grows into a man in his 40s, but is still thinking about the girl he met at 16 who was going to give all of herself to him. I get that there was a deeper connection and that the relationship led him to the city... but it just felt a little weird at times.

The border between reality and the imaginary is explored in this novel. It begins with the teenage protagonist falling deeply in love with a girl his age, and the paths he follows after she disappears without an explanation. The two of them had imagined a walled town in considerable detail, and one way of dealing with her loss was for him to inhabit that town, which required him to leave his shadow behind. He was eventually able to regain his shadow and leave that town. After spending many years in Tokyo he found a job as librarian in a remote small town, where he is mentored by the former (and late) head librarian. This is a quiet, dreamy, and lengthy exploration of lost love, alienation, and sense of displacement. The main character says, "Some power might have separated me into two at some point... And thee me who's here now chose to be here. And somewhere is another me who chose to be there."

Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of The City and Its Uncertain Walls. This novel was my first time reading Haruki Murakami, and I absolutely loved its wonderful take on magical realism. The main setting of the novel is this unearthly town shrouded in mystery where a library of dreams is located. The two main characters and their experiences are so realistically mundane yet rendered beautifully that you can visualize their interactions in the town. I highly recommend The City and Its Uncertain Walls for people who love fantasy and magical realism.

This book had such beautiful writing—whole chapters felt like poetry, and I have to applaud the translators for capturing that so well. Murakami’s style is always a treat, and I loved spotting his usual touches throughout the story. That said, I didn’t feel as connected to this one as I’d hoped.

The plot was confusing at times, and the twists didn’t land the way I expected—they felt more like detours than revelations. The shifting perspectives, jumping between first and second person, made it hard for me to stay immersed, and the characters felt distant. I really wanted to connect with them, but they just didn’t feel fully developed.

The ending had a circular feel that was satisfying in its own way, but there were so many loose ends and unanswered questions. While I appreciate that not every story needs to wrap things up neatly, I found myself wanting a bit more resolution.

If you’re a Murakami fan, there’s still plenty to enjoy here in terms of his signature dreamlike style and beautiful prose. But if you’re new to his work, I’d suggest starting with one of his more approachable novels before tackling this one. For me, it was a mixed experience—lovely to read, but hard to fully connect with.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Murakami is an author that has intrigued me for a few years now, so I was over the moon to receive an arc of his latest work. i figure consuming murakami for the first time this way allows me to formulate my own opinions without being too shrouded by the massive response i’m sure this book will evoke.

the city and its uncertain walls is a literary fiction magical realism novel set in modern japan. told in first person, this mind bending and yet mundane work is a meandering ode to quiet life and libraries. the book was literarily interesting, with alternating timelines, poetic, beautiful prose, a subtle queer undercurrent, and the widespread use of anonymity and nameless characters and places.

The stream of consciousness aspect of this novel grounded the story, but I did find it repetitive from time to time. this is also one of those books where you just have to accept that you will be lost for a while!

I definitely struggled to organize my thoughts into a coherent review, for the reading experience was so singular.

I strongly recommend this for lovers of magical realism, interconnected timelines, libraries and the books and dreams they hold, and the complexity of shadows!!

The City and It's Uncertain Walls was my second foray into Murakami's writing. My initial trip was 1Q84 which was a flawed book full of genius that I really enjoyed and has stuck with me for years. The City was a less flawed book, that is less genius and in the end was an enjoyable read that lacked a little of the awe that 1Q84 inspired.

from the blurb "We begin with a nameless young couple: a boy and a girl, teenagers in love. One day, she disappears . . . and her absence haunts him for the rest of his life. Thus begins a search for this lost love that takes the man into middle age and on a journey between the real world and an other world—a mysterious, perhaps imaginary, walled town where unicorns roam, where a Gatekeeper determines who can enter and who must remain behind, and where shadows become untethered from their selves. "

This is a beautifully written meandering tale that vacillates between two worlds. within the narratives of our unnamed MCs we discover other stories that all brush on the border between reality and magical. All while keeping itself grounded in mostly mundane quiet daily life. This is a far more palatable read than 1Q84 and as such might be a really good entry point into Murakami. A quiet and intimate read that would make a really good slow but steady.


Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. #TheCityandItsUncertainWalls #NetGalley.

This is a long and meandering book that feels like a series of loosely connected stories - except each of the stories are told rather than shown in these long rambling scenes that are occasionally interrupted by our unnamed narrator and the town behind the walls. The lack of focus on plot, character, or momentum means that there was very little to hold my attention. Indeed, I read half the book before looking up and wondering what the point of any of it was.

If you love Murakami, I don’t see how you can leave this book with anything other than a feeling of deep satisfaction and appreciation. If this book feels familiar, that’s because it is. This book is haunted by themes, characters, and ideas from Murakami’s previous works. In the best way possible. And if you’re unfamiliar with Murakami, hello and welcome! If you love books, libraries, and magical novels about books and libraries, you’ll love The City and its Uncertain Walls.

If you favor plot-driven stories with a fast-paced narrative, this one might not be appealing, but If you enjoy character-driven novels filled with slow-moving cozy descriptions, magical realism, libraries, and creating your own reality in an attempt to deal with loneliness and grief, this one is for you!

Our narrator spends his life grieving the mysterious disappearance of his teenage love. She had spoken to him of a mysterious walled town where her real self lived; he wonders if he could find her there and somehow makes his way to this place where unicorns roam; a formidable gatekeeper controls access, and anyone entering must leave their shadow outside the wall. He finds work with the girl in a library where there are no books, only a vast array of dreams that become his task to read.

As the narrator grows older, the divisions between reality and other become more flimsy. Is he creating his surroundings in his mind; is your reality something you can choose? Is he his true self, or his shadow self?

I enjoyed so much about this book. I love weird lonely characters who are basically lost in their thoughts, and stories where you aren't quite sure what to believe.

The way Murakami writes about women and desire gives me the ick, so I basically skip over those parts. It's like he's viewing women from the point of a young boy feeling naughty at catching a glimpse, and when he describes women he has feelings for or notices, it's usually a juvenile description of their bodies or physical attributes. That wasn't a huge part of this book, but it should be mentioned.

Overall it's a highly accessible, cozy read, and a good rest for your brain if you need it!

Thank you so much to Knopf and Netgalley for this ARC!

Our main character inhabits two parallel worlds—one is the “real world,” and the other is a “dream world” reminiscent of Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi: a nameless city with labyrinthine streets that feels disorienting yet mesmerizing.

The story is told in an understated and straightforward way, with little drama but plenty of pleasant imagery. Some elements felt downright cozy, though they lacked significant dramatic heft. The main character grapples with existential questions about his inner worldview and his sense of self, which are represented through the parallel worlds he experiences. Is the walled town a construct of his mind? A physical manifestation of the complex bond he shared with his first love? Who’s to say?

Murakami abandons the eponymous city for the “real world” early on, and the farther the narrative distances itself from that place, the harder it becomes—for both the main character and the reader—to return to what we once remembered. The plot clumsily attempts to weave these threads and worlds back together, but the resulting knot felt unsatisfying to me.

Many reviews have noted that Murakami has told similar stories more effectively in the past, so surely this is not the ideal book to start with as a Murakami neophyte—but here we are. I suspect I would connect better with his earlier works, as his writing and style resonated with me, but the story itself felt half-baked.