*Full review to be posted closer to publication date**

I have been anticipated a new novel from Haruki Murakami since the minute I finished Killing Commendatore in 2018 and the fact that I was able to read an early copy from NetGalley absolutely made my year. This is very classic Murakami in all the best ways and I had such a wonderful time reading it. There's something about Murakami's writing that always feels comforting and lets me really just sink back into his worlds and writing, and The City and Its Uncertain Walls did just that. I was surprised-yet-not-surprised to find that this book was just as good as previous books and really shows Murakami's ability to craft compelling, intricate characters and include magical realism that makes the story really stand out. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami is the first novel I have read that's written by this author, after reading I understand why so many people enjoy his work. He has a way with words and is great at writing a story that is full of magical realism and emotion. Although I found the pacing to be slow and somewhat drawn out when I reached two-thirds of the way through I felt satisfied with the story as a whole and liked the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to its release date of mid-November, 2024.
What the heck!? I don't know how to explain this book so I'll just shoot out concepts from the novel. Shadows, souls, ghosts, libraries, unrequited love, space and time, memories. Get my drift? This story is all over the place and is often very repetitive. Hopefully, the published edition will have worked out these issues and hopefully a good editor condenses the length by half.
IMO, it is not a good thing when the author needs to offer explanations in the Afterward.

So many major themes are explored here: reality vs imagination and love as a life-long quest are but two. There are only a few major characters and they are so completely drawn that they live on the page. In fact, the entirety of this novel is very visual, from the shadowless town filled with unicorns and picturesque rivers and bridges, to the small mountain town library and its cold winters and hidden head librarian office with its apple wood burning stove. It’s easy to smell the crisp winter air and the herbal teas as they steep. In places it reads like a stream of consciousness novel as the characters mull over what is right, what is real, what should be done. Magical realism definitely plays a role as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

Truth is not found in fixed stillness, but in ceaseless change and movement. Isn’t this the quintessential core of what stories are all about?

Big thanks to Knopf Publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read the new Haruki Murakami novel The City and Its Uncertain Walls. Murakami is one of my all time favorite authors. I didn’t start to read his books until about 2006, so there haven’t been too many opportunities to read new books, but I was incredibly excited to read this book since it is his first translated novel since Killing Commendatore in 2018. I’ve read his other more recent collections of stories, essays, and interviews, but there’s something immersive and magical about Murakami’s novels where he is able to craft these kinds of worlds (or maybe underworlds) that serve both as a kind of refuge and a prison, where characters both escape and find themselves lost, both geographically and philosophically. The City and Its Uncertain Walls doesn’t disappoint in fulfilling this element of Murakami’s oeuvre. In fact, while I love the inventive worlds that Murakami crafts and the unique characters that populate these worlds, there’s also some level of familiarity that I seek in Murakami’s writing—there’s bound to be cats, music (jazz, classical and the Beatles), maybe some pasta (or cooking of pasta), and probably some woman who the narrator is attracted to, but is out of reach. Maybe she has disappeared into the fantastical world, or she has lost some element of herself, or she can no longer talk or feel. This book has many of those key elements that I look to check off on my Murakami bingo card. Although these points are all featured in the novel, there’s something different about this one from Murakami’s other novels. I’m a little torn about this, since I’ve recently read some books about musical artists (in particular R.E.M. and MF DOOM) who struggled with fans and markets when they sought to take their music in new directions. I suppose Murakami is kind of in the same dilemma where he has built up a literary reputation and following around his own brand of magical realism that both seeks refuge from and understanding of the modern world. I have always found his stories and characters original, inventive, and engaging, sometimes being drawn in by their oddities.

Murakami ends the novel with an afterword that was helpful to read—I almost wish that I read the afterword to begin. The quote I used above are the final lines he wrote in the afterword, and I think it captures the essence of this book and his own writing as well—I loved thinking that there is ceaseless change and movement in his work, and I can see that. However, we also found out that this book was based on a novella/long short story that was published in 1980, right after his first novel. Murakami goes on to explain that he was never happy with the story, and always wanted to expand the narrative, finding a way to merge the two tales. It never happened the way he wanted, but he used some basic elements of the story to write The Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, which is why this book seemed really familiar from the beginning. The tale of the dream reader and the beasts in the town were elements of that same novel. That novel is not one of my favorites, but I did remember some of the parts of it. The other parts of the novel remind me of other Murakami books. For example, the unnamed narrator falls in love with a girl he meets at a writing contest award ceremony when they are in high school. The girl seems quiet and reclusive, although they write letters to one another. At times, she seems like she is not completely there, and mentions how she was unable to get out of bed at one point. We later learn that she may not even be herself in the real world, but rather this might only be her shadow, while her real self is in the City with its uncertain walls, that gradually adjust to keep inhabitants within its walls. The narrator, caring for the girl, wants to go to her, and eventually ends up in the city, forsaking his shadow and piercing his eyes to become a dream reader. The spartan city is cold, and these unforgiving winters bring about the deaths of beasts, unicorn like creatures whose bodies are burnt in a pit. This part of the novel, the first part, reminded me of Norwegian Wood since the narrator sought refuge in a town, following a somewhat depressed and spiritually wounded woman. The town, set apart from reality and offering its inhabitants insights if they give up parts of their selves, also seemed like the sanitarium in Norwegian Wood, but it also reminded me of Mann’s Magic Mountain. It’s as if the world is too much, and there’s a need to escape, to find relief and spend time with a loved one. Murakami writes in his afterward that he started revising and reconceptualizing this novel during the beginning of the pandemic, and maybe that influenced this aspect. I will say that although there are similarities between the first part of the book and some of Murakami’s other work, it wasn’t as fun and joyful (or quirky) as his other novels and stories. Rather, this part of the novel felt much more severe and sparse. The narrator had to give up his shadow, and the ensuring separation proved to enervate the shadow. Similarly, the narrator had little to no interaction with others, and eventually, he realizes he needs to escape this world. I had a hard time getting into this part of the book—it was a little disorienting to me, and as I mentioned, it just wasn’t as fun as some of his other books. There was no music, no other books or writers, no pasta or cats. Only the doomed beasts, who faced either death by cold or a day of brutality to eventually mate.

Thankfully, the book switches gears, and the narrator escapes to live a life in Japan. However, like his earlier experiences as a dream reader, he also becomes dissatisfied with this life, and eventually decides to quit his job to become a librarian. While he’s not exactly sure why he’s developed this calling, he realizes that it’s what he needs to do. With a little help from a colleague, he eventually secures a librarian job in a small mountain town near Fukushima. There’s a really interesting story about this non-public town library, and we learn about its head librarian who helped select the narrator for the job. I grew to enjoy Mr. Koyasu, the mysterious librarian. He is one of the more interesting characters in the book, and he fits in with the kind of magical realism that Murakami often features in his novels. I won’t give too much away about him, but I think that this is also what Murakami was talking about with ceaseless change and movement since I don’t think there are characters who are quite like Koyasu in other Murakami works. Some characters, especially those from Kafka on the Shore reminded me of Koyasu—a kind of spiritual guide or advisor who supports the narrator and helps him make connections with others who are important to his mission. I think, though, part of the challenge for me was not really being aware of what his mission was—was he trying to reunite with the girl? Was he trying to return to the city that he left? Was he trying to regain his dream reader position? The narrator never really lets us know.

I think that this part of the book, the 2nd part that comprises most of the book, was the best part. I really enjoyed the characters in the town, even there aren’t too many. I liked how the narrator eventually took on the librarian job and encountered M***, a seeming savant who devours books and can accurately tell people the day of the week they were born. This character also shares some similarities with other characters from other Murakami works. We eventually meet his family, and I think that their treatment and concern for this character shows a different side of Murakami. Furthermore, M’s role in the book and his quest to learn more about the City raises important questions about inclusion and acceptance. Although I felt bad that M felt like he really didn’t have a place in this library town, it was interesting to see how he felt like the other city might be a refuge where he could become himself. I think that this fits with some of Murakami’s themes and ideas about isolation, escape, and identity in many of his works. The third part of the novel deals with the bond or connection that M and the narrator share. It was interesting, but it is also the shortest section, and Murakami’s afterward helps to shed some light on the narrative challenges that this part of the novel raised. I like what he was trying to do, but some of it was a little strange—the earlobe biting especially. I’m not sure why the earlobes.

The book kind of seemed to end without some resolutions- in particular, the coffee shop proprietor and her relationship with the narrator. In the second part of the book, the narrator discovers a coffee shop with good coffee and great blueberry muffins. They also play jazz, which I was so relieved to come across some music in the novel (M also wears Beatles parkas from Yellow Submarine—which also maybe speaks to his desire to picture himself somewhere else). He eventually has the woman over for some pasta and wine, and while nothing romantic immediately develops, she does seem to be one of the only people he interacts with in this library town. I enjoyed their discussions, and wanted to know more about her condition that prevents their developing a deeper intimacy. I was really hoping for some kind of resolution with her or finding out more about what might happen to her in the town. I also wondered whether the narrator would remain as the head librarian in the town, or if anything might happen to close the town’s library down. Not all novels resolve themselves in neat ways, but I wasn’t completely sold on where the narrator ended up and who he ended up with. It was a thought-provoking ending, and I think with all of the talk about doubles and shadows, there’s a theme about who we are, how we shape our identities, and what really defines us. Is it our jobs? Our hobbies and interests? Is it our relationships and connections to others? For Murakami, these are factors that affect us, but there’s also something more to our selves and our identities—and for his characters in particular, part of the discovery of the self often involves a kind of journey or quest, even if it means traveling from one part of Japan to another and giving up the comfort and stability of a job for something that one is more passionate about.

I ultimately enjoyed this novel, and I feel like it is one that I would like to revisit in a few years. The book is heavy and heady; it is a novel of ideas, with considerable symbolism and meaning beyond the surface. I was able to glean some of the meaning, but I think this would be a good novel for discussion, whether that is in a book club or even in the classroom. I could see this book being part of a curriculum on modernism or post modernism, or even a seminar on Murakami’s work. I would really like to see this book taught in a comparative literature seminar that maybe focuses on some of Murakami’s influences and the discussions center around not just the comparisons of the novels, but rather how Murakami utilizes these influences (and other cultural touchstones) to enact his ending quote of ceaseless change and movement. Although this won’t rank as one of my all time favorite Murakami novels, I really enjoyed the read, and a good Murakami book is still excellent literature. I know that others have criticized his more recent works as not measuring up, but I feel like this is a strong entry into his oeuvre, one that continues to move and change his themes and interests.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

A new Murakami book is a special treat and The City and its Uncertain Walls is a book to savor. The unnamed narrator falls in love as a teenager and together, he and his girlfriend create an imaginary walled city. Cryptically, the girl tells him that her real self is there and then she vanishes from his life. He holds her in a special place in his heart and one day, he wakes up in that walled city. Which is his true reality, his life in our world or in the city?

I’ve been a fan of Murakami for nearly 20 years and he so rarely disappoints; seeing early reviews that said this novel was “very Murakami” had me feeling so excited and it didn’t let me down. His writing is so comforting to me and it felt like being wrapped in a blanket to sink into the slow-paced and meandering style I know so well. Typical Murakami protagonist and a health dose of surrealism. One for the stans.

Murakami's latest didn't quite click for me. The protagonist stayed oddly aloof during the whole story which meant that there was less to root for and the ending felt rather abrupt as if the author had run out of steam. This may sound very negative but Murakami is a great writer so it was still an enjoyable read.

Mixed feelings on this book. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is my favorite Murakami book and one of my favorite books of all time. Based on this, one might think this would be a surefire hit for me. However, while parts of it felt unputdownable, other parts felt meandering and like it didn't contribute to the original mythology. Possibly, this has to do with it being a pandemic novel as it definitely had that feeling for me. He did explain in the afterword that it came from an earlier short story and had been germinating for a while, but unfortunately for me it felt overlong.

MY VERDICT: A complex, layered work that invites multiple readings and interpretations, solidifying Murakami’s position as a master of contemporary literature, and as my favorite contemporary Japanese author!

Murakami is for me one of those authors I like so much that at the same time, I want to devour their books in no time, AND I want to slow down, enjoy every line, and make the delight last longer.

Entering The City and Its Uncertain Walls was also like visiting a favorite country. I found again the same Marakami’s style I like so much, with flowing dialogs and descriptions, and with these in-between places where you never know if you are in reality or not.

Plus, the story sounded so familiar it felt at first I had already read this book!
Murakami explains why in an Afterword – something he usually doesn’t include.

So Murakami did write a novella with this core idea and title forty years ago.
But he wasn’t happy with it and didn’t publish it in print.
Then he wrote Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World as a response to it in 1985. He still thought his story needed another response to it, and that’s The City and Its Uncertain Walls.
Haruki Murakami’s The City and Its Uncertain Walls marks the 21st book by this author that I’ve read (I am shocked I have read that many!), and it explores familiar Murakami themes while taking them to new depths.
The novel masterfully weaves together concepts of identity, memory, the blurring of reality and fantasy, lost love, and the nature of time and death.
So, what really happens in this book?
It’s hard to summarize a novel by Murakami without inserting spoilers. Here is my super short version:
A young man’s life is shaped by a mysterious girl and an imaginary city. As an adult, he enters this surreal city, leaving his shadow behind. After returning to reality, he becomes a librarian in a remote town.
And lots more is happening!

As usual with this author, the central theme of the book is the exploration of reality versus unreality. Murakami constantly challenges the reader’s perception, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s not.
The novel questions whether we’re dealing with unreality or “different versions of reality mixed together” or overlapping.
The protagonist often finds himself in a state of existential uncertainty:
Murakami’s perspective on this theme is perhaps best summarized in this passage that sounds like his personal manifesto:
“What is real, and what is not? In this world is there really something like a wall separating reality from the unreal? I think there might be. No, not might – there is one. But it’s an entirely uncertain wall. Depending on circumstances and the person, its texture, its shape transforms. Like some living being.”
As this quotation illustrates, the city and its walls serve as a metaphor for this uncertain boundary. It’s a place where “everything is eternal,” where time is first said to be approximate, and then time and distance/space cease to exist.
This timelessness is symbolized by a clock without hands (cf. the book cover), described as “It wasn’t a clock that told time, but a clock that showed the meaninglessness of time”.
Sometimes, the city could be interpreted as a metaphor for death or an alternate reality, with its porous walls allowing passage between worlds.
But obviously, things and symbols are never as clearcut in Murakami. Though I believe Death is an important theme of the book, and for once in Murakami (I think), there is a “ghost”, a man who is supposed to be dead but who comes several times to speak with another character and feels very real. I’m remaining vague on purpose here!
So, how do you go into/out of that city? Or from one version of reality to another (as there are parallel things and people in and outside that city).
Through your wishes? Your heart? Your consciousness? I think all these options are considered throughout the book.
And maybe you can see under the theme of disappearance, the Japanese phenomena of the Jōhatsu (ie people who purposely vanish from their established lives without a trace), especially for the boy who thought he didn’t fit in the world he was in.
I actually would like to know if the word jōhatsu is used when Murakami talks about “total disappearance”, or of having been “spirited away.”
The City and Its Uncertain Walls delves deep into questions of identity and the true self, particularly through the concept of the shadow as another dimension of a person. The narrator often questions his own existence:
Besides, I loved all the passages on books and libraries.
Instead of books, the stacks in the library [in the city] were full of countless old dreams.
I think old dreams are like echoes of the minds left behind by real people.
But the library outside the city does have books, and it feels so cozy in there, especially when it’s so cold and snowing outside.
There is a good number of references to classics, and even a whole passage on defining magical realism and Garcia Marquez.
I think actually Murakami is doing this much more successfully than Garcia Marquez, though he may consider the Columbian author as the master and his first inspiration.
Like in several books by Murakami, there are images like wells, holes, pools in the ground, that sometimes allow you to cross borders between two worlds, or two dimensions of the same world. Maybe an image of the “deep sea of the unconscious.”
And happenings related to ears!
And obviously, you will also encounter jazz, as in all his books.

My full review is actually longer, with more quotations, and parallels to other books I have read, with similar themes

A VERY VERY murakami-ish murakami. like... this is the most murakami-ish murakami to ever murakami. NOT something you want to go into without a willingness for slow-paced, dreamlike writing, but if you do read it when prepared for it, my gosh, the story simply SINGS. probably my favorite murakami so far. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

About fifteen years ago, I took a family trip to Japan. Afterwards, I got my hands on as much Japanese literature as I could find at my library (there wasn’t a lot) which led me to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥-𝘜𝘱 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 by Haruki Murakami. I was hooked and immediately found every book I could that had been translated into English. His writing is different, a bit of magical realism, with another bit of ambiguity. It’s also addictive once you get into it.

Recently, I had the opportunity to read Murakami’s upcoming work, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘵𝘴 𝘜𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴, and it was another experimental, magical journey through Murakami.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱:
- Structure. This book is essentially two novellas written on top of each other in the same “universe.” It’s very unique and you have an idea of how they fit (and I promise they do fit).
- Murakami. The book feels like Murakami. You question what is real and what is not. And you’re never fully sure. Also Beatles references.
- Character. We do not learn the main character’s name, but he’s a fascinating person, hung up for his life on a high school heartbreak. Is he relatable? Maybe not. At times you want to scream at him to get over it. Is he interesting? Absolutely.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
- You have to know what it is. I read a synopsis of the structure beforehand, so I understood there were basically two intertwining novellas at play. However, if you don’t know that, it’s jarring and disjointed. One half of the book is fantasy and the other is more grounded in reality (albeit a Murakami reality). If you don’t know that’s what’s happening the second half of the book can seem insane.

𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁:
This book may be for fans of Murakami, which I am. I’m not entirely sure how the experimental structure will play with the unversed. I recommend it, but not as your first Haruki Murakami book. Start with 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥-𝘜𝘱 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦.

A man pines for his high school sweetheart who disappeared without a trace and searches for her in a Town she created that may or may not be real.

In a Nutshell: A literary fiction dipped in magical realism. Explores the link between reality vs fantasy. Fans will find several recurring Murakami motifs. A good option for those who want to begin their Murakami journey.

Plot Preview:
A seventeen-year-old boy. A sixteen-year-old girl. A city with uncertain walls. In quest of this girl, the boy (now middle-aged) separates from his shadow and goes inside the city. In the real world, the protagonist shifts from his book distribution company in Tokyo to work as a head librarian in a small town, where he meets a ghost, and a woman who owns a coffee shop.
The story comes to us in the first-person perspective of the unnamed male protagonist.

I started the book with the wrong expectations. I had heard that Murakami had written this novel as a counterpart to ‘Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World’ (1985), which itself was based on a novella he wrote in 1980. But it seems like even ‘Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World’ left Murakami with a lingering sense of unfinished business, and hence he wrote this novel. I expected this book to be a sort of sequel, misinterpreting the word 'counterpart'. However, this book is not a sequel in any way. Though the basic framework is the same, Murakami uses different characters and plot to construct it.

The novel has three parts to it; the first part (about 25% of the book) is quite similar to Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World in its structure (despite new characters and settings), so this was too repetitive for me. That said, we don't need to read Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World before reading this book.

I am sure you have heard this Harry Potter quote said by Dumbledore: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” I often recollected this while reading the book, as the titular city probably existed only in the mind of the protagonist. This city, where the clock has no hand, where the boundary wall changes on its own, and where unicorns graze during the day, has strict rules for it to maintain its homeostasis. I felt like this city was a metaphor for a safe space where a person can take refuge when the going gets hard in the real world. But once they step in, the city doesn't let them get out again. And they have to enter the city alone, so alone that they even have to discard their shadow before stepping into its gates. Without uttering a single word on mental health, Murakami has thus created a very impressive theme of mental health in this novel. The City is the haven inside our mind where we escape, possibly to recharge, but sometimes to such an extent that we get lost there and don’t know how to come out into the real world again.

Let's not forget that this is a Murakami book. Nothing can be simple. In one library in this novel, we meet a ghost, and in another library, we watch a dream reader interpret ancient dreams. Somewhere in a coffee shop, a woman sells blueberry muffins. And a boy in a green parka with a Yellow Submarine picture on it reads book after book in the library. Yeah, everything is perfectly absurd and perfectly Murakami! I checked the Murakami Bingo, and this novel hits 14/25 bingo squares. Not bad, right?

All in all, I did enjoy this book, but not to the fullest. Despite everything being on point at surface level, the writing felt restrained to me, as if Murakami was holding himself back. I wanted more metaphors, more dreams. I missed the weird scenes that are so staple in most of his works. Also, compared to his earlier books, this novel offers everything on a platter to readers; we don't have to rack our brains much to understand what's going on. Unlike most Murakami novels, the book even closes well, resolving all the big knots in the plot. The final interpretation is very final and not much fluid. However, as a fan of Murakami's open endings, I would have preferred the story to go on for another 100 pages or so, and to show us a little more of what happened to some of the characters in the real world.

Regardless, this was a good read, and ought to satisfy his fans as well as newbies who wish to embark on the Murakami journey and don’t know where to begin. It has been a six year long wait for his new book, and the wait has been worth it.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Knopf for providing the DRC of “The City and Its Uncertain Walls” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

In this novel, the narrator speaks the narrative to the young girl he fell in love with as a teenager and lost within a year. As the story unfolds, the reader comes to realize that the city and its uncertain walls is an imaginary reality where the narrator is able to meet the other aspect of his lost love. Maybe it's a metaphor for the walls we put around our hearts, maybe it's something else. While this may sound like a difficult book to read, it's actually quite pleasant and clear reading. The tone is straightforward, not overly emotional. Looking back, if I were to identify inciting incidents and climactic events, I'd say they were more like riding a bike up gentle hills than cresting high peaks.
I found the writing lovely and placid. This is definitely not a book for people looking for action, adventure and suspense. Be prepared to put on your thinking cap -- I know I'll be thinking about this one for a good long while. Those who love magical realism and surrealist writing will appreciate this one.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and NetGalley for access to the ARC. Opinions stated here are my own. I am not compensated for my review.

I feel that I cannot properly review this title because Murakami has been my favorite author for the better part of a decade. However, I will say that the magical realism that he is known and loved for is in full swing here. This is not a good read for someone who has never read Murakami, however. It is a bit difficult to get into for the first few chapters. After that, it's a page turner that you won't want to stop reading.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls was my first book by Murakami, although his others have been recommended to me in the past. I'm sure it won't be my last!

I was immediately intrigued by the novel's first part and the mysterious city built behind a wall. I've always been fascinated by dreams and the dream realm, and the book discusses this along with potential dimensional travel, which I've always believed the dream realm is a gateway to.

I loved the romantic underpinnings in the first part, the discussion of the shadow self, and the young apparent neurodivergent character towards the end.

Overall, this was a standout read, keeping me turning pages throughout, and one that will stick in my memory. It is worth a second read in the future, for it feels like there is a deeper meaning here. I'm sure I missed what seemed to be philosophical insights the first time around.

Our dear Unnamed Protagonist has a bit of an identity issue. He met a girl when he was 17, had a brief, unrequited love, and then she vanished. During their time together, they played a game imagining a walled city together. This stuck with our Unnamed Protagonist long after she vanished, until circumstances bring him to the very city the two of them dreamed up when they were kids. Lo and behold, the 16 year old girl is there, acting as the Unnamed Protagonist’s assistant in dream reading. Things get along swimmingly (if a bit same-y, day after day after day after day after….), until the Unnamed Protagonist helps his own shadow leave the city, never to return. Suddenly we’re back in Japan, in Fukushima, with our Unnamed Protagonist acting as a librarian in a very remote town. Where did the walled city go? What does the dead-but-not old head librarian know about the walled city and how to get back? Who is the kid with the Yellow Submarine sweatshirt? All these questions and (so many) more are yours to explore by the end.

Right off the bat I feel like this had some pacing issues in the middle. I enjoyed the young love setup in the beginning, and enjoyed the satisfying payoff as things start accelerating past the midpoint of the book, but the day-after-day sameness of the library in Fukushima felt a little thin. The detail is certainly there though, so if you love Murakami depicting everyday life (I do), you’ll get that itch scratched here. In true Murakami fashion, don’t go into this looking for definitive answers from the author, because the real answers are the ones you find (or, make up convincingly) along the way. I appreciated being able to revisit the town from Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, and was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t feel like a rehash exactly, just another story layered over the same town. And finally, while there’s no sex in this book (Murakami bingo card holders with ‘weird sex’ as a square, I’m sorry), we do get some of that patent ogling of underage girls and dated-feeling thoughts about middle aged women here. If you can’t overlook those things and enjoy the story told here, I’d give the book a pass.

Just a pleasant read from one of my favorite authors.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a former Murakami fan who became disillusioned with his works in recent years, reading The City and its Uncertain Walls was almost like a return to the glory days, when I was enamored with his words and all he had to say. Almost.

Many of Murakami’s novels feature teenage girls, who form some relationship or have a connection with the male (usually older) protagonist. This was also the case with The City, in which the protagonist reminisces on memories of a first love who abruptly disappeared. His first love had an unusual belief that her real self was stuck in a city with high walls, and her current form was her shadow.

The protagonist never gets over his first love, coursing through life passively until one day, he gets a sign to upend his life and follow the cryptic clues laid out for him from his subconscious.

I enjoyed this one considerably more than his last two novels. However, I felt there were some points toward the end when the story dragged on. The structure of it also seemed a little odd to me, as I thought the most exciting and fast-paced parts were at the beginning of the book, and the pace slowed down between the middle and the end. Nonetheless, it all came together in a neat little package.

As often is the case with Murakami novels, the story feels like a dream. You never know quite what is real and what is not. And Murakami never spells it out for you, leaving it to you to make your own judgments.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 out of 5 stars

This is my first Haruki Murakami read. It was a fever dream. That is the description someone gave when I tried to explain what the book was about.

"There was a boy and a girl. They were young, in their teens. They fell in love, but the girl told the boy that her real self lived inside a walled-in city, and the girl he was talking to was the shadow of the girl in the walled-in city. Then she disappeared and he spent decades pining for her. Then somehow he ended up in the city with cut eyes, his shadow detached from him and withering away in a room in the gatehouse while he read reams at the library. There were golden unicorns but a lot of them died every winter when the leaves they ate weren't available. But his shadow, almost dead, convinces him to leave. The man runs with his shadow to the lake that leads back to the real world, but tells his shadow to go, that he is going to stay in the city."

Fever dream is right. First, I wondered if there was a plot. Then, I got caught up in the very large slice-of-life that I seemed to be reading. Then the boy in the Yellow Submarine parka made an appearance and the ghost of a librarian and the girl in the body armor, and I was captivated.

Then the end happened, and I am more confused than ever, and felt short-changed and like the real ending fell off a cliff mid-sentence.

I am left feeling the book DNR'd *me,* and I don't know what to do with that. I didn't...not like it. I am left with the aftertaste of a dream of a dream of a fever dream. Murakami is a treasure of a writer. I can say that. Because at no point in this book did I feel like quitting. It was captivating, for sure. Now after all of this, what do I do? Probably move some of his other books up the TBR to make a better determination.