The City and Its Uncertain Walls

Lucky for me, my public library had this book the day it was released, and I grabbed it immediately—for one reason: Murakami.

This story follows the journey of a 17-year-old boy who falls in love with a 16-year-old girl. She tells him about a mysterious town where time has no meaning. In this place, the boy is a librarian, and the girl works in the same library. But she reveals a strange truth: she's not her “real” self, only a shadow of her true self, who resides in the timeless town. The boy doesn't question her, which leads her to confide these secrets. Then, one day, she vanishes, and his quest to find her begins.

While the blurb offers a glimpse, it doesn't do justice to the magic of this story—you really have to read it to experience it. Similar to Kafka on the Shore, this novel revolves around themes of shadows, lost love, and libraries, all wrapped in Murakami's signature magical realism. However, I found the writing here to be simpler and easier to grasp compared to some of his other works. The characters feel vivid and relatable, and the air of mystery keeps you engaged throughout.

I do have one small gripe: there's a character arc that I struggled to understand in relation to the story. While I appreciate Murakami's style of leaving connections open to interpretation, this one left me puzzled.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. That said, some readers might find it too familiar, especially if they've read Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (which I haven't). If you loved Kafka on the Shore, there's a good chance you'll appreciate this one too.