After completing Haruki Murakami's 'Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World', I realized that the characters had no names. Even though this is a weird point not to notice, everything sounded very normal. The characters were referred to as their description. For example, the chubby girl, the Gatekeeper, and the librarian. It was actually a very good thing that there weren't any names, because otherwise it gets very confusing if so many characters are being introduced at the same time.

I thought about it and realized that this novel can only be classified under the genre 'fiction'. The four-hundred page novel kept me interested from the first few pages to the very end.

There are two stories that are occurring at the same time. Every odd chapter is about a thirty-five year old man that works in the System, and shuffles data as a career. One day he secretly gets an assignment from a famous scientist that left the System, and his life starts changing as he discovers shocking truths.

The chapters that have an even number are about a man that cannot recall his past. He comes to a town that has an extremely high wall all around it. The Gatekeeper says that if he decides to enter the town, he can never leave, and he must give up his shadow. The man has no where else to go, so he has no choice but to enter the town. The Gatekeeper separates his shadow from him, because without a shadow he can never leave the town. What will happen if his shadow dies?

While I was reading the odd-numbered chapters, I kept on wondering what would happen next in the other story. Then when I was finally on the even-numbered chapter, I would again wonder what would happen in the other story.

It's a very creative way to write, because it always keeps you wondering what will happen next.

Read the novel to discover the shocking truth as to how the two stories are related.

Now, I can't wait to read Haruki Murakami's other novels!

Surreal science fiction fantasy--or literary genre mash-up, as there's quite a bit of noir in there too. The translation is excellent and very readable--apparently Murakami has a regular translator who really understands his wordplay and sense of style. Although most of the book is whimsical and humourous, it also carries a big emotional payload, addressing big questions about identity and the unconscious.

An absolutely fabulous read, it's even better the second time through. An excellent choice for anyone who is new to Murakami's works, it is definetly his best and most interesting work so far.

A surreal and suspenseful wild ride
in the underground of both Tokyo and
consciousness. I couldn't put it
down!