羊をめぐる冒険 (上下)

A true Murakami

After reading "世界の終りとハードボイルド・ワンダーランド" ("Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World"), this was my second Murakami book.

The book, how should one best describe it... It was a true Murakami. It was even more Murakami than "世界の終りとハードボイルド・ワンダーランド."

But what do I actually mean by that?

I believe that Murakami's unique way of telling stories captivates the reader. It's as if individual, simple patterns of normal life, emotions, personal encounters, and humanity weave into a large, intricate web of complex threads, each standing alone yet connected to all.

Like "世界の終りとハードボイルド・ワンダーランド," it can be read and enjoyed in various ways. You can navigate the sentences, which transform into gentle waters, with a canoe, listen to the gentle waves, and sail towards the autumn sunset.

But you can also, if you want, and I would recommend it to everyone, pay more attention to the currents. Pay attention to the interplay of different currents, to the rocks they encounter, to the foam crowns they stir up.