Murakami synthesises the two seemingly disparate parts of this novel into a beautiful whole, working their dissonance to produce something of a sort of whimsical splendour. ‘Hard boiled wonderland’ is one of his earliest novels, and in many ways it *reads* as a younger work, particularly in its ability to roam freely and relentlessly create and recreate its own borders. As a storyteller, I genuinely think Murakami is close to being unmatched; though there are blemishes to his work (the way he writes about women, or moments/motifs that have become ‘Murakami cliche’), the sheer originality of his novels and the delicate control he has over the delivery of his narratives is just incredible.