this is my 17th book that i've read by Murakami and i'd say amongst all reads this one felt like a very subdued version of 1Q84. it was not as intertwined and weird, though, so maybe a good start if you're getting into his works.

i do not think it was one of his best ones, something was missing and it might have been the mysteriousness of the characters. where in his other books you were wondering up until the end if someone was a ghost or if the story was unfolding currently, in this one it was all laid out bluntly which was quite unusual so I'm unsure whether I liked it or not.
 
i feel like I've grown out of liking this mysterious writing and setting that Murakami usually puts into his books so that's why I'm left so unaffected. it was just a mediocre book and not your typical shocking, disgusting and misogynistic Murakami, which was v weird. I guess it was fine. I will most likely forget all about this book in a month or so. Or maybe even a week, who knows?

P.s. The cover is just magnificent and I will always root for Vintage's covers of any Murakami book!