Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (1985)

I'd previously read two Haruki Murakami novels, A Wild Sheep Chase, and After Dark, his earliest and most recent that have been translated into English, respectively. After hearing about how he was one of Japan's most beloved authors, I was really underwhelmed by those two offerings. Sheep was almost too bizarre to really appreciate, and After Dark was short and enjoyable, but nothing special. After reading Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World, however, I suddenly Got It.

The title refers to the two portions of the book - Hardboiled Wonderland is about a man who mentally processes information for a living - it's vaguely sci-fi-ish, but not enough to turn off readers who aren't interested in sci-fi. This nameless man finds himself running for his life underground when various groups suddenly decide they want him for their purposes. The End of the World is about a man who suddenly arrives in a unicorn-filled town that is surrounded by a Wall. He doesn't know how he got there or where he was before, and he must have his shadow cut away from him in order to live within the Wall. The novel goes back and forth between each half, which eventually start to tie together.

It's kind of similar to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, but that comparison will only take you so far. Murakami's nameless protagonists are more introspective than Gaiman's Richard Mayhew, and in the end, the focus is on what's going on within, rather than the action outside.

Despite flipping back and forth between the two halves, the novel flows very well. It kept my attention so well that I was eagerly looking forward to picking it up each time I had a chance to read, which is something I haven't felt about the last half-dozen or so books I've read. The novel was written in 1985, but other than the mention of cassettes, there was no sign that it was written over twenty years ago.

I'm really glad I didn't give up on Murakami after being disappointed by his first two that I read. Hopefully the rest of his books will hold some of the magic that Hardboiled Wonderland has, because I'll really feel let down if I go back to being underwhelmed again. ( )

The thing I love about Murakami is the way reading his books makes my brain do flip-flops. It's like the sensation I get contemplating a koan. I wonder which consciousness I would choose, had I the option. ( )

Great Murakami work. The near-scifi history and the totally magical "End of the world" create a great narrative spiral toward a sad end. Perfectly Murakami. Absolutely recommendable. ( )

The truth is, this isn't the best Murakami book I've read. To me it doesn't seem as sophisticated as some of the others, and I had a few issues with the prose that I've decided to put down to translation issues.

I can't decide whether to give this four or five stars, because even if it's not completely brilliant for Murakami, it's still pretty brilliant. The plot is interesting and strange. The literary allusions are many (and I'm sure I only recognized a few). The best part was the philosophical implications and questions. This book doesn't solve any philosophical problems, but it brings them to the forefront and makes you think.

So, no, it's not my favorite Murakami, but it is still really good. ( )