Murakami’s books are astounding. I’ve read a few now. The way he is able to cast a spell - and there’s nothing else to really call it - over his reader is something to marvel. This novel is no exception. Weaving dark wells, mind reading dream travellers, war stories, and good old fashioned heart break, Murakami builds a world that cannot be explained. It must be experienced. If you noticed the rating I gave above, you may be expecting a heavy “BUT”. And you’d be correct. Here it comes: with all that being said, this spell broke for me in one simple sentence. It was simply one step too far for this reader. I scoffed, incredulous, around page 500 and put the book down. And down it has remained.