The City and Its Uncertain Walls

The endless, mindless repetitions and equivocations are so incredibly frustrating. Is this book bad? I think it's bad!

This must be an aesthetic choice and it does add to the feeling of being trapped in a dream that might be meaningless. But dang, I’ve rarely rolled my eyes so much. Give Murakami-san an editor and this could be a tight novella.

Noted on January 29, 2026

OK, now about halfway into it, the plot has moved into new territory and I'm less upset about this being a retread of Hard-Boiled. But the repetitive dialog is still KILLING ME.

Noted on January 22, 2026

The back and forth repetitiveness that I've noted in other Murakami books is really grating here too. I suppose it's worse because I'm listening to an audiobook.

Noted on January 20, 2026

Been talking Murakami with a friend, and picked this up cold. Other late Murakami books have felt like pastiche or retreads to me lately - and so imagine my confusion when this seems to be an actual rewrite of one of his most fun books - Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World. At first I was very confused if I even had the right book here! There's a dreamlike city where you are separated from your shadow, with golden unicorns, and a job at the library Reading Dreams.

I'm only about 40% of the way through and it's starting to change shape a little bit, but what a weird thing.

Noted on January 20, 2026