Classic Fiction: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

My personal trek through the works of Haruki Murakami continues with Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. As with every adventure into the mind of one of Japan's most famous writers, I knew little of what to expect, except that it would be an adventure that would most likely be a little over my head. I was not wrong.

The Situation: A nameless narrator finds himself enlisted for a job by a strange old man for his skills in data shuffling. Using an ability that allows him to use the two sides of his brain independently, our narrator completes a task he has done many times, but with data and information he does not understand. What is clear is that the information is incredibly important and valuable to the old man, and he is given what appears to be a unicorn skull in return. In another world, another nameless narrator finds himself the citizen of a strange Town protected by a high wall that nothing can cross. He cannot remember his life before the Town, or how he got there, but he is not sure he is all that interested in staying. Having been separated from his shadow and given the job of dreamreader, he continues to get to know the inhabitants of the Town, including the Gatekeeper, the Colonel, and the Librarian.

The Problem: After returning from assisting the old man, it seems there are others who see value in the information the narrator was asked to handle. When he returns to his apartment, he is visited by two men who make it very clear that he has entered into a dangerous situation. Not only does the old man have a few enemies who want the information he is handling, but the company the narrator works for will also not be pleased that he has been shuffling data for someone else. But even that is not the worst of his troubles. The old man has even more to disclose about why the narrator is able to do what he does. As for the dreamreader in the Town, he becomes less sure of his current situation the more he learns about it. What is clear is that his shadow will soon die, which will ultimately mean he will stay bound to the Town forever. It is certainly a peaceful place, with no conflict, and clearly defined roles and jobs for everyone. But with no conflict, there is also no joy, and is that a world worth living in?

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in Japan and an unknown world just outside of our reality. There are no names for any of the characters, in either place. Instead, characters are known by their occupation, or their relationship to other characters. The chapters alternate between the two worlds, allowing for the parallels between the two to become more and more apparent. They both have a library and a librarian, and they both involve unicorn skulls in some capacity. Also, in both worlds, the narrator is one of the less knowledgeable people around, as far as  knowing what exactly is going on and what his purpose is. Both worlds require a fair amount of exploration, and those in charge are not the most forthcoming with information. Both narrators have more agency and choice than they realize, it is all in how they choose to use it. And as usual, familiar elements such as old jazz records, urban ennui, secret passageways, precocious teenagers, cooking, parallel worlds, and nameless characters make this for a uniquely Murakami experience.

My Verdict: As I said, much of this was over my head. I know I missed a lot, and would most likely need to take a literature course on Murakami alone just to understand even a part of what he is attempting to do in a lot of his novels. There is plenty of explanation of what is going on, it just did not help me at all. In fact, it had the unfortunate effect of making for some really boring chapters, especially near the middle. But ultimately, the narrators in both worlds were on a quest, and as strange as they were, they also managed to be interesting. But I could not tell you whether there is a happy ending, only that there was an ending, and the narrators seemed content with the choices they made. I certainly do not recommend it for the Murakami beginner, but if you enjoyed 1Q84, you may be able to work your way through this one too.

Favorite Moment: When the narrator in Japan has his apartment methodically and systematically destroyed by a hired muscle man.

Favorite Character: There is a librarian for both worlds, and the one in the Town had a compelling story. I think...once again, a lot of this was beyond me.

Recommended Reading: Kafka on the Shore is good for Murakami beginners, but I also like to recommend both 1Q84 and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.