Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC!

Despite the promise of its title, "The City and Its Uncertain Walls" feels inevitable and unsurprising. If you like Murakami, it’s a low-key but enjoyable addition to the canon, and if you don’t, there’s not going to be much to win you over here.

The plot is pretty irrelevant. If you read a synopsis of the book, you’ll find that the novel itself doesn’t expand very far beyond it. The narrative is simply a scaffold for a mood, and there are some interesting themes here about the distance between public and private selves, as well as the stories we tell ourselves to convince ourselves we belong somewhere. That said, the book suffers from its origin as a decades-old shelved short story, and it never quite comes together.

"The City and Its Uncertain Walls" feels decidedly inessential, less a B-side and more a remix of Murakami’s other work. It’s a pastiche of the surreal imagery the author is known for, and the seams show. Every gesture toward thematic depth is undermined by the feeling that Murakami is just going through the motions, and I suspect that readers who praise the novel’s philosophical heft are merely filling in the gaps with appreciation for the author’s earlier work. This isn’t the work of a novelist at the height of his powers—it’s a writing exercise from a nearly retired artist, and it often feels fatigued. Haruki Murakami can certainly still write, but why does he bother?

I’m not sure the book ever adequately answers that question.

As noted, the typical Murakami quirks are at play in "The City." I found the built-in redundancy of "1Q84" to be frustrating, and Murakami does the same thing here—certain lines or scenes are repeated and recycled throughout the book, and while they suggest the jazz-like thematic iteration that the author is known for, they ultimately feel like filler. Likewise, the leering sexuality present in much of the author’s work is still here, but it’s decidedly toned down and a bit easier to stomach.

I recognize that all of this sounds like I really disliked the book, but I had a really lovely time with it. There’s a subtle warmth to its shapelessness, like listening to a piece of ambient music. In the moment, it’s enjoyable, and people who have developed a taste for the form might find it worth returning to—perhaps there are nuances to be admired with more time.

But with so many incredible books being released every week, I’m not sure "The City and Its Uncertain Walls" deserves or rewards that kind of attention. If you really want to read Murakami, choose a different book

Have you ever had a dream where you thought you woke up, but you were still dreaming, analyzing the previous part of the dream? This book feels like a giant dream journal, pieced together from leftover dreams and previous works. The result is confusing, dreary, depressing, and plotless—like a battleship grey, lifeless version of someone's dream life. It's just not fun or interesting.

All the typical Murakami elements are here: memory, loss, middle-aged men pining for teen love interests. I thought I liked Haruki Murakami as an author, but this book is making me reconsider. He may think he's a peer to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magical-realist style, quoting Love in the Time of Cholera in the last section, but The City and Its Uncertain Walls is definitely in the fantasy and surrealist genres.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part is the longest, a rambling and incoherent mess of time skips between the protagonist as a teenager and his first love, and his entry into nameless city which requires a hefty fee of separating from one's shadow and getting stabbed in the eyes (so he can "work" as a Dreamreader of old dreams). Both teens seem to suffer from major depressive disorder. This part could easily be halved. The second part represents the protagonist's transition after helping his shadow escape from the nameless town with sentient walls. He wakes up in his own life, quits his job, and moves to a rural town as the head librarian. The third part covers his interactions with the ghost, cafe owner, librarian, and an autistic boy at the library (aka M**** or Yellow Submarine Boy). It's possible that Yellow Submarine boy doesn't actually exist -- and is yet another shadow of our primary protagonist but that's never fully fleshed out.

The protagonist's life is described as masking: interacting with people because that's what one does, but internally, he is deeply depressed. The writing is stilted and awkward at times. For example, the town is only referred to as Z***, and the cafe owner, who becomes the protagonist's love interest, doesn't even get a name but has a rock-hard body shaper acting as a chastity belt. This feels like a repeat of the teen romance—our protagonist will wait and wait. His lack of engagement and commitment seems to have destroyed his past relationships. He drifts along aimlessly, like a spineless sea creature.

The most interesting character is Mr. Koyasu, the scion of the local sake brewer who set up a private library and manages it for the town of Z*** until his death. He continues supporting the library as a ghost until they hire the protagonist as the head librarian. Mr. Koyasu could have been the primary subject of a much shorter version of this novel.

Overall, the book feels lifeless, colorless, and flavorless. The only foods mentioned are a few kinds of tea, apples and apple cake, coffee, blueberry muffins, and fried egg. Even the descriptions of sounds feel like throwaways, as if added at the editor's suggestion. Essentially, the protagonist is living his life inside a boring box, passing time and struggling to discern reality from dream.

Ultimately, The City and Its Uncertain Walls feels like a self-indulgent exercise that wastes the reader's time. Murakami's reliance on familiar themes and motifs, combined with a meandering and incoherent plot, results in a lifeless and colorless narrative. While some may find value in his introspective style, this novel fails to deliver the engaging and magical experience that many have come to expect from his work. For those seeking a captivating story, this book is likely to disappoint.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls follows a man from Tokyo who moves to a town to follow his dreams. In this case, the man is literally hoping to find a portal or someway to re-enter a dreamlike existence that he vividly recalls from his younger years. Settling in as head librarian for the town, the man's peaceful life is interrupted by a number of strange occurrences. The previous librarian returns to haunt him, but he discovers the spirit to be quite a good listener. Additionally, the protagonist's plans are thrown into disarray by a new love interest, as well as a peculiar young man who spends all of his time reading books in the town library.

Haruki Murakami entertains with the magical, while grounding the story in realistic details, human emotions and reactions, and even mundane details. The effect, as with the best of his previous novels, is a fantasy world that the reader will find completely plausible. The plot of The City and Its Uncertain Walls moves at a comfortable pace, but with a definite edge of suspense. The reader feels the impulse to continue turning pages in attempt to discern if each character and the variety of forces at play are well-intentioned or malevolent.

Murakami includes a number of background details, references, and easter eggs that will certainly entertain fans of his previous works. There are cats, abandoned wells, underground passageways, jazz musicians, and lots and lots of books throughout this work. We anxiously await the next chapter to see which of these "rabbit holes' we'll fall through next.

A man chases the girl he loved when he was a teen to a magical walled in world where unicorns roam and you have to leave your shadow behind. After returning from that world, he leaves Tokyo again and goes to an isolated mountain town to be the head librarian, taking over for the mysterious man who held the position before. As he lives there he realizes that the two worlds are more porous than he realized.

I’ll be honest, this synopsis was really hard to write as this novel is bizarre and hard to encapsulate in a few sentences. This was A beautifully written novel and even with the strange tale, the story was strong enough to hold my attention for the entire novel. This book is probably not for everyone, it's slower than most novels moving, almost poetic in its writing and surreal, but I enjoyed the magical elements mixed with his exceptional writing.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC to review

This was my first read from this author but it will most definitely not be the last. I absolutely loved the writing style and how connected I felt to each of the characters. The story was paced in such a thoughtful way, where I didn’t feel overwhelmed with information but was still engaged the entire time. The themes touched upon throughout this book were so simple yet written in such a profound way, making it that much more enjoyable to read. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone and will be purchasing a physical copy for myself.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami is one of those books that pulls you into its strange, layered world and doesn’t let go. It’s a story about memory, loneliness, and the places we create—both physically and emotionally—to feel safe, even if they also trap us. The book is haunting and symbolic, but as with much of Murakami's work, what it represents is open to wide interpretation.

The writing is simple yet poetic, mixing the mundane with the surreal in an almost hypnotic way. It’s not a straightforward read, though. There are moments where you’ll probably wonder what’s going on or where it’s all heading, but that’s part of the experience.

This book won’t be for everyone. It’s slow, introspective, and pretty abstract sometimes. But give it a try if you’re looking for something moody and thought-provoking that lingers in your mind long after you turn the last page. It’s classic Murakami: weird, beautiful, and unforgettable.

I was a big fan of Murakami in my teens. I still have many of his works but haven’t read anything by him since 1Q84 about ten years ago. So I was a bit nervous going in to see how well he’d hold up to my teenager standards. Luckily Murakami delivers and while I likely didn’t grasp this one entirely, it still captivates even when reading about the most monotonous tasks of daily life. Murakami is one of the best in world building and characterization and this was no different with Ths City and Its Uncertain Walls.

The story revolves around an unnamed protagonist and his first love. It spans both decades and realities and feels very cyclical in nature. Many of Murakami’s common themes are present (libraries, The Beatles, records etc) and it made me nostalgic for his earlier work.

I’d definitely throw this one into the slower burn category which isn’t for everyone. It’s by no means action packed but where it lacks in pace is always made it up with the depth of his novels.

If you are into slower burn magical realism with deep characterization and heavy world building I’d highly recommend giving Murakami a go.

Well, I hung in there for all 17 hours of audio and 464 pages... flipping back and forth between audiobook and ebook... and I have no idea what I just read. Every time I considered DNFing something kept me hanging on. I was so confident that this meandering, dreamlike storyline would somehow reach a eureka moment at the end- and it never happened, or if it did I'm wasn't smart enough to catch it. Two stars for all the bits and bobs related to libraries.

This was such a unique and captivating read—classic Murakami with its mix of surrealism and introspection. I loved the way the story had two parallel threads featuring the same characters; it kept me hooked and guessing. The world-building and the emotional depth really stood out, and it was easy to get lost in the dreamy, otherworldly vibe.

That said, the momentum fizzled a bit toward the end, and I found myself losing steam. It didn’t quite stick the landing for me, but overall, it was a compelling and memorable book. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of Murakami or just enjoy thought-provoking, slightly surreal stories!

3.5 stars rounded up!

The City and Its Uncertain Walls was one of my most anticipated books of 2024. Despite some of the more problematic aspects of his books, especially the way that women are portrayed, his books are also part of what got me back into reading after college. So his writing holds a special place in my heart. While The City and its Uncertain Walls wasn't my favorite of all the books I've read by him, I enjoyed my time with it.

The storyline of The City is one that Murakami has been playing with for many years. It started out as a short story, then became Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. But, he was not satisfied with how the story unfolded, so The City is his way to modify and expand upon it. In The City, our narrator is haunted by his first love. As an adult, he finds himself in the mysterious city that they had imagined together. He becomes the town's dream reader, working closely with the woman who used to be his love. This part of the story will sound familiar to those who have read Hard-Boiled Wonderland. The plot shifts, however, when the narrator returns to Tokyo and continues on to a new life in a remote village. This felt the most like a typical Murakami story, with the magical intermingled within the mundane.

There is a lot to love in this book, especially if you like stories about libraries or any touch of magical realism. Murakami has toned down some of the things that critics have found objectionable in his previous books, including his portrayal of women, but still included many of the tropes I've come to expect in a Murakami novel. For some, this might be a bit repetitive, but I find a bit of comfort in this repetition. I had to chuckle at the extended mention of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, someone to whom Murakami is often compared; it felt like an inside joke.

As I said, this was not my favorite Murakami. But I really appreciated the opportunity to dive into another of his worlds. If anything, it made me eager to dive into his older work again. I think this could be a good introduction to Murakami, if you are a fan of slower-paced stories that tend towards the philosophical.

Slow moving and thought provoking. Read if you are a fan of his other works, and want to be absorbed by a story consumed by introspection.

Dear The City and Its Uncertain Walls,
You were so compelling and different for me. I loved how you felt. You were part fairy tale, part allegory and just a completely unique story. You were written with beauty in mind. Your jumps between The City and the other world as the main character struggled to discover himself and who he is in each of the worlds was so fascinating to me. You were so wonderfully crafted, and forced me to think outside of typical story structure and characterizations. You were thought provoking and one of a kind.

The City And It's Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
#magicalrealism

4⭐ for the writing
Actually a DNF but since I need to leave a rating
3⭐ for the book as a total package

I've been thinking of reading one of HM's books for a while. I have only ever seen great things about his books. Then I saw this book available on NetGalley and though, "oh perfect!" so I ran to hit the request button. I started reading this book well over a month ago. I just could not get through it.

The book was very well told. I loved how smoothly the translation of the original author's words were stated. I have read some translations where you can tell something was definitely missing in its translation from the original piece of work. This one was almost peotic, as some reviewers say. I was loving the book until all of a sudden, I just could no longer get through it.

The story begins with 2 teens in love in Japan. Then it switches to the MMC as a single middle aged man going to this mysterious walled city and living there a while so he can spend time with his love who is still the teen he knew. All of this happens in the first 30% of the book. Those parts of the book moved along well enough.

Then once he left the walled city is when it started to drag. The story got very philosophical. He kept asking why was he here? What does this have to do with my life? How is my life going to continue? I tried to chat online with someone who had pre-ordered this translation of the book. He never reached back out to me. Finally, I found someone else who had recommended this book under the genre of magical realism. I asked her if it continues to be so philosophical. She said, the themes pretty much stay the same throughout the rest of the book. 🤦 OK. Nope. I'm done. I cannot continue.

#knopfpantheonvintageandanchor
#netgalley

This novel is for those who want to ponder what is real and fiction, what is truth and illusion, and what we truly want in life and what is fulfilling.

When I read a book from Murakami, I’m expecting certain attributes, and this book definitely delivered on those. In particular, Murakami’s exhaustive descriptions of the most quotidian of activities mixed with the surreal and both types treated nearly the same by the characters are present here in abundance. The main character says this himself, in fact: “I no longer possessed a set standard with which to determine what was real.”

While I enjoy his work most when I give up on finding meaning or plot and just enjoy it in an outworldly slice-of-life sort of way, I am rather disappointed that there’s little resolution at the end. It’s a bit like starting with a nice warm bubble bath and then having the water slowly drain to an empty tub. I can accept that a book is all about the journey, but we get so little info about the journey it’s hard to say if the juice is worth the squeeze– or, as The Guardian put in in their review, “this protracted, foggy and self-referential novel feels ultimately scant in its rewards.”

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami is a magical-realism novel about a young couple trying to find themselves between worlds that might or might not, exist. Mr. Murakami is a best-selling Japanese author and translator.

After meeting at an essay writing contest, a 17-year-old boy falls in love with a 16-year-old girl. The girl, however, tells him she only exists in a city beyond a wall. The boy writes down, in detail, the description of the city and then the girl disappears.

The boy, now a man, arrives in the city imagined by the girl, but now he has to separate himself from his shadow. He started working in a library, reading dreams with his assistant, the girl he fell in love with years ago, but she is still 16.

The man managed to escape the city and is working in a small library in a small Japanese town. There he meets a ghost, a teenage boy who can memorize books, and even a girlfriend. The boy knows about the city beyond the wall and makes a deal with the boy.

In the afterward, the author mentions that this book started as a short story about 40 years ago, but he was never happy with it. I’ve never read the short story, but like many good books, this one is relevant no matter when, or at what age you’re reading it.

It took me a bit to get into The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami (translated by Philip Gabriel) since at certain parts I had no idea who was telling the story. I don’t speak Japanese so I don’t know if it’s a gender-neutral language or not, but in English, it was difficult to discern. It took me about one-third of the book to get a handle on it. The stories which take place between the two worlds, however, were not confusing at all.

The whole story has a dreamlike feeling, I was never sure what’s real and what’s not, or if everything is real or not. The book reminded me of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, two realities, one possible fictional where time stands still, a magical world, clocks, shadows with their own, and magical creatures.

The book has an intriguing concept, I don’t think it is too original but once you get into it the narrative starts making sense. Mr. Murakami taps Gabriel García Márquez as the master of fictional realism whose separation between reality and the fantastical is clouded. The book blurs consciousness, subconscious, and our imagination showing us the power of them to create our reality.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls...A case of "It's not you, it's me?" Parts of this are written in second person, seemingly addressed to the forever youthful girl of the narrator's dreams. It's very dreamy, in fact, full of unicorns and a clock without hands. I did not enjoy this read, unfortunately. It is my first Murakami novel, and there was something about it that I found unsettling. Perhaps it is the very young, looks the same as the prime of their youthful relationship girl and the much older by the time he finds the city narrator. Perhaps it is the narrative itself, switching between describing the setting, the past, dreams, and the narrator's present. Perhaps it's just impossible for me to wrap my brain around the metaphysics at play here. Anyway, I didn't "get" this at all, unfortunately, though I did try.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC!

I've tried this a few times and just can't get into it. It hardly needs my support to sell. We have already started a book club kit of this title.

Murakami is one of those authors where if I see his name, I expect to experience some literary excellence. While I did enjoy this book, I wouldn't recommend this as starting point for new Murakami readers. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book and got lost in the world. I also wouldn't consider this one of Murakami's best work, but still good nonetheless!

I think it is important to note that this was my first Haruki Murakami novel. It's proven itself to be just as whimsical and weird as his reputation dictates.

The City and its Uncertain Walls is a love story of many things. A love story to others, the mundane lives we lead, and to stories themselves. Told from the perspective of a man who goes unnamed, readers get a glimpse of life as he falls in love and then another look at his life after said love is lost. It's a story about how and where we find refuge and the people who can make us whole.

I fell as though this is a story that could be reread over one's lifetime, with the takeaways being varied and vast spending on the season one is currently in. I look forward to reading Murakami's backlist!