The City and Its Uncertain Walls
By Haruki Murakami
Knopf, 9780593801970, November 19, 2024, 464pp.
The Short of It:
Dreamlike. Ethereal.
The Rest of It:
Murakami’s books are always thought-provoking and often serve as a palate cleanser for me because they are so different from most books. The City and Its Uncertain Walls is no different in that regard.
This is a story involving two worlds. One is seemingly reality, the other a simpler existence behind a large wall. In this other world people must give up their shadows to exist there, unicorns roam free only to die from the harsh elements. Dreams are read by a Dream Reader.
This is an odd story. There is a quest to find truth, and also a love story split between two worlds. Lovers of libraries will find comfort in these pages because this town, enclosed by a wall centers around a library, a very special one.
Murakami fans might recognize this story as it began as a short story but there are many references to previous books. Mentions of a “well” a la The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, and The Strange Library. Murakami is known to include these essentials in his stories:
- Cats (there are a few mentions of cats, none talking though)
- Ears (Murakami has a thing for ears. He describes them just so)
- Women’s fashion. Attention to what women wear.
- Lonely, everyman type of character
- Mysterious worlds
The one thing that stood out to me is the mention of the pandemic. Many of my favorite novelists, Stephen King included have included the pandemic in their storytelling. I mean, it was such a critical point in our lives, how can you not? But this mention of it was interesting because the wall that surrounds this town, forces them into isolation, much the same way that the pandemic did. It DID seem very surreal, those pandemic years.
I was talking to another blogger about this book. Nadia, and I love Murakami but at 16 chapters in, I reached out to her. This one seemed a little different and it was taking me a while to get into it. Initially, the alternating chapters were challenging because I wasn’t able to discern who was speaking. The two main characters are nameless and since the story bounces between two worlds, I felt that it was a little hard to get to know them. Eventually, I did but it wasn’t until about chapter 36 or so.
Murakami fans wait so long for new books because the translation process usually takes two plus years, so when a book drops, we jump on it! I was lucky enough to snag a review copy but this book releases on November 19th.
My fave Murakami book to date is Kafka on the Shore but by the time I got to the last page of this one, I was smitten and already missing that strange world.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
I liked The Strange Library. This one might drive me a little nuts — I had the same issue with nameless characters and alternating chapters in other books.
It did take awhile. Like 36+ chapters for me to get the flow of it.
I am eager to read this one. Thank you for this thorough review, Ti.
I haven’t read any Murakami and it sounds like this one isn’t the one to start with. But I know you are a super fan so I’m glad you had the chance to read this ahead of its release.
This sounds really good. I may add it to my list, I have a lot of catching up to do because I’ve been in a reading slump since October.
Oh, I totally understand those reading slumps.
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This one sounds out there. I’m in the same boat as Helen, haven’t read him and this one sounds like not the one to start with. I think I’ve wanted to start with Norwegian Wood. sometime. I’m glad you got an advanced copy and gave us a preview of it.
Norwegian Wood is not one of my faves, oddly enough. It was also a movie. A so-so movie IMO. ALL of his books are out there. My fave is still Kafka on the Shore but a cat murderer and talking cats is about as far out there as you can get. His writing is often very surreal and dreamy.
I couldn’t get into this new book, but good to know if I read to chapter 36, I might begin to like it.
Harvee https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com
Ti, I loved your post! The book was definitely dreamlike. And, I really wanted to love it, but I just didn’t. It took me way too long to get into it and once I did, I realized that I only liked parts of it. The beginning felt too familiar – like I’d read it before and I couldn’t remember where – and then after that I was able to engage with the story more, but never fully. I always felt this sense of disconnection or aloofness from the characters. I always like the way Murakami portrays loneliness, but this time round I just didn’t. So, I’m not sure where I rank this one, but it’s definitely not at the top of my favorites by him. I’m hoping when I reread it that I will be able to finally connect with the story.
There was definitely a lack of connection between the characters. I almost got that connection from the boy and the main protag but not quite. It would have been interesting to have written it from the boy’s perspective. And for the first time ever, I question the translation. Like it wasn’t close enough to accuracy for English readers to get the full gist of what was being said.
Ti, I was questioning the translation, too. But I know that Philip Gabriel has translated several of Murakami’s books, so I wasn’t so sure if it was the translation. Then again, I’m with you, maybe what Murakami wrote was harder to get across this time around? I would have liked to the get the boy’s perspective, too. And, also the girl he loved and went to the Town to see – I would have liked to learn more about her. I did prefer when the story was at the library and away from the Town. It felt more settled at that point.