I’ve heard so much hyperbole about this book and this author that I was expecting it to be mediocre. However, “The Wind-up Bird Chronicle” by Haruki Murakami actually lived up to the praise that’s been heaped upon it. It absolutely falls into the category of Literature with a capital “L”.

If there isn’t a literary category called “Japanese Gothic Surrealism,” then Murakami has invented it. I think one could spend months pulling apart and analyzing this novel. It has so much symbolism and so many layers of meaning. It blurs the line between realism and surrealism. The natural world and the supernatural world overlap. Nothing is wrapped up into a tidy package and handed to the reader. It contains stories within stories within stories.

“The Wind-up Bird Chronicle” is by no means an easy book to read. Yet, it is compelling. I would put it down only to find myself compelled to pick it back up again to continue reading. I don’t recommend this novel for anyone who wants to be merely entertained by a book. This book is challenging in both style and substance. If you want a book that will give you a literary workout, this is the one to pick.