A boy and a girl, both unnamed, fell in love during their teenage years. They were only sixteen and seventeen, experiencing the raw, unfiltered desires of young love. But one day, without warning, the girl vanished, leaving the boy with nothing but memories of their shared dreams. Almost thirty years have passed since then.
One morning, he awakens alone in a hole near the gate of a walled town—a place eerily familiar, resembling the dreamscape they had once imagined together. The Gatekeeper finds him and asks if he wishes to enter. The town is no utopia; entry requires sacrificing his shadow and enduring the wounding of both eyes. Despite the cost, he chooses to stay, taking up the role of a Dream Reader in the library and there, he is reunited with his long-lost love.
But nothing is ever straightforward. The next time he opens his eyes, he’s back in the “real” world. He encounters his shadow again, stirring a deep confusion about where he truly belongs. Driven by an inexplicable pull, he leaves his big-city job and finds work at a small-town library—one that feels uncannily similar to the walled town of his dreams.
Here, he meets the ghost of Mr. Koyasu and a boy named M, whose extraordinary abilities. The three are kindred spirits, bound by their shared loneliness. Together, their fates intertwine, leading to revelations that piece the narrative's many mysteries. As for the ending, I must say it is superb; when the boy’s mission is fulfilled, every question finds its answer in a stunning, unforgettable conclusion.
Hail Murakami! He’s done it again, weaving a tale of magical realism that lingers like a dream just beyond reach. This novel is a masterpiece—a journey through love, memory, and the labyrinth of the soul. I couldn’t ask for a more rewarding experience. This novel was based on a novella that the author published in 1980. 5 ⭐