Book Review: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

This book is massive. I read the hardcover version, which was a mistake. It was terribly intimidating. I preferred to use the book as a stepping-stool, especially when getting into bed. My bed is really high off the ground.

The story starts with a guy cooking spaghetti. He gets interrupted by a phone call from an anonymous woman, and his dull and monotonous life becomes anything but dull and monotonous. In true Murakami style, the unreal becomes real, dreams become reality, and reality is a life of loneliness and isolation. This book moved at a slower pace than the other Murakami books I've read, and I had trouble staying focused with it. I had it out on loan from the library, and before I knew it my three weeks were up. I skimmed through the end, and don't know when I'll be ready to attempt this book again.

Let me know if you had better luck with this one.