This was my first Murakami and I was met with more or less what I was expecting. I was invested throughout, quickly emotionally connected (and perhaps over-identified with certain aspects of the plot) and really fell in love with Murakami's writing. However, I was consistently disappointed with women who didn't seem to be fleshed out, and other plot points which seem to be misogynist by nature.

*cough* false rape accusations and weird objectifying sex dreams *cough*

However, these aspects seem to be a disservice to a plot and a character that I otherwise really cared about. All in all, I got more from this book and Murakami's revelations about life, love, and loss, than I lost in the previously mentioned plot points. I'm still thinking and processing the layers of this book and for this reason I can't give it less than four stars even though I'm still soured by its failures as well.