2021 reread: So this book is a beast and a journey. Back in 2012 when I first read it, I was super impressed and obsessed with it but still took over a month to read it. This time, I read it over three months, periodically abandoning it.

It's a typical Murakami, with fewer wells and cats than other books have and exactly as many weird comments about teenage girls' breasts. Murakami's writing of women really grated on me and took me out of the story a lot. I'd only recommend this to those of you that enjoy the Murakami journeys and are willing to overlook some blatantly frustrating sections.