CULTURE / Books

Haruki Murakami’s first novel in six years hits shelves in Japan

People line up at a bookstore in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo to purchase copies of Haruki Murakami's new novel, 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls,' which is the Japanese author's first book in six years. | AFP-JIJI

By Thu-Huong Ha
Staff writer

Apr 13, 2023

A new door to Haruki Murakami’s vast and labyrinthine world has opened.

"The City and Its Uncertain Walls" (“Machi to Sono Futashikana Kabe”) hit shelves in Japan on April 13. It’s the first full-length novel in six years from the beloved bestselling author.

The 661-page book follows a narrator into a city with high walls, seeking the “true self” of a crush. Over three parts, the narrator moves from 17 years old to middle age, and the story shifts between reality and a dream-like state.

Haruki Murakami’s first novel in six years hits shelves in Japan

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