Book review: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World- Haruki Murakami

Ok, time to review my 8th Murakami. Hard-Boiled Wonderland is one that has been recommended to me a few times but, to be brutally honest, the title didn't really convince me. I know that's ridiculous but there you go! However, I chose this as one of my Christmas presents, and I'm very glad I did! 

Hard-Boiled Wonderland is two narratives in one, told in alternating chapters. Although this is explained in the blurb, I evidently wasn't paying attention as I was getting all confused and it took me about 100 pages before I worked it out! I know, I'm an idiot! 

As is frequently the case with Murakami's books, the narrators are unnamed, male (presumably) and divorced. However, many of the Murakami clichés are missing: There are no cats, I didn't catch any mentions of cooking spaghetti and there are only two references to female ears. The story is also noticeably different in form. Although there are the usual surreal elements and the whole concept of parallel universes is apparent, the story seems a little less fantastical than his others. I put this down to this being one of Murakami's earlier works.

The tone of the book is also remarkably different to his others, but I think that's because it was translated by Alfred Birnbaum, whose translations are new to me. I found a lot of the interpretation quite clumsy but at least there was none of Jay Rubin's "I wonder"s, which always annoy me! Instead we had a lot of "maybe so"s, which make a lot more sense in context!

I enjoyed the story very much. I found it easy to connect with the characters and, as the links between the two narratives became more clear, I found myself drawn further and further into the story. Although it's not one I'd recommend to somebody new to Murakami (I favour Sputnik Sweetheart or Norwegian Wood for that), it's definitely one I'd suggest as a follow-up.