A part of me wishes that I hadn't read it yet so I could still read it for the first time and be mesmerized.

It is extremely difficult for me to accurately describe what this book was like. It is a surreal and psychedelic masterpiece. It is mysterious, almost as if it came from another world. You just have to stop questioning everything and let yourself be carried away by its enchanting charm.

The story begins with a seemingly ordinary day in the life of a very ordinary man. But from there, things only get stranger and stranger. Dreams spill into reality, the lines between the natural and the supernatural become blurred. A guy sitting deep down in a well delves into his subconscious. A boy's personality is stolen by the devil. A miraculous blue mark on a cheek heals people. Unusual characters drift in, tell their unusual stories, and then leave.

About two-thirds of the way into the book, I was going crazy to know where it was all going. So it was a relief to reach the end where some of these bizarre happenings were finally explained.

But getting to the end of the book was also like being rudely awakened from the most wonderful dream. And I didn't want this dream-like experience to come to an end.

Amidst all of this, Murakami masterfully addresses the themes of alienation, loneliness, and an individual's search for identity. He also questions the national identity while exploring some horrifying stories about the Second World War. True, he leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but it is one of those rare books where the journey matters far more than the final destination. In a few places, the prose may be a bit too wordy and repetitious. Maybe it is a flawed masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless.

And this was how my love for Murakami's works began.

While reading this book, my partner curiously asked me the reason behind my deep enjoyment of Murakami's works.

One of the aspects I pointed out was the consistent presence of cats in his books.

She then inquired as to why there are cats, and I simply replied that I assumed he must have a genuine affection for them.

She further questioned, "But what do they symbolize?"

I stared at her blankly, never having considered with my rather literal mind that there could potentially be an underlying significance to the cats beyond the fact that he likes them and they add an element of fun to both the writing and reading experience.

I decided to search online and discovered that cats act "as stimulants that propel his characters into the vast, often indecipherable magical adventures." (Source)

I found it quite amusing that I could enjoy his books so much without fully grasping the layers of meaning within them. Nevertheless, they remain engaging to read; the way he writes is truly captivating and always manages to draw me in.

This particular book perhaps contains more symbolization than most, and apart from the cat, I couldn't begin to explain what any of it is supposed to signify.

Despite this, I still thoroughly enjoyed it, although I felt it could have been a bit shorter. Additionally, those numerous letters in italics, spanning several pages, have slightly decreased my rating from 4.5 to 3.5 stars.

PS There is a character named Cinnamon in this book, which held no particular meaning for me when I first started reading.

However, two days ago, my partner and I adopted the sweetest and most affectionate dog from a shelter, and her name happens to be Cinnamon! I will forever remember this book because of Cinnamon.