“I think Murakami is a brilliant writer and this book, one of his earlier works, is for me every bit as good as his later works. It is a sad love story that while void of any of the supernatural found in his other works is nonetheless filled with symbolism. The line, "Everybody knows they're flawed in some way, and so they try to help each other," captured the main story line for me. This was a rather depressing book to read. There is no happily ever after, but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless.”