What a rare occurrence! A book written by Murakami that I did not find thoroughly silly. In truth, this work evades Murakami's usual pitfalls. It is not overly sexual. I don't mind such books, in fact, I love them. I simply take an issue with the way Murakami tends to write sex scenes and love dynamics. They are usually awkward, stunted, and ridicules. I also like that this book is not excessively long, which, thank god! And, finally, this work feels more grounded than some of his other works. I have nothing against magical realism, but it is clear to me that Murakami sometimes gets lost in his own stories. I like that he seemingly limited himself for this one, and in turn, managed to write a more cohesive and thematically rich story.