South Of The Border, West Of The Sun.

"Lots of different ways to die. And lots of different ways to live. But in the end...... all that remains is a desert."

About the Book:

Hajime and Shimamoto used to be best friends in their childhood. When they were 12, due to the sudden move of Hajime, they drifted apart. The story starts with his describing how their childhood was and how they both bonded over being an "only child". Hajime's life after the move is kind of a slippery slope. His relationship in his Junior year began quite well but later he ended up sabotaging it by cheating on her. His later years are a series of the wrong decisions which led him to live a life filled with loneliness and despair.

After 8 years of leading such life, he falls in love with Yukiko and then marries her. He would be quite content with his wife, children, his new job as the owner of two jazz bars. Then his life takes a complete turn when he gets a sudden visit from Shimamoto; his first love. Their feelings would be rekindled and Hajime's world would be shaken with the onslaught of feelings that are brought down by the arrival of Shimamoto.

I started my new year with this splendid book. It seemed fitting to start the year with a book by Murakami. It drains you emotionally and makes you prepared for the year

This is a short and swift novel that captured my attention right from page one. Murakami's appreciation for classical music can be seen very much in this book. And I loved the nuanced detailing of every classical piece in the book. The story was quite easy to follow. The character portrayal of Hajime is done so well. When you hate the main character but love the book, you know the author has done a damn good job.