After the first few pages of this Haruki Murakami book, I was hooked. I couldn't stop reading it. I was engrossed. Finished it rather quickly, but then, it's a rather short book.

This book is simple compared to his other books. No magic realism here. It's just a story of a man, a story his life and the choice that he must make. It's a simple book, yet beautiful in its simplicity.

I won't go into detail on the plot or themes of the story. I'll just say that:

It is a morality story, it's about letting go of past mistakes that we believe define us, moving on with your life and choosing to be happy.

A contemplation on obsession.

This is, in the final estimation, rather depressing because it's about letting go of the notion that life is a dream and instead facing reality.

I didn't find the protagonist very likable. He has a little too vain, and a bit of an asshole. But I empathize with him. He's an only child, like me, and I think a lot of his faults stem from this fact.
I found the writing very lyrical. The words used are very simple, but there's this dream-like aspect to it. As if every moment narrated in the book has such infinite beauty and meaning to it.

Anyway, it's a pretty good read. Not perfect, and probably not as good as his other books. But it's still a good read.