Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami has released his latest book, “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” which is a reimagined version of a story he wrote as a second-year novelist in 1980. The book focuses on the key elements of a walled city and the shadow but also tackles complex themes, including the idea of staying inside or going beyond the wall, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s war on Ukraine, globalism, and social media.
The book is set in three parts, with the protagonist becoming head of a library in a small town in Fukushima in Part 2. Murakami believes that stories must be positive despite the bizarre and dark elements that can be included. His stories often involve characters traveling between two worlds through a wall, a well, or a cave, which is an important step in his writing process.
The book was released on April 14, 2023, by Shinchosha Publishing Co. in Tokyo, and an English translation is not yet available.