At first glance, this tale appears to be a detective story, a novel about a disintegrating marriage, or an excavation of buried secrets from the depths of World War II.
Toru Okada is a young Japanese man searching for his wife’s missing cat. However, he soon finds himself on a quest for his wife herself—in another, hidden world. His search for the cat intersects with his search for his wife, leading him to encounter a bizarre cast of friends and foes, each bearing a story of their own: from a spirited young woman and a vindictive politician to a former combatant.
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"A captivating novel in which the comic and the sinister intertwine. A work of genius that rivals, in its own sphere, the masterpieces of Yukio Mishima...
It is impossible to put down."
DAILY TELEGRAPH
"An astonishing literary work... utterly unique."
NEW YORK OBSERVER