First published 1987
As Toru's plane lands in Europe, a familiar tune triggers memories of his turbulent youth in 1960s Tokyo. Haunted by the suicide of his best friend Kizuki, Toru finds solace in a relationship with the fragile Naoko, only to lose her to mental illness. Adrift, he falls for the lively Midori, but can't escape the shadows of the past. In this poignant, introspective novel, Toru navigates the complexities of love, grief, and self-discovery, searching for balance in a world that often makes little sense.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age, contemporary, asian-american
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: friends-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Japan
298 pages · Paperback
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness, suicide