The Strange Library

By: Haruki Murakami
Location: FIC MUR
Genre: A weird fantasy with art and mystery


"What a creepy, weird little book. I enjoyed it immensely."

'All I did was go to the library to borrow some books'.

On his way home from school, the young narrator of The Strange Library finds himself wondering how taxes were collected in the Ottoman Empire. He pops into the local library to see if it has a book on the subject. This is his first mistake.

 He gets more than he bargained for when he ends up being led by an old man to a special “reading room” in a maze under the library where he finds himself imprisoned with only a “sheep man”, who makes excellent doughnuts, and a girl who can talk with her hands. Oh and the old man? He seems to have an appetite for eating small boys’ brains. 
This is a weird little book, lavishly illustrated creating kind of a multi media experience, it is a beautiful book!  Murakami’s ultimate message: that it is through meaningful human interaction, friendship, love and bravery that we conquer the darkness of the world. We all must care for one another, like the narrator cares for his parakeet and his mother cares for him.