It’s about preference, I suppose. Murakami’s stories can be grounded in reality, but blend in surreal elements, or just the opposite. You can really feel like you know how to experience what he writes, or you can just sit there and wonder if you took acid before reading. He can really get inside your head and do weird (and fascinating) things.

The book that I would recommend is the book that I started with - Kafka On the Shore. I felt enthralled by his writing style and felt like it prepared me for what to expect out of his books. If you’re a fan of intertwining storylines, you’d enjoy this. I feel like it’s the best balance of real/surreal, whereas something like Norwegian Wood leans more toward the realistic side, and a Wild Sheep Chase on the surrealistic side :). Hope that helps. (ps. I’m loving all these book questions this morning.)