The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

“When the wind-up bird comes, the earth creaks, the wind blows, and time turns over.”

Part 1: The Thieving Magpie

The novel opens with Toru Okada, an unemployed man in his thirties, receiving a strange phone call from a woman who claims to know him. His cat, Noboru Wataya, goes missing, and his wife, Kumiko, suggests searching the neighborhood. Toru meets a series of eccentric characters, including Malta Kano, a psychic, and her sister, Creta Kano, who reveals disturbing details about Kumiko’s brother, Noboru Wataya.

Part 2: Bird as Prophet

Kumiko suddenly disappears, leaving behind a note saying she no longer loves Toru. Toru begins a surreal journey to find her, encountering Lieutenant Mamiya, a WWII veteran who recounts harrowing experiences in Manchuria. Meanwhile, Toru spends time at the bottom of a dry well, where he experiences visions and confronts his subconscious.

Part 3: The Birdcatcher

Toru’s search intensifies as he learns Kumiko may be trapped in a hotel controlled by Noboru Wataya, now a powerful politician. With the help of May Kasahara, a rebellious teenager, and Creta Kano, Toru enters a dreamlike battle against Noboru’s sinister influence. The novel culminates in a confrontation that blurs reality and illusion.

Key Ideas

• Existential search for meaning in an absurd world
• The blurred boundaries between reality and dreams
• Trauma and memory shaping personal identity
• Isolation and alienation in modern society
• The lingering scars of war and violence