Upon the first impression, A Wild Sheep Chase seemed like an average story about an average guy dealing with middle age and existential crises. Yet even though it is a "ghost" story, the world and characters that Murakami builds seem very rooted in reality. The narrator's day-to-day conversations are scattered frequently throughout the novel, embellishing his narration with reminders that he is a normal person leading a normal life. Up until the narrator is called upon this wild sheep chase, he is shown to hold a job, have trouble with his marriage, and have a few past relationships- all in all, a normal man. He isn't even given a full name, like many of the other characters in his life. However, what I found interesting is that even with all this realistic world building and development, Murakami spins a tale about a supernatural sheep, whose influence has existed since the beginning of time. Eventually, the mood of the novel moves from one of realism to one of uncanniness and surreality, as more about this sheep is revealed. Having these two very different sides of the world side by side presents a very captivating premise. It feels as if the narrators "adventures" could really happen to anybody, even me. Even with the supernatural aspects of the novel, I felt as if Murakami's world was palpable and that I was immersed in it. I'm pulled in to the plot by the realist interactions of the protagonist and the small details of his life. I loved all the effort put into building I's personality and past, and how it all cumulated in his subsequent sheep chase.
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