A boy stops at the municipal library on his way home from school to return some books and ends up in a windowless basement reading room. A cranky old man there tells him he must read three thick volumes on Ottoman tax collection before he can leave. The old man plans to eat the boy's brain once it is full of knowledge. A silent girl who brings him meals and a man dressed in a sheep suit help him think about escape. It is a short illustrated tale, part nightmare and part fairy tale.
Anyone who likes Murakami's strangeness in a compact form can finish it in a sitting. It also makes a good gift for readers who love libraries and dark fables, with Chip Kidd's design adding to the mood.
Open-ended; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2005
- Language
- EN
