Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

Tsukuru Tazaki, a quiet and introspective man in his mid-30s, is haunted by a traumatic event from his youth: his four closest high school friends suddenly cut him off without explanation. Years later, urged by his girlfriend Sara, Tsukuru embarks on a journey to reconnect with each of them and understand what caused the rupture.

As he revisits the past, traveling across Japan and even to Finland, he uncovers painful truths and long-buried emotions. The novel delves into his inner world—his feelings of emptiness and “colorlessness”—and how confronting the past may help him move forward.