The story is a narration by a school teacher named K who is in love with his friend Sumire aspiring to be a writer. K is her confidant who she calls very late at night whenever Sumire is unable to sleep. Sumire loves a married older businesswoman Miu. By walking on a completely different path suggested by Miu, Sumire disappears during a business trip to Greece they both had taken. Sumire’s disappearance leads to mysterious findings and K is deeply affected by it when Miu calls on him to visit Greece to help find Sumire. It’s a love story set in Tokyo, which is beautifully written by Haruki Murakami. 

Unrequited love, loneliness, loss, friendship, suffering, emotional turmoil, parenting, silent angst, and mystery blend emphatically in this novel. Symbols and metaphors have been used extensively as usual to convey the above. Human souls have been compared to metallic satellites that revolve around each other in space full of loneliness. Platonic love is highlighted too. The story has perspective and makes one think on many levels.