A man's search for his wife's missing cat evolves into a surreal journey through Tokyo's underbelly, where he encounters a bizarre collection of characters with strange stories and peculiar obsessions. As he delves deeper, he finds himself entangled in a web of dreamlike scenarios, historical digressions, and metaphysical investigations. His reality becomes increasingly intertwined with the dream world as he grapples with themes of fate, identity, and the dark side of the human psyche.

"The Lover" is a poignant exploration of forbidden love, power dynamics, and colonialism. Set in 1930s French Indochina, it tells the story of a tumultuous and passionate affair between a 15-year-old French girl and her wealthy, older Chinese lover. The narrative delves into the complexities of their relationship, the societal norms they defy, and the inevitable heartbreak that follows. The protagonist's struggle with her family's poverty and her mother's mental instability further complicates the story, making it a compelling exploration of love, desire, and societal constraints.

The novel is a haunting tale of three friends, who grow up together at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. As they mature, they discover a dark secret about their school and the purpose of their existence, which is to become organ donors for the rest of society. The story is a profound exploration of what it means to be human, the morality of scientific innovation, and the heartbreaking reality of love and loss.

Set in 18th-century France, this novel tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a man born with an extraordinary sense of smell but no personal scent of his own. He becomes an apprentice to a prominent perfumer and learns to create the world's most intoxicating perfumes. However, his obsession with capturing the perfect scent leads him down a dark path, as he begins to kill young women to extract their scent. The book is a chilling exploration of obsession, identity, and the power of scent.

The novel explores the lives of the inhabitants of a Parisian apartment block through a complex, multi-layered narrative. It delves into the interconnected stories of the building's residents, revealing their secrets, desires, and disappointments. The narrative is structured like a puzzle, with the author employing a variety of literary styles and devices, making it a complex and intriguing exploration of human life.

The novel follows the story of Jacques Austerlitz, an architectural historian who was brought to England on a Kindertransport from Czechoslovakia during World War II. As an adult, Jacques embarks on a journey to uncover his past, including his original identity, his parent's fate, and his own lost history. The narrative is a haunting exploration of memory, identity, and the lasting impact of the Holocaust.

"The Book of Disquiet" is a posthumously published collection of thoughts and musings of a solitary dreamer, who is a Lisbon-based bookkeeper. The book delves into the mind of a man who is discontented with his mundane life and finds solace in dreaming and writing. The narrative is a profound reflection on life, solitude, and the nature of humanity, filled with philosophical insights and poetic language. The protagonist's introspective journey and his struggles with existential despair make it a seminal work in the genre of literary modernism.

Set in Nazi Germany during World War II, the novel follows the story of a young girl who finds solace in stealing books and sharing them with others. In the midst of the horrors of war, she forms a bond with a Jewish man her foster parents are hiding in their basement. The story is narrated by Death, offering a unique perspective on the atrocities and small acts of kindness during this period. The girl's love for books becomes a metaphor for resistance against the oppressive regime.

"Anniversaries" is a novel that provides a detailed account of a year in the life of Gesine Cresspahl, a German immigrant living in New York City with her young daughter. The narrative unfolds through daily entries, spanning from August 1967 to August 1968, intertwining the protagonist's present-day experiences with her traumatic past in Nazi and post-war East Germany. The novel explores themes of memory, identity, displacement, and the complexities of history, offering a nuanced perspective on the immigrant experience and the lasting impacts of historical trauma.

"The Reader" is a poignant narrative centered around a young German boy's complex relationship with an older woman, who later turns out to be a former Auschwitz guard. Their relationship begins with her teaching him to read, but takes a drastic turn when she disappears, only to reemerge on trial for war crimes. The novel explores themes of guilt, shame, and redemption, as the boy, now a law student, grapples with his feelings for a woman he once loved, but whose past actions he cannot reconcile with.

"The Elementary Particles" is a provocative novel that explores the lives of two half-brothers, one a molecular biologist and the other a disenchanted teacher, against the backdrop of late 20th-century France. The narrative delves into their personal struggles and emotional turmoil, resulting from their dysfunctional upbringing by a self-absorbed, hedonistic mother. Throughout the novel, the author uses their stories to critique contemporary society, touching on themes such as sexual liberation, consumerism, and the decline of traditional values. The book also delves into the implications of scientific advancements, particularly in the field of molecular biology.

Set in Tokyo during the late 1960s, the novel follows a college student as he navigates a complex love triangle while grappling with his own mental health and the societal pressures of the time. He's torn between his love for a beautiful but emotionally troubled woman and his growing feelings for a lively, outgoing classmate. As he confronts his past, present, and future, the narrative explores themes of love, loss, and personal growth.

"The Neverending Story" is a captivating fantasy novel that follows the adventures of a young boy named Bastian. When he stumbles upon a mysterious book, he becomes engrossed in the magical world of Fantastica, where he must embark on a perilous quest to save the realm from destruction. As Bastian's imagination intertwines with reality, he discovers the power of storytelling and the importance of believing in oneself. This enchanting tale explores themes of courage, friendship, and the boundless nature of imagination.

"The Rings of Saturn" is a richly detailed travelogue that follows the narrator's journey along the coast of Suffolk, England. The narrative weaves together history, literature, and personal anecdotes, exploring topics as diverse as the decline of the herring industry, the horrors of colonialism in the Congo, and the life of philosopher Sir Thomas Browne. The book is characterized by its melancholic tone, its digressive style, and its meditative reflections on memory, time, and decay.

The novel is a metaphysical narrative about a doctor named Ricardo Reis who returns to Lisbon, Portugal after learning about the death of his friend. He finds himself in a society on the brink of dictatorship, and as he navigates through his daily life, he encounters his deceased friend's ghost and a hotel maid with whom he begins a love affair. The book explores themes of identity, love, and the nature of reality, set against the backdrop of political turmoil.

"Baltasar and Blimunda" is a historical love story set in 18th century Portugal. The narrative follows a maimed soldier, Baltasar, and a young clairvoyant woman, Blimunda, as they navigate the hardships of life during the Inquisition. Their love story is intertwined with the construction of the Convent of Mafra, a grandiose project initiated by the King. The novel explores themes of love, faith, human resilience, and the struggle against political and religious oppression.

"The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum" is a story about a young woman who becomes the target of a media smear campaign after she falls in love with a man who is suspected of being a political radical. The media's relentless invasion of her privacy and the negative portrayal of her character lead to tragic consequences, highlighting the destructive power of sensationalist journalism. The novel is also a critique of the political climate in Germany during the 1970s.

"The Emigrants" is a novel that explores the experiences and memories of four different emigrants, each with a unique and complex history. The narrative primarily focuses on the psychological impact of displacement and the haunting nature of the past. The author delves deep into their lives, revealing their struggles with identity, loss, and the persistent influence of their roots. The narrative is interwoven with historical events, photographs, and other documents, creating a rich tapestry that blurs the line between fact and fiction.

"Delta of Venus" is a collection of fifteen short stories that explore the nature of human sexuality and eroticism. Set in various locations around the world, the book delves into a wide range of sexual experiences and desires, from the conventional to the taboo. The stories are as much about the psychology of desire and the power dynamics inherent in sexual relationships as they are about the act itself, and they are written in a lush, poetic style that is both explicit and deeply introspective.

In this dystopian novel, an unexplained epidemic of "white blindness" sweeps through an unnamed city, causing chaos and panic. The government responds by quarantining the afflicted in an abandoned mental hospital, where conditions quickly deteriorate into violence and squalor. Amid the despair, one woman mysteriously retains her sight and guides a small band of the blind, including her husband, through the harrowing ordeal. The novel explores themes of loss, human nature, and the fragility of civilization.

"Platform" is a provocative novel that explores the intersections of sex, business, and terrorism. The protagonist, a middle-aged man working in the French Ministry of Culture, embarks on a journey to Thailand after the death of his father. While there, he falls in love with a travel executive and they start a business capitalizing on sex tourism. However, their venture is violently disrupted by an extremist group, leading to tragic consequences. The novel is a critique of Western consumerism and a commentary on the clash between Western and Islamic cultures.

"The Twilight Years" is a poignant story revolving around the life of a middle-aged woman who is burdened with the responsibility of taking care of her ageing and ailing father-in-law while trying to balance her work and personal life. The novel explores the themes of old age, family responsibilities, societal expectations, and the struggles of women in a patriarchal society. It offers a critical examination of the social, cultural, and personal issues related to aging and care-giving in post-war Japan.

"Suite Française" is a two-part novel set during the early years of World War II in France. The first part, "Storm in June," follows a group of Parisians as they flee the Nazi invasion. The second part, "Dolce," shows life in a small French village under German occupation. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and survival, and provides a unique perspective on life in France during the war. The book was written during the war but was not discovered and published until many years later.

A Wild Sheep Chase follows the story of a recently divorced advertising executive in Tokyo who is given a mysterious assignment by a sinister, powerful man: to find a particular sheep with a star-shaped birthmark. This mission leads him to travel across the snowy landscapes of Northern Japan, crossing paths with peculiar characters, and exploring themes of loneliness, fate, and identity. The narrative is a blend of detective story, postmodern critique, and surreal journey, infused with the author's unique style of magical realism.

"W, or the Memory of Childhood" is a unique blend of autobiographical recollections and fictional narrative. The novel alternates between two storylines: one describing the childhood of a Jewish boy during World War II, and the other detailing a dystopian society on a mysterious island known as "W". The book explores themes of memory, trauma, and the loss of innocence, while also offering a critique of totalitarian regimes. The two narratives gradually converge, revealing the traumatic underpinnings of the protagonist's life and the allegorical nature of "W".