Norwegian Wood - by Haruki Murakami

review by Gabriel

Norwegian Wood is a novel about youth, love, and death, and the pain that comes from all three. It’s unusual amongst Murakami’s work in that it is firmly grounded in reality, absent of his signature style of magic realism. Nonetheless, the author is still instantly recognisable due to his distinctive first person narration and addictive readability.

Norwegian Wood is a tragedy. The character’s flaws and fates are apparent to the reader, and the conclusion inevitable. Like all great tragedies, it draws you in despite the certain outcome. It’s a testament to Murakami’s skill as a writer that he can create such a sad story and address serious themes while maintaining a compelling narrative. I read the last hundred pages late into the night, without moving, hoping that events would not unfold as foreshadowed, sharing the character’s heartbreak when they did. Which I hope is enough of a recommendation for anyone, really.

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Can you imagine a battle to save your mind? What about feeling responsible to save someone else's life. In this unusual coming of age story, Murkami explores the mystery of suicide and natural death and its effects on those left behind.

Toru loses two friends to suicide and finds himself struggling to remain in the real world himself. Just as in his fantasy books Muarkami makes you believe in a world that isn't there; here he leads you down a path that eventually has you believing in how easily one could slip over that fine line between hope and hopelessness, between the will to live and living a life without really being in it.

Most of the characters are well formed and their purpose within the story is clear, but he leaves a few lose ends. Whatever happened to Toru' s roommate Storm Trooper? And why does the story begin in Germany? Why does he say, "Gemany again." There is no later connection to Germany except that one college friend ends up moving there.

Murakami is a master at expressing human passion, weakness, and depth that lies beneath the surface of most people most of the time. This one has an especiallly sweet sadness. It goes deeply into those thoughts we have but never express because in the end, we all know we will lose the ones we love and we have to somehow deal with our sorrow and go on living and try to love again. ( )

A beautiful book. I didn't know whether to smile or cry on the last page. Murakami creates an incredibly sensory world - I felt I was transported back to 1960's Tokyo. He creates relationships so intricately, I felt I was right beside Toru.
I found the first chapter a little hard going, but I was staying up late into the night reading after that. A must read. ( )

Story about two depressed individuals that become friends and their ability/inability to work it out. Post-war Japan. haunting,beautiful writing. ( )

This is the first Murakami book that I've read, but I definitely enjoyed it. There wasn't much in the way of suspense, but the characters were well defined and colorful; not to mention twisted in their own unique ways. Although the main character is attending college, the true spice of the narrative comes from his relationships with the women in his life. Isolated in a tiny dorm room struggling with his own demons, the plot rests heavily on the darkness of an incident in his past and how it has come to shape his relationships with those who have equally sordid lives. Bittersweet to the end. ( )

My first and favorite Murakami novel. A more conventional love story than Murakami's other, more existential, tales. I find the settings of this story (the sanatorium especially) to be well-illustrated and detailed. More story-driven and less philosophically driven, than Murakami's later works, but it works well for him here. ( )

After having read a half dozen or so Murakami books, a fellow avid Murakami reader pointed out I had gone about reading his work in the wrong order and suggested that I should drop whatever else I was reading and start all over again with Norwegian Wood. I’m glad I did go back to the first book which made Murakami such a big literary sensation in Japan. And after reading this novel, I can see how Murakami’s work has evolved considerably over time. In comparison say to The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood is a simple coming of age story simply (and brilliantly) told. Toru is a young college student in Tokyo who’s days are mostly occupied with going to class and observing life in his campus dorm. He is also in love with Naoko who was once the girlfriend of Toru’s best friend, who’s suicide has brought the two of them closer together. But when Naoko, having trouble dealing with daily life, retires to the isolation of a mental health clinic, Toru starts feeling lonely in her absence and comes to meet Midori, an uninhibited and independent-minded young woman who seems to embody the spirit of the freewheeling late 60’s, and he quickly finds himself irresistibly attracted to her.

There are no tricks here, no mysterious magical forces at play, no spies dressed as cats lurking in the corners. What we do find is a vivid account of the years 1969-1970, it's music (the book is named after the Beatles song which is mentioned several times in the story), it's energy and the upheavals the times brought about, Tokyo-style. It’s a sad story with many insights on relationships, connections and loneliness told in Murakami’s magic style, in his unique voice which bring a tinge of excitement to everything he touches upon. If you’ve heard about Murakami and are curious to discover this phenomenal writer, this should be your first stop.

I enjoyed it thoroughly but do have a special fondness for Murakami’s multilayered and intersecting worlds found in some of his later books which is why I gave it ( )

Much more straightforward than many of Murakami's novels—there's none of his trademark magical realism—Norwegian Wood is still a complex tale of maturation and loneliness in 1960s Tokyo. For all that it's set in a world that's very grounded and realistic, this is still quite a disturbing novel in many ways: people are oddly self-contained, love is not unconditional, there is no real sense of home. He's quite interested in exploring what it is to be 'normal' or 'not normal', and how an obsession with whether or not one is 'normal' can be much more damaging than any real variation from the norm. ( )

Haruki Murakami is a new favorite author of mine. After reading Norwegian Wood, I picked up The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. I'm amazed that he is one of the only notable authors of Japan. Perhaps the country doesn't value writing. Regardless, I'm glad Murakami does.

Beatles aficionados will recognize the title of this book; it's a direct reference to their song. The lyrics go: "I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me...and when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown. " Murakami is a music buff, so it's no surprise that he'd pick a fitting song for the title of this book.

Published in Japan in 1987, this was Murakami's breakthrough novel, and one of his most straightforward (he's known for magic realism). Toru Watanabe, a lonely college student of the late 1960s, is living in the dorms of a Tokyo university. He spends his days going to class, reading, working, and occasionally socializing with a few of his unconventional peers.

In many respects, this is a coming of age novel. I wouldn't, however, say it's akin to The Catcher in the Rye. Toru Watanabe sees the world more positively than Holden Caulfield, is more mature and well-read, and certainly doesn't live in New York City. Toru Watanabe is also in love.

Don't run away just yet. Trust me, I'm not one for romance novels. This book, as the translator remarks, "is not just a love story." While the story centers around a love triangle, it's also about death, Japanese culture, and convalescence. These aren't particularly upbeat topics, but most books (especially ones I've read recently) aren't upbeat.

The book's biggest flaw is its similarity to other coming of age novels. I've read quite a few, so it might be a personal issue. Norwegian Wood is distinct in its own ways (most importantly the Tokyo setting), but there are the obvious references to American novels and the usual meandering, lonely days. Somehow, Murakami manages to make the book interesting and poignant.

The oddball Japanese social atmosphere might be what sets this book apart. Before each day, a Japanese flag ceremony is conducted outside of Toru Watanabe's dormitory. The society functions by sending the most brilliant students of Japan to work and travel overseas for the government. And conversations can get wacky, ranging from horrifying piano lessons to cucumbers.

Murakami's writing translates well. Even in English, I can tell he's a master. He describes essential details, but never oversimplifies or goes overboard. His mind is unique. To peek under the hood of Murakami, I suggest first checking out this book. ( )

it's better the second time. i really love this book. murakami gets into the heart of the complications brought on by what's important to people. ( )

Mijn recensie; http://www.pinkbullets.nl/2008/07/boo... ( )

http://absorbedinwords.blogspot.com/2... ( )

I have just finished this book and I loved it. It was incredibly sad, beautifully written and thought-provoking. It has been compared to "The Catcher in the Rye" another favourite of mine and I can see why - the main character drowning in a sea of what appear to be other peoples probllems

It's so easy to give four stars... Anyway, this is indeed a very good book about love and all that. The main thing I got out of it though was reading a Japanese novel, which is something I don't think I've ever done before. I couldn't stop picturing small, strange Japanese people saying funny things while bowing their heads repetingly... ( )

I was interested in this book because I'm an old Beatles fan, I was a college student in the 60s which is the era this book is written about, this book was a world wide best seller, and I thought it might enhance my understanding of modern Japanese culture. I think the author was trying to write in the spirit of The Great Gatsby. The main character is separated from his girl friend by her mental illness in this case. But the story describes too much sexual activity for me which probably expla.

Read in January, 2008 ( )

This was the least 'fantastical' of Murakami's novels and is instead more of a 'coming of age' love story written around relationships, and perhaps autobiographical in that it was written about a college aged boy and the time frame would have been the time of Murakami's college days. I thought it was very well written, but very bleak. I would recommend it, but not to just anyone, if that makes sense. ( )

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this. I'd been keen to read Murakami for some time and although I enjoyed it at first, the plot seemed to lose its way and whatever underlying message he was trying to convey was lost on me.

I failed to make a connection to the characters and just thought it was sad how everyone was screwed up.

Murakami seems like a very interesting author but this book never seemed to get traction for me. ( )

A tale of first love in 1960s Tokyo, it was simply but beautifully written. There is a lot of suicide, death and mental illness in the book, but it isn't altogether bleak. Although not full of action, I found it compelling reading and I wanted to find out what happened to the characters.
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Lyrical translation! Great mood evoking language. Good sense of time and place. Wished I had cared about the characters more. ( )

Murakami's least metaphysical and most to the point book, 'Norwegian Wood' is a sweet adolescent love story that I would compare to a modern day 'Catcher in the Rye'. Completely glorious. I recommend it to every female beginning Murakami reader. ( )

A coming of age story that is gently powerful and moving. ( )

"When he hears her favourite Beatles song, Toru Watanabe recalls his first love Naoko, the girlfriend of his best friend Kizuki. Inmediately he is transported back almost twenty years to his student days in Tokyo, adrift in a world of uneasy friendships, casual sex, passion, loss and desire -to a time when an impetuous young woman called Midori marches into his life an de has to choose between the future and the past"
(edit. promo.)

Liburua amaitzeko egun pare baten faltara, 8-11 urteko neskei zuzendutako liburu bat heldu jakun liburutegira "¡Vivan las chicas!" edo holango zeozer, nerabezaroan sartzeko baliagarri gerta ziteken eskuliburu izateko asmoaz eginikoa, batik bat. Bertan, amodioei buruzko kapitulu bat agertzen zen non bihotzak, edade hortako neskei emon liezaizkieken buruhausteak zerrendatzen ziren. Haietako batek honako titulua eukan: Estoy enamorada de dos chicos.

Ba pertsonaia nagusia aldatuz generoan (zeharo) eta adinan (ez hain beste) liburu hau ere hortaz dihardu. Beste amodio ixtorio bat, vamos.

Murakamin Kafka en la orilla irakurri eta gero, idazle honen beste lanen batzu irakurtzea begitandu jatan ta nahiz ta irakurleren batek Crónica del pájaro que da cuerda al mundo gomendatu (azkenengo liburu azokan bereganatu nendun, beraz, litekeena da gitxi barru irakurtzea) liburu hau irakurtzea bururatu jatan hau bait da bera famatu egin zeuen lehen obra (itzultzaileak diñoskuna egia baldin bada, dirudienez liburu honen famak Murakami kikildu egin zeuen Europora etortzera bultzatzeraino)
Dena dela, pertsonaiak bereganatu egiten dozuz eta azkenean liburuak gogoa untzetutentsu bere orrietara.
Neu Watanabe banintz (zer gurau) ta aukeratu beharrean aurkituko banintz, ez nendun zalantzik izango, baina beno, bakoitza dan modukoa da.

Lar kontura ez datorrena; Ingelesez irakurritako liburuak di-da batean igotzen dira hona (isbna baino ez dozu ipini behar eta atoan dekozu fitxa, azaleko irudia, etab.) ( )

Incredibly readable coming-of age story about a loner student and the two very different women he falls in love with. The novel is filled with incredibly vivid characters, a brilliantly paced plot, wonderful observations about life, and some fantastic creative, somewhat outlandish stylistic metaphors. I think it was one of those novels that just perfectly succeeds in its aims of capturing a time and set of characters, even if - on the surface - it might seem to be a somewhat trivial topic. The only partial flaws for me were: the sheer frequency of suicidal people, which at times made it feel like a manipulative soap opera; and I also sometimes didn't fully believe in the narrator's character. I found his movement from tramp to normally jovial person at the end when Reiko comes to visit jarring and unbelievable. But tiny problems amidst a sparkling piece of writing. (Oh, and this "deluxe" volume fell apart rather easily due to shoddy binding - pretty annoying). ( )

Toru Watanabe er 37 år, men når han hører den gamle Beatles-sangen "Norwegian wood" på flyplassen i Hamburg, husker han med en gang studiedagene i Tokyo på slutten av sekstitallet. Det er studentopprørets tid, men Watanabe er ingen aktivist han går på forelesninger, leser romaner, jobber i en platebutikk og forelsker seg. Denne utgaven er en lydbok i MP3-format. Den kan kun spilles i CD-spillere som kan spille av dette formatet. © DnBB AS

This book demonstrates how much Murakami's dreamy writing style needs his normal fantastical elements to orient it. The book's spare plot quickly becomes lost, and the characters annoying, as his style is more and more reminiscent of being stuck in a trance. ( )