From the bestselling author of Kafka on the Shore: A magnificent coming-of-age story steeped in nostalgia, “a masterly novel” (The New York Times Book Review) blending the music, the mood, and the ethos that were the sixties with a young man’s hopeless and heroic first love.
Now with a new introduction by the author.
Toru, a serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. As Naoko retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.
Stunning and elegiac, Norwegian Wood first propelled Haruki Murakami into the forefront of the literary scene.
I find myself particularly disappointed with Norwegian Wood. Given that it was what catapulted Murakami into superstardom, I was expecting far more. All of his books that I've read so far have been so unique; even my least favorite, [b:A Wild Sheep Chase|11298|A Wild Sheep Chase|Haruki Murakami|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166468809s/11298.jpg|2057170], was an experience I don't ever expect to repeat. Norwegian Wood, while in Murakami's familiar tone (or translated tone, as it may be), lacked anything that stood out. The main character is a college student who has feelings for two different girls. One is in a sanatorium, the other is a sex-obsessed classmate. Throughout the book, he interacts with both of them, and by the end, he knows which one he wants to be with. Aaaaand, that's about it, really. I felt like it lacked the layers Murakami's other books did, there weren't any deep themes to think about.
I also felt like even though it was translated to English, I was missing so much regarding the culture. I kept wondering, "Why are all these people committing suicide? Why are all these people having breakdowns and hiding away in asylums?" I've often been aware that I'm reading about a different culture from my own when reading Murakami, but this time I definitely felt like things were going right over my head. Not any fault of the author's, of course, and in these cases I'm usually inspired to do a little research and gain a better understanding, but Norwegian Wood just left me ready to move on.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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30 April, 2009:
Finished reading
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30 April, 2009:
Reviewed