Helpful Score: 1
I am a fan of Murakami. This story is very different from his others; no metaphysics or mystical places or alternative realities. It's a coming of age story that takes place in the 60's. It's a story of love, loss, and friendship. It is sad, sweet and in the end cathartic...and I loved it.
Oustanding. This is a wonderful translation of a book that was a national sensation in Japan.
Matt B. (BuffaloSavage) reviewed Norwegian Wood (Vintage International Original) on + 53 more book reviews
This is a coming-of-age novel set in the late 1960s in Tokyo. It follows the story of Toru Watanabe, a 19-year-old college student, as he navigates his relationships with his friends and lovers. The novel explores themes of love, sexuality, mortality, mental illness, and guilt. Watanabe's introspection and shyness make him attractive to a certain kind of female, and his search for values in a money-mad, success-crazed culture rests on his determination to help his friend Naoko, who has taken the suicide of their mutual friend Kizuki badly. Midori, a working-class girl, is a vivid character who challenges Watanabe to put the book down, stop brooding about mortality, and live a little. Murakami's narrative of Watanabe's journey is masterful, and his exploration of the themes of the novel is both poignant and thought-provoking. Highly recommended.
I think you have to be an introvert to love this author. He's highly introspective, and his characters are always thoughtful and unusual.
Vanessa N. (vyver) reviewed Norwegian Wood (Vintage International Original) on + 29 more book reviews
This author has an excellent grasp of language. I adore his descriptions, comparisons, and simile. The story itself is about an unapologetically human experience that takes place in the 1960's during the main characters college years.
Jeannine S. (personaltrainer) reviewed Norwegian Wood (Vintage International Original) on + 9 more book reviews
good book - I really liked the characters-they seemed real!!
Christy K. (dragonflies) reviewed Norwegian Wood (Vintage International Original) on + 66 more book reviews
Good book for book club discussion, but it wasn't the best book I've ever read.
Translated from the original Japanese.
Love, loss, memory.
Love, loss, memory.
