Norwegian Wood: Discover Haruki Murakami’s most beloved novel

While on a flight to Germany and while landing, the writer happens to listen to the song "Norwegian Wood" by Beatles.The wonderful song would have raised and must have elated the moods of all the other passengers on board listening to the pleasant, musical,soothing,lyrics ,but for the writer Murakami of "Norwegian Woods",as being narrated that the song always reminded him of his shuddering past,an unforgettable memory and a saddened truth which can't be erased from his memory.By the above we may conclude initially that it looked as if we are reading a sad story of someone whose thoughts are linked with the song.It also looked as if we are reading an autobiography of the one who has written the lines,until denied by the writer. himself. Murakami starts the book,"Norwegian Wood " with an exceptional beginning by picking up a popular Beatles song, titled,"Norwegian Wood",while putting life into the characters of the book simultaneously, filling with feelings and emotions, bringing out wonderful description of nature around,meadows,past memorable memories and the city of Tokyo, during the period 1968-70.The vivid description of dorms,universities,porn and students unrest etc are also brought out with such an impact that as a reader ,we have a feeling of witnessing the same in the present.As we continue reading, we learn that the lines above are thoughts of the protagonist, in the book'Thoru Watanabe' and the song "Norwegian Wood" by Beatles,was the favorite song of his beloved 'Naoko'.But then,to say the book as an ideal love story is also wrong,because on the one hand you read about the intense love,passion,emotions & feelings between Thoru Watanabe and Naoko(who is his best friend, Kizuki' s girl friend), but on the other hand we also witness the same intense relationship between him and,his other girlfriend, Midori and which is no less as close.Besides,we also come across about the physical relationship between Reiko and Watanabe(after the death of Naoko & who also happens to be a roommate & close friend of Naoko at the rehab sanctuary). We also read, the multiple flings of Watanabe with other girls, along with his friend Nagaswa while at dormitory and during their college days etc makes the feeling strong that the book is not an ideal love story though it's hard to keep the feeling aside at many a places, which is an incredible art by the writer to keep the intrest of the readers.With the number of deaths in the story by suicides (Kizuki,Hatsumi,Naoka),the frequent failure of love between(Toru Watanabe with Naoka and Midori, & Nagasawa with Hatsumi) ,an happily married life ending into divorce due to an unfortunate rumor (Reiko's ending up in a rehab) makes the story sad and tragic.With out doubt these things on the part of the reader - I.e. the subtle feeling of autobiographical part,the love story part, and the sad & tragic part intrigues us.The takeaways from the book are the strong and unflinching friendships that exist between different characters.,the mention of Beatles songs and books like Great Gatsby,which are skillfully clubbed with the story.Though it's not a suggestion to listen to the song of Beatles or read the book ,but definitely most of the readers may endup doing so if not done earlier,just out of curiosity. The charecter of Toru Watanabe for eg, as a caregiver to Midori's father while giving her a break touches us near to the heart.Then complimenting Midori for her cuteness with words like "So cute that the Mountains crumble and the Oceans dry up,"etc brings out the wit in him ,the replies that comes from Thoru Watanabe,and also being a favorite and being liked by every other charecter in the book goes down long with the reader.Similarly, the mention of Storm Trooper and his habits of being a perfectionist bring a lot of laughter.Above all,both the writing by Murakami and the translation by Jay Rubin are outstanding..

Favorite Quote: “What happens when people open their hearts? They get better.” 1. Murakami’s Style: 5/5 He has a subtly unique way of creating this tone that feels both grounded and dreamlike takes you from ordinary to surreal and back. 2. Theme: 5/5 The deep themes of mental health, grief, love, and existential questioning. It is thought- provoking. 3. Plot & Pace: 4/5 I am personally a fast reader so for me the plot unfolds slowly, although the themes of love and loss are rich. 4. Characters: 5/5 The characters, especially Toru, Naoko, and Midori are so complex and yet authentic. Emotional background of the characters and their struggles are portrayed in a way that feels raw and real. I wonder where Storm Troopers go? Did he know he was made fun of so he left or did he also..? 5. Emotional Impact: 4.5/5 Such an emotional book that explores the complexities of mental health to personal trauma. The ending may fell like unresolved, but it also encourages reflection on love and loss. Well, a scene thats going to stay with me for longer is when Toru receives the last letter from Naoko to me grief hits the hardest in this scene. Her words, 'I wish I could have loved you better,' lingers long after the last page. Overall Rating: 4.5/5 Norwegian Wood is a beautifully written and emotionally rich novel, but its slower pace and open-ended conclusion may not appeal to you. So strong that you might develop visual reading. Still, it’s a powerful read that stays with you. A definite must read.

I read this like a mad man, so good

Excellent!

Simple yet beautiful. Words flow like a river. Looking forward to some more such journeys with Murakami.

The book I got is in a terrible condition. Doesn't look like a new book at all. Disappointed with the product. First time I've seen an Amazon certified seller giving books in such a dreadful condition. As for the book, it is a vintage hardcover edition. Unfortunately, it has a glued binding. Which if you tried to open properly, pages may come out of the spine. So it's better to buy the paperback. ✌️

The only reason that I didn’t go for five complete stars for this book is that, I still don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about it. There’s obviously this lingering feeling of satisfaction of having read it, but to be honest I don’t know whether I’ve enjoyed reading it or is it the other way round. I remember times, when I found it extremely difficult to relate with the characters of the book, and at others I could almost imagine myself being in their shoes. Although being from the same age group as that of the characters mentioned in the book, at times their emotions and their actions seemed foreign to me. The author is exceptionally unorthodox for having set up a backdrop and characters of the rebellious kind, in the era of the sixties. It certainly does give a vivid picture of Tokyo in the sixties. Naoko who was romantically involved with Toru, felt relatable at times. There were times, when the complications of Naoko’s Thoughts were so beautifully penned by the author, that I almost felt her pain. But, at the same time there were moments when Naoko seemed as distant to me, as did Toru. I would say the most flabbergasting character of the book is Midori. That character pulls off things which at times May become unfathomable to the human mind-and honestly, I tried hard to imagine that what Murakami must’ve had in mind while building up this character of Midori, but I failed miserably. She’s a rebel for certain, having born to middle class parents who wanted her to fulfill their unfulfilled aspirations ( we feel her right!! Our story is the same), and hence she has grievances against this society and her parents too which she expresses by getting things done perfectly, without leaving any scope for complaining. But there are times when her behaviour mat seem disturbing to the reader, but we cant really complain, because she seems to be the only character in the book, who is not terminally depressed inspite of having an ailing father to look after and her mother’s death to deal with. The protagonist may seem lust- driven to a few (for me he certainly was), or to be fair to the author, maybe had I been through what he had been through, i would’ve liked to fill that void using physical relationships without any commitments — or , would I ?! As I already wrote, it is confusing to determine. But what the book deftly does, is it blurs the lines between right and wrong and makes everything situational. It has a lot of philosophy in it, or atleast I felt so after reading it, it did certainly make an impact on me and I ended up thinking about it and the characters for days after k had finished reading it, but I realised that after a point in the story, there was a certain feeling of urgency within me to complete the book ASAP , and I don’t really know why that happened!! I would like to conclude by saying that, its definitely worth a read once, but I don’t whether you would want to read it for a second time. Murakami has a beautiful yet simple way of narration, and when I finished reading I was filled with a sweet sadness, something similar to what we feel while bidding goodbye to an old friend.

Norwegian Wood is a deeply affecting and reflective novel that shows the more down-to-earth side of Haruki Murakami's storytelling. Set in Tokyo in the 1960s, it follows Toru Watanabe as he deals with the emotional fallout of his best friend's suicide while developing a complicated relationship with Naoko, a woman also caught in her pain of grief. Readers become caught up in the world elegantly created by Murakami, where love and sorrow are one and the same. The characters are intensely real and alive, especially the two regions of Naoko and Midori, which stand for the varied routes Toru may travel through life and feelings. Though at times anguishing, Norwegian Wood is packed with psychological depths and faint beauty. It is a story that lingers inside you, softly, long after you've reached the last page. Norwegian Wood is an essential read for anyone who loves character-driven novels concerning critical issues of mental health, relationships, and existentialism.