Norwegian Wood

by Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin

Paperback, 295 pages

English language

Published Aug. 1, 2015 by Vintage International.

ISBN:: 978-0-375-70402-4

(153 reviews)

Toru, a quiet and preternaturally 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.

Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there, but Naoko finds the pressures and responsibilities of life unbearable. As she retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself reaching out to others and drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.

A poignant story of one college student's romantic coming-of-age, Norwegian Wood takes us to that distant place of a young man's first, hopeless, and heroic love.

1 edition

jordanduke reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I’d heard Murakami didn’t write women well, and perhaps I started with the wrong book of his. Among the lovely stretches of writing there were random bits that felt like incel fan fiction. And every time such a line would occur, I’d ask myself “is this because the characters are all supposed to be deeply flawed?” But I don’t think that’s the case.

I liked enough of the writing to try another of his books.

oatmilk_alex reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Storygraph'

3 stars

Murakami is a weird guy I reckon

Dee reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

3/5 Loved the writing, disliked the characters...

Norwegian Wood brought me to the conclusion that my relationship with Murakami's work is definitely a love/hate one.

Watanabe, Naoko, and Nagasawa are all detestable characters with no self-awareness regarding just how detestable they really are (Nagasawa aside, who is aware and proud of it too). Reiko and Hatsumi are the only two characters that are somewhat likeable—and even that is a stretch.

Despite the majority of the characters being unbearable, in their own respectful ways, the writing is the complete opposite. Overall, this was a good/great read but not one (in my opinion) that lived up to being Murakami being chased out of the Japan after this book gaining excessive attention and praise.

For me, this lays a little lower than some of Murakami's other work but that would not stop me from recommending it.

surya reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Extremely sick right from the beginning till the end.
Maybe when one is new to Haruki, it is different and that difference seems enticing.
But now that is my third book of Haruki, I don't think I would be reading any of his books every again.

The way he pens down the emotions of the characters seems very real.
But the world isn't as messed up and sick as the characters in his books.
The world is better, isn't it?

Well, a week after reading this book had an epiphany and a lot of things about the book made more sense. I actually like this book.
So updated the review and rating.

jon_bon reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

En stark trea. Någon sorts ungdomsskildring. Av allt jag läst av Murakami skulle jag hursomhelst för andra främst rekommendera bokserien 1Q84 eller Kafka på stranden.

greeny reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This was my first book by the author Murakami I have read. It took me only a few days because I don't wanted to stop reading at all. Here my thoughts about the book:

Style
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First of all, the style how Murakami tells stories. Especially how he describes the characters and their behaviour. I felt with them and it never crossed my mind that the characters behaved in a way I can't understand. The book is a lot about the transition of childhood to adulthood with many sexual sences. But I never found them disgusting or in a way 'too much'. For me it was more like the expression of love.

Story
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Murakamis main character is Toru Watanabe, age 19-23 while he studies in Tokio. The story is written in first person and has next to Toru about 4 other main characters: Naoko, Midori, Nagawase (spelled a bit different) and Reiko. Naoko is his first girlfriend and the woman he is in love with. Both shared time in their youth together with their friend Kizuki, who commited suizid.
Naoko suffers, like many other persons in the book, from a psychic disease.
Murakami tackles problems in the Japanese society not directly, I would say. Instead its more in the subcontext. The characters mainly focus on themselve and often act in a egoistic manner. Futhermore, many people gave up their lifes in the book in one way or another. Often it is not really clear why they choosed to do so. Instead the persons personal story give a hint which circumstances and influences from the outer and inner world led to that decision.

Résumé:
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For me it is a story about growing about. Breaking free from inner and outer boundraries and the courage that is needed to risk living our life. The Novel has a lot a themes like music and a very nice story telling rythm. I would recommend it :)

hiepph reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

My 3rd time read and still counting! The way Murakami depicts the entire society of Japan late 1960s through his characters is amazing: quiet and solitary Watanabe, depressed and traumatized Naoko, hurt but accepted Reiko, free-living spirit Midori (oh how much I love her), ambitious and arrogant Nagasawa, strange cleanliness and habit of Stormtrooper, etc. The novel seems so depressing at first since death and struggles exist everywhere. But in that moment life, love and hope appear from the dark.
"Hey, there, Kizuki, I thought. Unlike you, I've chosen to live - and to live the best I know how... I'm going to mature. I'm going to be an adult. Because that's what I have to do. I always used to think I'd like to stay 17 or 18 if I could. But not anymore. I'm not a teenager anymore... I'm 20 now. And I have to pay the price …

foxm reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I just finished reading. I have very few words to talk about how this book makes me feel. It is a great feeling, though. A reflection of many sides of life, and death. Full of feelings and thoughts that, as always with Murakami, leave you wondering about why your life is so full of miracles but it is always a struggle to find them. Definitively deserves a second reading

franksbooks reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

That bit where you finish a Marukami and begin a three week period of figuring out all the hidden meanings and metaphors he's used. And even if, as claimed by the author, this was a 'straight' book, there's still that feeling of more to discover. Like did he ever figure out that Chivas Regal is, in fact, not great whiskey?

Pentapod reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A sad, thoughtful coming of age story from the point of view of a Japanese teenage boy. The author was recommended to me so I picked up this book to try. It's beautifully written, and reminded me a bit of Catcher In The Rye, but ultimately didn't really grab me. Still, an interesting read and I can see why the author is popular. Just not my style, I guess.

drizzy reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Very, very readable. Probably most erotic book I've ever read :-) Extremely unexpected twists, and few really really depressing parts.Those parts made me think about life, death and everything in between. How happiness is really fragile and we are constantly balancing on the edge of dark, deep well about to fall down. One way or the other, well worth reading.

nekokat reviewed Norwegian Wood by Jay Rubin

Review of 'Norwegian Wood' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Wonderful. By far the best Murakami book I've read so far (though some of his short stories are definitely this good).

It was apparently a disappointment to fans because it lacks much of his signature surreality. However, I found its relative simplicity and straightforward nature suited the story perfectly.

Murakami's characters are extraordinary and his descriptive, understated style is captivating.

This story affected me deeply. It's an odd thing to say, but it seems to me that if I ever was to write a novel, it would be something like this one (in story and tone -- I wouldn't presume to think I'd ever be his equal in mastery).

It made me nostalgic for that time in teenager-hood when love is one of the great mysteries.