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bbrassfield's review against another edition
5.0
I have been reading a lot of Murakami of late. I love his work and to my mind he is the most interesting novelist writing today in any language. Even his nonfiction is compelling but that is a review for another day. I made a slow start of Norwegian Wood. I actually began reading it before the author's latest opus, 1Q84, was released this past October, and unlike most of his work, I was not taken right away with Norwegian Wood. To say that I am surprised then to find Norwegian Wood is Murakami's heart-wrenching novel takes me, well, by surprise, but it is and I have read all of his novels, save for the Wild Sheep Chase, which is still ongoing. Norwegian Wood is a love story, or actually three love stories rolled into one rather linear narrative, at least by this author's standards. Norwegian Wood is also a sad tale, though perhaps not ultimately so, and the excellent writing takes the reader well into the minds and hearts of the characters as they navigate through very difficult emotional terrain. Norwegian Wood might be Haruki Murakami's most emotionally engaging work, either because it is less fantastical in scope than some of his later works (Wind-Up Bird, Kafka on the Shore, 1Q84, Sputnik) or because his earlier self wrote more straightforward prose. I am unsure which and some readers may well disagree. Several things are for certain, in a Murakmi novel one is bound to encounter complex human emotion, a cat or two (sometimes they even talk), lots of sex (occasionally inter-dimensional) a suicide or three and excellent descriptions of food and music. In fact, it has always been the fantastical elements of Murakami's novels I have enjoyed the most because when it comes right down to it I am a Science Fiction and Fantasy geek (notice the caps), but what Norwegian Wood offers is a complex love story involving several well developed characters, a story that in its relative simplicity touches readers in a way no other Murkami novel does. Sure there are overtures to Thomas Mann's great work The Magic Mountain as Murakami has the central male character reading Mann's work as he just so happens to be on a voyage to a mountain sanitarium but Norwegian Wood does not have any of Mann's history and critique of his region's history wrapped into it. Norwegian Wood is first and foremost a very touching love story and on this level it succeeds marvelously.
matthew_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
sanny2005's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
sfi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
drushtii's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a lot of time to read this book but i guess it was worth it. Firstly, whenever i was reading this book I was like fully inside it. I love the writing. Tho I must admit murakami’s portrayal of women is kinda questionable like wtf is that. I am willing to overlook it while rating this book because I loved the story but yeah that remains a concern of mine as I am yet to read his other books.
garethreads's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
paigiey's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
matthewreadsstuff's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0