Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

107 reviews

dedavond's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Death, Suicide, and Alcohol

plantainicus's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

You get a Murakami sex scene jump scare every few scenes here. I love how the dynamics and personalities of the characters are presented and how a story forms from their interactions. I love how tiny aspects of characters are explored to guide the plot. I found this book sad, but not as sad as it’s been presented to me. Solid 4/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism

cyborg_rei's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Alcohol

kathleendayle's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Has none of the magical realism I go to Murakami for. The story itself was okay, but dreary. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, and Alcohol

ur_moms_fav_child's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

evilstrawberry's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Infidelity and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual violence

drought_season's review against another edition

emotional funny sad fast-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Toxic relationship

zachport06's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual content

Minor: Pedophilia

bella613's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.5

I like the way Murakami writes, as if he must tell a story that really happened and not as if he's creating one. 
I didn't love this book the way I loved Killing Commendatore. It was not quite what I expected, especially after hearing it was this book that exploded Murakami into fame. But I did connect with it. As it is with Murakami, there are some uncomfortable sections of the book. But there are some uncomfortable moments in life, so... it's sort of beautiful that he captures it so intensely? 

I found myself most drawn to Naoko in this story. Midori as a character is someone I would probably not enjoy spending time with in real life, but added to the story in a mostly positive way. I didn't like Toru much in the same way that one might not like oneself. Listening from his pov felt like looking back on one's own life and seeing all the flaws and mistakes and self-centered choices that were made. But he was very real. That's one thing I also love about Murakami: his main characters feel undeniably real. He's not great at writing women, but since he usually writes from a male ego perspective, this doesn't bother me nearly as much as it seems to bother others. Read any contemporary romance and you'll see that most women are terrible at writing men, too. 

My favorite part of the book was probably the long letter describing the sanatorium and the following visit to the sanatorium.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

abril6's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol