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A review by misshoneybug
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
5.0
"'What makes us most normal', said Reiko, 'is knowing that we're not normal'"
(Couldn't write this review right away, I needed to let the emotions settle down first... )
The story is told by Toru Watanabe as a reminiscence of his past, starting from when he was 17 years old (Tokyo, 1960's). Watanabe is a semi transparent character that lets us see more about the people he interacts with than about himself. The story focuses mainly on his friendships, romances and sexual endeavors, a coming-of-age wrapped in existentialistic struggles, mostly by those around him. There are also plenty of references about other books and songs.
This is a story enjoyable not because of an original plot or unexpected turn of events, but because it takes you on an emotional trip. The characters constantly deal with their need for love and belonging, impermanence of life, tragedy and the struggle to find their place in a world that rejects and alienates them. The story is slow peaced, sometimes even dream like. The description of the scenery helps to set the mood of the story really well.
For me, the awesome part of this book is that it doesn't directly tell you what the characters feel but it evokes them in you. You experience their feelings by looking at the world through their eyes. You wont read that someone is depressed, instead it will tell you that the sky is gray, there is nothing to do outside and he cant even do laundry because of the rain, he is alone on a weekend.... you get that image in your head and can relate to the situation and the feelings it evokes: feeling down and wanting for that day to be over. You know how the character most be feeling because you are feeling it, not because it was said to you.
Trigger warning: if you are feeling depressed, lonely and highly sensitive, better not read this book. It is melancholic and portraits the tribulations of suicidal people in a close and accurate perspective.
(Couldn't write this review right away, I needed to let the emotions settle down first... )
The story is told by Toru Watanabe as a reminiscence of his past, starting from when he was 17 years old (Tokyo, 1960's). Watanabe is a semi transparent character that lets us see more about the people he interacts with than about himself. The story focuses mainly on his friendships, romances and sexual endeavors, a coming-of-age wrapped in existentialistic struggles, mostly by those around him. There are also plenty of references about other books and songs.
This is a story enjoyable not because of an original plot or unexpected turn of events, but because it takes you on an emotional trip. The characters constantly deal with their need for love and belonging, impermanence of life, tragedy and the struggle to find their place in a world that rejects and alienates them. The story is slow peaced, sometimes even dream like. The description of the scenery helps to set the mood of the story really well.
For me, the awesome part of this book is that it doesn't directly tell you what the characters feel but it evokes them in you. You experience their feelings by looking at the world through their eyes. You wont read that someone is depressed, instead it will tell you that the sky is gray, there is nothing to do outside and he cant even do laundry because of the rain, he is alone on a weekend.... you get that image in your head and can relate to the situation and the feelings it evokes: feeling down and wanting for that day to be over. You know how the character most be feeling because you are feeling it, not because it was said to you.
Trigger warning: if you are feeling depressed, lonely and highly sensitive, better not read this book. It is melancholic and portraits the tribulations of suicidal people in a close and accurate perspective.