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A review by stanleythrewbricks
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
4.0
Another slow-starter (I’m starting to think this is a me thing) and an incredibly odd book, nevertheless I really enjoyed it. Despite all its flaws, and believe me there were many, I would still definitely recommend this book.
Let’s start with the cons. Every single character was awful and had zero redeeming qualities. The main character was a selfish individual who only ever acted out of his own wants and desires, lying to the reader and the other characters throughout. The main female characters, Naoko and Midori, were just as awful, the former being portrayed by a wooden plank throughout and the latter being the dictionary definition of a pick me girl. Characters aside, the author himself is clearly also a questionable individual, using this book to fulfil his perverted sexual fantasies and fetishes.
Despite these drawbacks, the book has somehow managed to land the title of a very good book, in my eyes at least. The storyline is very compelling, similar to the Catcher in the Rye in the sense that it is also a Bildungsroman; meaning it follows an important experience in the young protagonist’s life during the transition between adolescence and adulthood. Murakami is clearly a talented author, disguising the themes amid a seemingly random ramble of strange events. I won’t say anymore as god forbid I spoil the plot, but I would like to finish by saying that I look forward to reading this again in the future from a new perspective with the ending in mind.
4 stars.
Bonus point: there’s a cat in it called seagull.
Let’s start with the cons. Every single character was awful and had zero redeeming qualities. The main character was a selfish individual who only ever acted out of his own wants and desires, lying to the reader and the other characters throughout. The main female characters, Naoko and Midori, were just as awful, the former being portrayed by a wooden plank throughout and the latter being the dictionary definition of a pick me girl. Characters aside, the author himself is clearly also a questionable individual, using this book to fulfil his perverted sexual fantasies and fetishes.
Despite these drawbacks, the book has somehow managed to land the title of a very good book, in my eyes at least. The storyline is very compelling, similar to the Catcher in the Rye in the sense that it is also a Bildungsroman; meaning it follows an important experience in the young protagonist’s life during the transition between adolescence and adulthood. Murakami is clearly a talented author, disguising the themes amid a seemingly random ramble of strange events. I won’t say anymore as god forbid I spoil the plot, but I would like to finish by saying that I look forward to reading this again in the future from a new perspective with the ending in mind.
4 stars.
Bonus point: there’s a cat in it called seagull.