I can say that I really like the books that tell the whole life of a character. It makes me connect with him and be able to empathize.

And this case is no exception. I think the protagonist is a very real character. His problems and actions are what give him life. Even the secondary characters felt the same way, although a few did have a forced personality, like one or two.

My problem with the book was the unnecessary scenes. Yes, there were some that were good and made the story not become boring sometimes, but there were indeed some extras. But well, I don't know how the relationships are in Tokyo, and if they are like in this book, I will be surprised.

I think the best part of this book is when the protagonist has dilemmas or when he is in his "relationship problems".

It is narrated in the first person, which gives an extra plus to the story.

I liked the story. Maybe I will read another book by Murakami to really know what his style is like.

Overall, this book had its strengths and weaknesses. The realness of the characters was a definite plus, but the unnecessary scenes detracted a bit from the overall experience. However, I'm still curious to explore more of Murakami's works to see if his style continues to appeal to me.

I'm looking forward to delving into another one of his books and seeing how it compares to this one. Maybe the next one will be even better and will truly capture my heart.

Who knows what kind of adventures and emotions I'll encounter in the pages of another Murakami novel? Only time will tell.

I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to get out of this book apart from gross descriptions of sex.

As I read through this work, I find myself constantly put off by the excessive and rather unappealing details of sexual encounters.

The image provided seems to accurately capture my actual reaction to most of this book.

As far as I can tell, this book is about several things.

First, there's Toru who just can't seem to keep his desires in check. When Midori expresses her wish to lie down with him, his response is quite concerning. He says, "If I go to bed with a girl, I'm going to want to do it with her, and I sure as hell don't want to lie there struggling to restrain myself. I'm not kidding, I might end up forcing you." How am I supposed to sympathize with him when he makes such remarks?

Moreover, it seems that every female character in this book has some sort of sexual connection with Toru. It's almost as if the author is trying to make a point about Toru's sexual prowess, but it just comes across as excessive and tiresome.

Then there's Toru wallowing in his self-pity because he can't have sex with the girl he truly wants. He also spends a lot of time getting wasted, which doesn't really add much to the story.

Midori is presented as being oh-so-quirky and edgy, but in reality, she comes across as really petty.

Naoko, on the other hand, has no real personality apart from being Toru's love interest and being mentally ill.

Overall, this book was definitely not to my taste, to say the least.

I found myself struggling to get through it and was left feeling disappointed and unfulfilled.

I'm not sure if others will have the same reaction, but for me, this book was a definite miss.

This is the first book I've read by Murakami. I expected a lot more. There seemed to be far too many deaths and too much sex bordering on the senseless. Everything felt very implausible. I don't know if the author never leaves his house or if Eastern culture is much more different from ours than I thought, but Murakami, what happens in your book doesn't happen in reality. The story never seemed believable to me.

The only part that I liked and enjoyed was only the penultimate chapter, which was the only part where the author managed to break something inside me. Just that. Because the rest, to be honest, is ridiculous.

I had high hopes for this book, especially considering Murakami's reputation. However, I was left disappointed. The excessive use of certain elements detracted from the overall quality of the story. It felt like the author was trying too hard to create a unique and shocking narrative, but in doing so, he lost touch with what could have been a more engaging and relatable plot.

Maybe I'm just not the right audience for this type of literature, or perhaps I need to read more of Murakami's works to truly understand his style and message. But for now, this book has left me with a rather negative impression.

Pain is a complex and paradoxical feeling that can be both sobering and intoxicating.

At first, the initial shock of pain jolts and slaps us, demanding our immediate attention and acknowledgment. It is a force that cannot be ignored, leaving us stunned and vulnerable.

However, as pain persists, it begins to have a different effect. It inebriates us, clouding our minds and transforming our world into a hazy state where nothing else seems to exist.

We become so consumed by pain that we are rendered incapable of performing even the most basic functions. It is a slow bleed, a devastating experience that takes hold of us regardless of who we are.

It doesn't discriminate between the strong and the weak, the beautiful and the scarred. It lurks in the background, waiting to enshroud its next victim unaware.

Tragically, for Naoko, Kizuki, and Toru in Norwegian Wood, this phantom of pain enveloped them at a young age, suffocating their already fragile transition to adulthood.

Toru, the last of the three friends untouched by this excruciating darkness, clings to Naoko, who is slowly drifting towards oblivion.

He is a boy-man smitten with this still girl who is so closely in tune with her own death. But loving someone who has barely any self to love is a difficult task.

Does one love the shell or the memories of who she used to be? Facing this dilemma, Toru meets Midori, a troubled yet upbeat girl who clings to life with her bright personality.

He finds himself drawn to her, and thus is confronted with the choice between the lifeless girl he loves and the tough yet struggling girl he is attracted to.

Norwegian Wood is a story of people broken by pain, a story that highlights the human condition of depression, alienation, and loneliness.

It is a work that shows us that sometimes, there is no hope, that life can be unfair, sorrowful, and surreal.

But even in the face of such hopelessness, we can still remember, we can still hope, and maybe, just maybe, things will get better.

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
Norwegian Wood ~~ Haruki Murakami

WOW ~~ what a truly remarkable read Murakami's Norwegian Wood is! I was completely captivated by this book. Even without the presence of the奇幻元素 that are often associated with Murakami, such as talking cats, hollow earth monsters, and dimensional shifting characters, Norwegian Wood is still a magical and enchanting story. What makes it even better is that we still get those wonderful Murakami flourishes, like references to The Beatles (obviously), allusions to THE GREAT GATSBY, a character or two with uniquely large penises, and cats of the non-talking variety.

RANDOM THOUGHT 1: It's truly brilliant how Murakami builds and structures an entire novel around just two lines from a lyric ~~
I once had a girl
Or should I say she once had me

After reading numerous reviews here, I believe my perspective on Norwegian Wood is quite distinct from that of most readers. This is Toru's story from beginning to end. It's not the story of the love affair between Toru and Naoko, as many claim. Naoko is a supporting character in Toru's journey, just like Midori, Kizuki, Nagasawa, and Reiko. I understand the allure of Naoko, the doomed heroine we wish we could save, but she is not the core of this story. The essence of this story lies with Toru ~~ we all wish we had a Toru in our lives. It is his journey that we are embarking upon.

RANDOM THOUGHT 2: Norwegian Wood can be seen as Murakami's homage to THE GREAT GATSBY, with Toru cast in the role of Nick Carraway. This makes the other characters loosely cast as well ~~ Naoko as Daisy Buchanan, Kizuki as Jay Gatsby, Midori as Jordan Baker, Nagasawa as Tom Buchanan, and Reiko as Myrtle Wilson. It may not seem obvious at first, but upon closer examination, it becomes clear that there are many parallels between the two works.

OK ~~ let's move on to a more in-depth review.

“What happens when people open their hearts?\\"
\\"They get better.”
Haruki Murakami ~~ Norwegian Wood

I found Norwegian Wood to be a beautifully optimistic book in the end, although the journey to get there was often painful. It is a wonderful book filled with some of Murakami's most exquisite prose. Our hero, Toru Wanatebe, is a charming, honest, and straightforward young man. He is perhaps Murakami's most relatable lead character in all of his books. Toru is wise beyond his years, a deep thinker, and a lover of classic literature such as Mann, Fitzgerald, and Hemingway. However, he is also very messed up.

The story is told from Toru's perspective, and it's important to note that Norwegian Wood is the story of Toru's journey into adulthood. It's not just a love story between Toru and Naoko. To reduce it to that would limit the depth and complexity of what Murakami has achieved ~~ and what he has achieved is truly brilliant. Toru moves to Tokyo to study at university because he wants to escape from a difficult event ~~ the suicide of his best friend, Kizuki. Kizuki's death has had a profound impact on Toru, and the only way he can move forward is to leave his past behind.

Naoko, the girlfriend of Kizuki, also comes to Tokyo for the same reason. One day, they have a chance encounter, and they begin to spend time together. Toru is in love with Naoko, but Naoko is unable to love him back. She is broken, filled with a darkness that no one can penetrate. She is not fighting demons; she is the demon. Midori enters the picture, and she is the complete opposite of Naoko ~~ fun, vivacious, and full of life. However, like everyone else in this story, Midori is also broken in her own way. She falls in love with Toru, but the path to love is full of obstacles. They both struggle to come to terms with their inner demons in a world that is built upon passion, grief, sex, denial, friendships, and death ~~ lots of death.

Toru is increasingly torn between what he feels is his duty to Naoko and his growing feelings for Midori. The problem is that Naoko is incapable of love. She has never been able to love anyone, and we never learn the reason for Kizuki's suicide, but I believe it may be related to Naoko's inability to love him. Kizuki was devoted to Naoko his entire life, but at 17, he may have realized that the love he felt was not reciprocated and never would be. To Naoko, their relationship was just a game. She plays games with the emotions of those who love her, including Toru. Even her relationship with Reiko is based on these games she plays.

Naoko is beyond repair, and she knows it. Yet, she continues to play games with Toru, leading him to believe that she desires him when in fact it's all just a charade. There is always the shadow of Kizuki looming over them, a ghost that still haunts Naoko. And then there is Midori, who loves Toru and is available to him emotionally in a way that Naoko will never be. She is not looking for a savior; in fact, she may be the one who can save Toru. But Toru is unable to commit to her. He is frozen, trapped in his indecision. It is this indecision that leads him to a life filled with drinking, casual sex, uneasy friendships, forced isolation, regret, and melancholia. As I said before, Toru is really messed up.

Murakami, while exploring themes of death, love, and disconnectedness, does not neglect the details of Toru's day-to-day life as a university student. We follow Toru to his classes, his part-time jobs, and his nights out drinking at clubs with his only male friend, Nagasawa. We experience his forays into casual sex and hookups, and his struggle to relate to the world around him. We feel the pressures on him to make choices at a young age. I really loved Toru and wanted him to be my friend, but I was also frustrated with the poor choices he made along the way.

Now, let's talk about that ending. Many readers have complained about the vagueness of the ending, but I actually think it was one of Murakami's clearest endings. Throughout Norwegian Wood, Toru has always defined himself in relation to the people around him. He has never been able to see himself as an individual apart from them. He says that he is nothing special, that he has no unique skills. He even describes his penis as ordinary. He is always the third wheel in his relationships, whether it's with Kizuki and Naoko, Naoko and Reiko, or Nagasawa and Hatsumi. He tells stories about his roommate to impress people, but he never really reveals much about himself. Toru has based his life on his perceived responsibility to be Naoko's emotional stability. But with her gone, he suddenly has no purpose. The one thing he has been living for is no longer there, and now he has to choose to move forward with his life as himself, not as Kizuki's friend, not as Naoko's lover, but as Toru. For the first time in his life, he has to navigate the world on his own. It must be both liberating and terrifying for him to be free from the past. The subtlety of the ending perfectly captures the delicacy and elusiveness of this story of youth. Murakami doesn't dwell on the emotions but allows us to feel Toru's confusion and uncertainty as he stands at the crossroads of his life. The plot may seem deceptively simple, but the writing is so beautiful that the result is surprisingly moving.

In conclusion, Norwegian Wood is a book that you can't help but love. Murakami wins the reader over with his abundant charm, his evocative portrayal of youth, and a story that we can all relate to. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

**"Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami: A Captivating Tale**

Norwegian Wood is a melancholic novel that Haruki Murakami, the renowned Japanese author, has written in a realistic style.

First of all, I would like to state that it doesn't matter which translation of the book you choose to read because this book has been censored to such an extent that reading it in Persian has no (I emphasize no) value. After reading Kafka on the Shore, I knew how Murakami's works were censored and I was prepared to face it. At first, for the sake of exploration, I started reading the translation by Mr. Mehdi Gabraei. As I had written on this website before, the money that publishers and translators receive for such works is nothing but illegal earnings.

Therefore, I put the book aside and finished reading it with the English version. I recommend to you dear friends, just like Kafka on the Shore, that either you go for the English version from the beginning or if you want to read it in Persian, go ahead with the text in English along with a dictionary so that you don't miss anything because almost every few pages, a part of the book has been either deleted or distorted in the most absurd way possible.

The name of this novel is taken from the name of a famous Turkish music called Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) from the album Rubber Soul written by John Lennon and performed by the music group The Beatles, and each of the characters in the story has a special connection with it. At the beginning of the novel, the first character of the story hears this Turkish music at the Hamburg airport and unconsciously takes himself and us to his past and immerses us until the end.

This novel tells the story of the life of a young man named Toru Watanabe. He has two friends named Naoko and Kizuki who have grown up together since childhood and now have a relationship with each other and have formed a three-person friendship team and are always together.

I, according to the rule, never make any reference, even brief and short, to the text inside the book in my reviews. Therefore, I only refer to the notable details.

This novel tells the story of the lives of young Japanese people in Tokyo in the 1960s when there was an upheaval and they were looking for extensive changes.

Norwegian Wood is by no means just an ordinary love novel. So many details of the events of that era are described one by one by the author that at first glance, we might even think that these descriptions are the story of Murakami's own life!

In this melancholic novel where the theme of suicide is also vivid, we encounter the entanglements of the young characters in the face of love and relationships and after losing it.

There are also other characters in this book, the most famous of which are Nagasawa, one of Watanabe's roommates in the dormitory, Midori, one of Watanabe's loves, and also Reiko, Naoko's roommate, who was my favorite character in the book and when a story about her past was told, it was one of the excellent parts of this novel.

As we know, if we put aside Murakami's short stories, we can divide his novels into two categories of realism and magical realism. Therefore, if Kafka on the Shore is the best choice and the most popular work of his magical realism, this novel is also the most popular work of his realism. And if you don't have an interest in Murakami's open-ended and full of mystery and ambiguity novels, you can start this part of his works by reading this book and enjoy it.

I give this novel 5 stars without any hesitation and embarrassment and recommend it to all my friends.

---------------------------------

Today, on the 24th of Khordad, 1400, the above review, after being favored by my friends again, was revised due to several misspellings.

Haruki Murakami, the art of transforming the ordinary into the amazing. He is a renowned Japanese author whose works have captivated readers around the world. Murakami has a unique writing style that combines elements of realism and fantasy, creating a world that is both familiar and strange. His stories often explore themes such as love, loss, identity, and the search for meaning in life. Through his vivid descriptions and engaging characters, he invites readers to step into his fictional universe and experience the extraordinary. Whether it's a lonely protagonist finding connection in the most unexpected places or a mysterious event that changes someone's life forever, Murakami's writing has the power to transport us to another world and make us see the ordinary in a whole new light.

I began reading this book in February. However, I felt the timing wasn't quite right, and there wasn't that click. I stopped at 20%, as I found all the sex talk, alcoholism, and suicides rather strange.

Fast forward to June, and my friend said she was reading it and insisted I should give it a try before completely discarding it. I wanted to have a valid reason to defend myself when telling my group of friends why I didn't like this book (he is extremely popular among my friends).

In his unique way, Murakami delves into the Japan of the late 60s and early 70s through the eyes of Toru Watanabe, a student at a Japanese university. This beautiful coming-of-age story analyzes the love triangle of Toru, Naoko, and Midori. While Toru and Naoko were connected by the death of their close friend Kizhuki (Naoko and Kizuki were childhood sweethearts), Midori was someone Toru met during his university days and became deeply attached to. These three characters embody devotion, heartbreak, love, regret, loss, emptiness, madness, self-pity (at times), and hope.

Although the story is told from Toru's point of view, it was the girls, Naoko and Midori, who captured my heart. Both girls represent the extreme ends of the spectrum. Naoko, despite having everything, portrays the downfall of life, while Midori, after a difficult childhood and teen years, shines like a bright ray of hope. And it was an amazing experience to live these two lives through Toru. It gave me goosebumps.

Murakami also skillfully depicts the modernization of Japan and the impact of the West on Japan during those days. The younger generation simply wanted to break free from the old culture and immerse themselves in this new and fast-paced way of life, where relationships had a shorter lifespan than the ripples on water. Depression, unhappiness, and anxiety were driving people insane and ultimately leading to the end of their lives.

It was an emotional roller coaster ride that I believe everyone should experience at least once.

I was completely spellbound by this captivating novel that delves into the coming of age of a young man in the 1960s and his quest for connection.

Toru Watanabe, a solemn young man attending university in Tokyo, endeavors to make sense of the world and his place within it. His focus lies on his relationships with two young women: Naoku, a girl he knew in high school when he was part of a friendship triangle with her and the more charming Kizuku, who committed suicide but still lingers as an invisible thread binding them; and Midori, an outspoken, high-spirited girl whose presence on the page is an absolute delight.

In fact, both girls embody very much the '60s archetypes - the beautiful, mournful, haunted girl and the zany, fun-loving one who infuses life into a room. There is also the jaded rich boy on his path to becoming a master of the universe, who takes Watanabe under his wing.

All the characterizations in this book are magnificent and highly specific, the people seem to leap right off the page at you. Murakami flawlessly captures the searching young person - how everything becomes an object of intense contemplation, and 'how to be' is a matter of urgency. The way literature and music are so integral to his young seeker's life.

But what I most admire is how the novelist weaves the tale. It's a very dialogues-heavy novel, with a lot of storytelling by the characters, and yet it's all incredibly effective and engaging. Not much "happens" in a Murakami novel, but relationships and the internal life are exquisitely and accurately portrayed. I'm constantly amazed by his remarkable skill in being able to pinpoint the most fleeting impressions with such precision.

It’s been almost nine years, but my thoughts haven’t changed much. I still have a deep love for Murakami, just not for that particular version of his work. This is indeed the horniest Murakami book I’ve ever come across.

In 2015, I had this review:

Let's get one thing straight right from the start. Haruki Murakami is an outstanding writer. He has the ability to write about the most ordinary things, like observing paint drying on the wall, staring at a pot of water waiting to boil, or watching the hands of a clock turn while patiently waiting at the doctor's office. And I would devour it all because he would describe these mundane events in the most beautiful way. He can make a simple walk down a crowded street utterly captivating and turn ordinary conversations about movies and books into thrilling experiences.

However, there is just an excessive amount of sex in this book. Maybe it's due to the translation, but it all feels so clinical and professional, similar to how a doctor might discuss it or how your junior high teacher would talk about it. Every such scene just felt awkward, and they seemed to go on and on. Then, there's the end of the book. Oh, those last few pages. That particular scene. I saw it coming right in the middle of the book, but I didn't want it to happen that way, and I wasn't sure why it had to go there.

So, that's really the only thing that bothered me about this book. Nevertheless, I still have a strong desire to read everything this guy has written. I just hope that not all of his books are filled with awkwardly written sexual situations involving college kids. I think I'd much rather read his perspective on something as simple as paint drying.

Don't worry, it's only death. Don't let it bother you.

As I was reading the last page of Norwegian Wood and the book slowly came to an end, I suddenly realised I was not ready to be finished with it. Do you know that scent, the one of rotten fruit? It's sweet in a sickening way, and leaves you feeling hazy and slightly nauseous, as if you just want to turn your head away and take a few steps back. Somehow, this is how this book left me feeling. Uneasy.

This is the first book I've ever read by Murakami. I've read some Japanese literature before, but this is the first time I read it with the purpose of educating myself on it. I know that he's famous for his magical realism and dreamlike atmospheres, and while Norwegian Wood does have a peculiar feeling to it, it is still realistic fiction.

Norwegian Wood is a coming of age story. Watanabe Tooru is a university student in Tokyo. His best friend, Kizuki, killed himself when he was seventeen, leaving behind Watanabe and his girlfriend, Naoko. Somehow, Watanabe and Naoko meet again and fall in love, but Naoko's mind is in pieces. Sometimes, I wondered if Watanabe's was any different.

Watanabe tries to go on with his life. He has his own way of doing things and surrounds himself with peculiar characters. His friend Nagasawa experiences life very differently. My favorite character, though, is Midori. She is lively and sad, childish and wise.

Ultimately, Norwegian Wood is a book about death. Watanabe never fully gets over Kizuki's suicide, and there is a gloomy shadow over him. The pain of losing a loved one never goes away. Time doesn't heal your wounds; you just have to learn to live with the scars.

I'm not sure how I feel about Norwegian Wood. The writing is beautiful and poetic, the pacing is slow and comforting in its sadness, and the story unfolds into an inevitable ending full of symbolism and uncertainty. It left me unsettled, and I want to understand more, to experience more. But still, that sickening sweetness lingers, reminding me of funerals and goodbye.

I will never be able to fault Murakami's style. His writing is truly unique and has a certain charm that keeps readers engaged. However, God, I hate his writing. It is just so disappointing. This book had beautiful moments of atmospheric prose. The descriptions were vivid and painted a picture in my mind. But the content was so slimy and seedy. It was filled with inappropriate and uncomfortable themes that made me feel like I need a bath. And Murakami has no idea how to write women. His female characters are often one-dimensional and lack depth. They are either overly sexualized or simply there to serve as a plot device. It's really quite frustrating. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book.