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Summary: Murakami's finest work
Review: This poetic, earlier novel by Murakami is also his most stark, humorous and romantic work. It is only a shame this book is out of print and likewise very hard to attain. Containing some of his most memorable lines and characters, this highly allegorical novel take hold in the heart much like a love would, tracing the development of one of the author's most fully realized character through his college years. Haunting, profound and more romanctic than his other work, this novel, not unlike the Beatles song of the same name, demands attention and thought - it is truly a beautiful and rare work.
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Summary: A book of the sorrowness of youth.
Review: written in beautiful language
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Summary: A hyper-real experience
Review: It's a feeling most difficult to capture in words. It seems realistic, but as much as we would like to dream, life just doesn't happen this way. It's a series of exciting mundane highlights following one after another non-stop. The storyline carries through by coming to terms with loss of a sanctual centerpiece of the self. The protagonist ultimately identifies and falls in love with the driving force behind the unmasked concept of "love" during a very troubled era in Japan.
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Summary: Fabulous, Dark, Mundane, and Extraordinary!
Review: As one who lived in Japan for ten years, I can't remember how I came across this book, nor can I pinpoint exactly what makes this book so outstanding. Perhaps "haunting" would be a fitting adjective. Once finished, the reader is left with a feeling of melancholy, and caught up in the main character of the story. As always, Mr. Murakami's characters are extremely believable, fascinating, and reaffirms the fact that regardless of nation or culture, people are basically the same, the world over, and all wrestle with the same set of existential dilemmas
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Summary: Beauty incarnate, carefully hidden.
Review: I can never fully explain to people why I like this book so much...there's just something about Murakami's style that makes his philosophizing about the nuances of life seem simultaneously unpretentious and universially true. The book deals with basically normal people who have been skewed by their circumstances, to the point where the reader can identify perfectly with the characters. Once again, I am unable to capture the subtle brilliance of this book, but it should be hunted down at all costs. Japan's "A Catcher in the Rye"
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Summary: The reality and intimacy of the characters - just magic
Review: I appreciate Murakami's wonderful ability to create such real characters, to whom you become so drawn to. At times, it's difficult to read Toru's real hope to set up house with his first love, but you can always feel that this will be an unrealised hope. Even those characters in Norwegian Wood that you never warm to (and I think most can easily name one in this novel)are necessary for the lessons that Toru learns throughout the novel.
Even though Norwegian Wood is a novel that looks at so many things like loss, unrequited love, relationships, there are many moments filled with humour, hope, and the promise of new beginnings.
Love the J. Rubin translation. Well done Mr Rubin!
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Summary: "Just a Love Story"
Review: In number9dream, David Mitchell as much as admits that Norwegian Wood was the inspiration for his novel. I can see why. This postmodern coming-of-age novel is probably the most powerful and elegantly told novel of its kind short of The Catcher in the Rye. Major themes include death, isolation, and absence, but also devotion and love. It may be "just a love story" as some complain, but it is the most interesting and fascinating love story and coming of age story I have ever read. I love this book.
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Summary: The Bird Has Flown
Review: Norwegian Wood tells the story of Toru, a 20-ish University student living in Tokyo. Toru is devoted to Naoko, the girlfriend of his deceased best friend. Toru and Naoko find each other in Tokoyo a year or so after the death of their friend. They are both lonely, living in a big new city, trying to make a new start of a life tainted by loss. They need each other and on Naoko's birthday their emotional need turns to physical need and desire. Their happiness together is short lived, as Naoko's feelings of confusion drive her to check into a facility where Naoko is able to retreat further into herself.Meanwhile, back in Tokyo Toru meets Midori. She cooks for him and becomes the friend he didn't have and the friend he desperatley needed. As the story continues Toru finds himself drawn more and more to Midori, yet he can't escape the loyalty and love he has for Naoko. This is a story of finding yourself and what you need. It's a story of loyalty, of love, of guilt, of pleasure. The pleasure it gives to the reader is unavoidable, the language it uses is lovely and makes you feel each emotion Toru experiences as if it were you experiencing it. Title after a Beatle song full of emotion, this book more than lives up to the high standard it's title gives.
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Summary: Better than Anna Karenina
Review: The best love story I have ever read. All of Murakami's works are excellent but this is his best. If you haven't read him then buy this book now - excellent - you will not put it down until you are down with it. Don't get me wrong Anna Karenina is a great novel and a classic by any degree but this novel is just a little better.
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