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emurph09's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
julianeedscaffeine's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I enjoyed the style of writing and sometimes found the book to be touching. Depiction of women grossed me out a bit. Not life changing but a good, thoughtful novel.
moonchildkati's review
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kitkat962's review against another edition
4.0
Re-reading Norwegian Wood in the time of loss and uncertainty, of youth and growth. I maybe years older, but the fear of growing up gets me every time
"Time itself slogged along in rhythm with my faltering step. The people around me had gone ahead long before, while my time and I hung back, struggling through the mud"
"Despite your best efforts, people are going to be hurt when it's time for them to be hurt"
"Time itself slogged along in rhythm with my faltering step. The people around me had gone ahead long before, while my time and I hung back, struggling through the mud"
"Despite your best efforts, people are going to be hurt when it's time for them to be hurt"
soupgirl9's review against another edition
3.0
men stop writing lesbians as predators challenge level impossible! i love murakami but some things i can’t get past
erica_cronje's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Needless to say , this was not what i expected. Everyone i know has mentioned how 'great' this book is, and i knew going into this that Murakami is not the best at writing women, but . . .i still didn't expect this.
Maybe i am absolutely missing the point, or the true meaning or maybe i am not reading into everything but i did not enjoy the majority of this book. The only reason i gave this 3 stars were the few good writing scenes and could sometimes address grief and the grieving process really well. But let's get into everything.
The writing style is very easy to read, nothing is over complicated and everything flowed easy into each other. There are some very descriptive sentences, usually in reference to an emotional experience. There were also some beautiful ideas and descriptions regarding death and how the death can affect those around the person.
Maybe i am absolutely missing the point, or the true meaning or maybe i am not reading into everything but i did not enjoy the majority of this book. The only reason i gave this 3 stars were the few good writing scenes and could sometimes address grief and the grieving process really well. But let's get into everything.
The writing style is very easy to read, nothing is over complicated and everything flowed easy into each other. There are some very descriptive sentences, usually in reference to an emotional experience. There were also some beautiful ideas and descriptions regarding death and how the death can affect those around the person.
The hand of death is bound to take us, I had felt, but until the day it reaches for us, it leaves us alone. That had seemed to me the simple, logical truth. Life is here, and death is over there.
Death in that place was not a decisive element that brought life to an end. There, death was but one of many elements comprising life.
The freaking characters all felt like they were Manic Pixie Dream Girls and i could not stand any of them. The main character is supposed to be this charismatic speaker but i honestly do not see that, i do not even understand why anyone likes him to be honest. Both main female characters were definitely some version of the manic pixie dream girl. Naoko's mental health was used to a large extent to make her seem quirky, unlike other girls that the main character interacts with, to intrigue the main character to her. Their entire relationship also felt as though it was based in guilt and grief, which grew into a type of codependency. Midori. . .i wish i understood what the end goal was to write her the way she is. The character herself says that she is simply curious and honest about her thoughts but it, again, feels as though she was written to be interesting to the main character. She talks very explicitly about sexual events and endeavours out of seemingly nowhere during very strange times and in strange places. Something about the way she talks about it feels performative, and again maybe that is the point (that i was missing for most of the book) but it still felt uncomfortable to read. It was difficult to relate in anyway to these characters, or feel sympathy for them, or frustration or anything. Mostly i was just confused.
I was not appreciative of how mental health, specifically depression, was depicted in the book. Yes yes i know the book was written during a different time, and there was still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health and, all that considered, the book takes a rather positive stand on mental health and those struggling with accepting their mental health, that does however, not make it easier for me to read.
My biggest problem with this book, that which made it really uncomfortable for me to read this book, was all of the sexual endeavours and situations. Maybe all of the sex and sex talk was meant to capture the youth and mindset of being a young, first year student, but - to me at least - it felt like it was written by someone who has no idea about what goes on in the minds of young people, like something from a bad Netflix show when middle aged writer try to write 'youthful' and you can just tell that they truly have no idea how the teenagers of today talk to each other and it's just awkward to watch. It honestly felt as though not a page passed without someone committing a sexual act, or referencing very sexual situations. It undervalued some potentially strong emotional scenes, that should have made me connect with the characters and it completely messed with the tone of most of the book. It also just made for very confusing character relationships since every female character that the main character interacts with, sleeps with him! One of them for seemingly no reason other than they are drunk? It also seems as though multiple characters use sex to distract from the grief they are experiencing.
And maybe that is the entire point of the book? By the end it definitely felt as though i should understand that the entire book centres around the deaths of those around the main character and how that affects him? And how grief affects different people and how everyone deals with it in their own way. But then it certainly did not feel as though that was what it was about actually reading the book. I honestly don't know.
This was generally just an uncomfortable read for me, I might give it a reread in a few months or a year and by then my rating and experience might improve. I will still, however read Kafka on the Shore, and maybe i will come around after that, or have a new perspective or maybe i am just not a Murakami fan.
I was not appreciative of how mental health, specifically depression, was depicted in the book. Yes yes i know the book was written during a different time, and there was still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health and, all that considered, the book takes a rather positive stand on mental health and those struggling with accepting their mental health, that does however, not make it easier for me to read.
My biggest problem with this book, that which made it really uncomfortable for me to read this book, was all of the sexual endeavours and situations. Maybe all of the sex and sex talk was meant to capture the youth and mindset of being a young, first year student, but - to me at least - it felt like it was written by someone who has no idea about what goes on in the minds of young people, like something from a bad Netflix show when middle aged writer try to write 'youthful' and you can just tell that they truly have no idea how the teenagers of today talk to each other and it's just awkward to watch. It honestly felt as though not a page passed without someone committing a sexual act, or referencing very sexual situations. It undervalued some potentially strong emotional scenes, that should have made me connect with the characters and it completely messed with the tone of most of the book. It also just made for very confusing character relationships since every female character that the main character interacts with, sleeps with him! One of them for seemingly no reason other than they are drunk? It also seems as though multiple characters use sex to distract from the grief they are experiencing.
And maybe that is the entire point of the book? By the end it definitely felt as though i should understand that the entire book centres around the deaths of those around the main character and how that affects him? And how grief affects different people and how everyone deals with it in their own way. But then it certainly did not feel as though that was what it was about actually reading the book. I honestly don't know.
This was generally just an uncomfortable read for me, I might give it a reread in a few months or a year and by then my rating and experience might improve. I will still, however read Kafka on the Shore, and maybe i will come around after that, or have a new perspective or maybe i am just not a Murakami fan.
inaisreading's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zikiriki's review against another edition
5.0
A justifiably well known book... one of the most beautiful I have ever read. Searing, heartbreaking, and heartwarming at times. I saw 2 other commuters reading it in the train yesterday, and for good reason. Will give it some time, and certainly return to reread it.
bookeddate's review against another edition
5.0
Gorgeous and mesmerising writing. Though portrayal of women characters and sexual imagery was unsettling... The way depression, loss and grief was portrayed was beyond consuming. Read the book in one go. Murakami truly has a way with words. The character coming in term with grief and growth was beautiful to read.
jaxoni's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5