5 June 2018

Review #713: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“I have a million things to talk to you about. All I want in this world is you. I want to see you and talk. I want the two of us to begin everything from the beginning.”

----Haruki Murakami


Haruki Murakami, the international bestselling Japanese writer, has penned a heartbreaking coming-of-age young love story in his book called, Norwegian Wood that reads like listening to a sad, sad song about two young hearts beating for one another, yet separated by hopelessness and pain and where the readers know that they are never destined to be together, yet grasps on to that torturing pain of their longing for another till the very end, until an unpredictable tragic climax will shatter the millions of hearts reading or listening to this tale along with the protagonist. Yet the readers will keep reading/listening to this sorrowful yet enlightening tale of love on repeat till the end of time.


Synopsis:

Toru, a quiet and preternaturally serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there, but Naoko finds the pressures and responsibilities of life unbearable. As she retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself reaching out to others and drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.

A poignant story of one college student's romantic coming-of-age, Norwegian Wood takes us to that distant place of a young man's first, hopeless, and heroic love.



Toru and Naoko's relationship never grows into a tree blossoming with beautiful fruits or flowers, only wreckage and pain awaits them, the more, they wait upon one another. Though in the end, Toru believed that Naoko never ever loved him because of his fading memory of a special moment shared by the two lovers once upon a time in a forest, yet the readers can contemplate easily through Naoko's letters that she was desperate to get well soon so that she could be with Toru for the rest of her lives. Yes, she loved him in her own flawed way, Toru wasn't a perfect boy either. While embracing adulthood and dealing with a not-so-close friend's death, Toru too made mistakes throughout the entire time during their on-off complex relationship. But can we really blame him? When we love someone, we need his/her validation or affirmation or kind words of love and affection, sadly, Toru found none when he loved Naoko with all his heart and that sometimes led him to take the tough path to sleeping around with no emotions or to feeling lonely all by himself. Even though he survived his uni days with the help of his two friends. But what happens when Toru meets Midori for the first time, another soul who is willing to give him all the love that he always wanted from Naoko? Grab a copy of this book now to find out the rest!

A first ever Murakami book that I read in my life and that bowled me over by his strong hold over the language and his strikingly portrayed realistic characters, who after reading this book, felt like they became a part of my soul from whom I can never really separate. Murakami's hold over realism is really beautiful even though he has subtly painted this story line with a bit of intangible feel. And even though this one is a highly character driven book, but somehow the concepts of death and life and the constant tug of war between the two will keep the readers pondering deeply on such subjects and their value in our lives.

The writing style of the author is extremely elegant, enriched with deep powerful emotions that can move oceans within one's soul. The dialogues, which are plenty and are very evocative, are bound to make the readers lose themselves in the character's flawed voices, thoughts and opinions that are penned in a way that the readers, especially the ones going through such a phase could easily relate with it. Even though this is a slow burning plot, yet somehow the intriguing and sensitive story line will keep the readers engaged as well as curious like a cat just like the main protagonist till the very end, to know what happens next.

The characters in this book are so prominently portrayed with realism that it will feel like the characters are coming to life and walking and talking around right before the eyes of the readers. The main character, Toru's voice is convincingly painted by the author in the story line, as through Toru's point of view only, readers will be able to see Reiko, Naoko, Midori and the others. Toru's description about those characters are very important, despite of the fact that Toru is a very, very flawed human, being, bitten by loneliness bug, yet grows up from one stage of life to another, through heartache and grief. Murakami has made Toru one hell of a heroic protagonist despite of his shortcomings. Naoko, on the other hand, is a very complex character, who is bitten by the bug of grief over the loss of her boyfriend's death and at times, her impatient, fragile and depressed state might anger the readers, but mostly, her situation will make the readers feel sorry for her. Naoko is someone who is standing on the edge of the mountain while Toru is pulling her towards him with a thin thread of hope, promises and undying love. Reiko is someone whom every Toru and Naoko needs not just for moral support but for playing those beautiful songs and reminding more about life.

The essence of Japan during the 80's era is vividly depicted by the author in the story line, while giving life to a young man's years spent in an university. The flair of Japan from its food to culture to its landscapes to its flora to its fauna to its people to its lifestyle, everything is so exquisitely described by the author that it will feel like teleporting to the very city of Tokyo and following upon the footsteps of Toru.

In a nutshell, this story might be very heart rending and thoroughly poignant, but its also extremely beautiful at the very same time. Like there's an underlying beauty in the tormentous pain of the characters, like Toru, Naoko and Reiko. Definitely a must read for one and all.


Verdict: One of the best Japanese contemporary cum historical fictions that I have ever read in my lifetime.

Courtesy: Received this book in a book subscription book box service.
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Author Info:
Murakami Haruki (Japanese: 村上 春樹) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. His work has been described as 'easily accessible, yet profoundly complex'. He can be located on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/harukimuraka...
Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music and literature. He grew up reading a range of works by American writers, such as Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan, and he is often distinguished from other Japanese writers by his Western influences.
Murakami studied drama at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he met his wife, Yoko. His first job was at a record store, which is where one of his main characters, Toru Watanabe in Norwegian Wood, works. Shortly before finishing his studies, Murakami opened the coffeehouse 'Peter Cat' which was a jazz bar in the evening in Kokubunji, Tokyo with his wife.
Many of his novels have themes and titles that invoke classical music, such as the three books making up The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: The Thieving Magpie (after Rossini's opera), Bird as Prophet (after a piano piece by Robert Schumann usually known in English as The Prophet Bird), and The Bird-Catcher (a character in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute). Some of his novels take their titles from songs: Dance, Dance, Dance (after The Dells' song, although it is widely thought it was titled after the Beach Boys tune), Norwegian Wood (after The Beatles' song) and South of the Border, West of the Sun (the first part being the title of a song by Nat King Cole).
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