Reviews

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

samuelantonym's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

softmellow's review against another edition

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3.0

All of that because she had a DAP

almabritta's review against another edition

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3.0


This was just wild and sure brought up some interesting discussion around the bookclub table.

And please send this man Murakami to therapy. Preferably a mental hospital. He probably needs it more than his characters, and believe me, that says a lot.

(Audiobook)

zawkawski's review against another edition

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reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

mondyyreads's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

ummmm what…

No sé. Tenía potencial. Había momentos en los que pensé: this is it! the turning point!! ya me va a empezar a gustar. Pero no. La verdad es que en términos estrictamente literarios, la prosa vaya hahaha, tiene partes escritas muy bonito. Y sí trata temas muy poderosos: duelo y amor y muerte y coming of age. Pero not in a good way??

La verdad había visto muchas críticas sobre la forma en que Murakami escribe a las mujeres y, si, ya, makes sense. Vi un review que decía “Why does female trauma always have to be sexualized?” Y es que literal así se siente. Te presenta a varios personajes mujeres súper complejos, con un buen de trauma y dolor y profundidad, pero al final logra siempre reducirlas a ese plan de im all about sex!! Siento que la historia es como una fantasía de un vato fetichista raro, porque literal es como oohhh look at me 🥺 I’m a poor little girlie who’s experienced enough suffering for two lifetimes and I kinda want to kill myself but also all I can think about is sex and specifically having sex with youu because you are so cool and smart and different 🥺🥺.  ayyyyyyyyy GIVE ME A BREAK BROTHERRRRR. No sé, me pareció increíblemente inverosímil. Me sentí overall hasta incómoda leyéndolo. I don’t get the masterpiece aspect.

r0b3rta's review against another edition

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4.0

*spoilers*

This is the 2nd Murakami book I have read. I was expecting magical realism, but this book didn't include any of that. Norwegian Wood is very much about the main character, Toru, and the people in his life. The book felt autobiographical, even though it is fiction. Murakami did an excellent job making you feel like you were there in that moment in time with each character. Most of the main characters are college students, but they are dealing with death, grief, mental health, and love.

I was gifted the book via a goodreads giveaway.

marthmallow's review against another edition

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dark sad tense slow-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

1.0

I’m not really sure how people can focus on the ‘depiction of grief’ with all the misogynistic writing, tones of pedophilia, and the disturbing portrayal of sex. I understand it was written in the 80s so maybe it hasn’t aged well but I will not be recommending this unless someone wants a hate read.
I really don’t understand how Reiko was almost portrayed as the wise hero of the novel when she was ‘seduced’ by a thirteen years old girl and had a mental breakdown… then proceeded to have sex with her dead roommates boyfriend?
. The whole novel was riddled with concepts I could not support and I deeply disagreed with the portrayal of sensitive topics. 

joiiseu's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

3.5

anpne's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

elmattcrews's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.75