Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

166 reviews

m4rtt4's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Naoko❤️‍🩹 I truly loved her.
Actually I really liked all the female characters, though they all more or less were also used as vessels for fulfilling the author's sexual fantasies — especially Midori, her personality at times was so pick-me-girly for the sole purpose of getting Watanabe's sexual attention.

This one was a re-read, and I must say I felt it so much more now at 20 — the main characters' age — than when I first read it at 16 years old. I've read all Murakami's novels, and even though I kind of miss the magical realism that was almost nonexistent in this book, it didn't really need it either as it was deep enough just like this. I just wish the metaphor of the "well" Naoko talked about in the beginning had appeared later on in the story, it should have had a greater purpose. Overall a very melancholic yet great reading experience, but for your own good, do consider skipping this if things related to suicide trigger you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Lesbophobia

selenann's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide

xrosinab's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Influenced by one of my favourite bands, the title is named after the song 'Norwegian Wood' which is Naoko's favorite song. This book is about the transition from young adulthood into adulthood, touching on themes such as sex, love, loss, friendship, suicide, etc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, and Sexual assault

vibesa's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

yorozuya's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-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

My first Murakami and despite travelling while I started the book, I devoured it in the little time I had!

There's some messed up bits in here I won't lie but the writing style is so smooth and the way these dark themes are explored are so intriguing! The way Murakami describes memories will definitely stay with me for a while to come, and so will that very first scene of nothing but a description of a forest and a well...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Dementia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Grief, Death, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Sexual content

halsteady's review against another edition

sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, and Death

Moderate: Homophobia

leabharlady's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, and Sexism

abbyluvsfrogs444's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

This was a hard book to rate and review. I've been off and on reading this for almost two years. It's not that I didn't like it, I just always found something better to read. This was such a complicated book. I have complicated feelings about it. Toru was duller than a butter knife. And I hated how the only thing he seemed to like about Naoko was her body. I don't believe that he loved her. He lusted her. Big difference. It felt very objectifying whenever he talked about Naoko. The way mental health is talked about is...interesting. I'm not sure Murakami gets it. And I don't think he understands women either. Stick to writing about your dull, little men, sir and leave women out of it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, and Sexual content

emolr's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Death, Suicide, and Sexual content

erinbarton's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.0

this had elements i really enjoyed - the 60s tokyo setting, the writing style, the vivid food descriptions - but unfortunately i just found this underwhelming in plot and characterisation

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Mental illness

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Rape