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countdraculahimself's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
2.0
disgusting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Death, and Cancer
disgustingpauroxas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I would like to try to describe the hold this book had over me. The last time I had read it was more than 7 years ago, but every detail of it is still etched in my mind. I read my copy until it fell apart. I used to recommend this to people I have known. I may have gotten a couple of them to read it, and I don't know if they have gotten the same things as I did out of it. Probably not. And it's okay.
I have first picked it up after having been kicked out of the university and I had gone back home in disgrace. I was 16, very sick, friendless and hopeless.
Within the pages of this book, I have felt understood. It had spoken of things that other people were too afraid (or could not be bothered) to talk about with me. Death, loss, grief, unrequited love, depression, desolation, isolation, darkness; but also - growing up, learning about one's sexuality and sex, friendship, devotion, hope, little glimpses of light. But I hadn't known yet how much of this book I would get to experience for myself.
I have lived with this book, I have lived through it, I have lived by it. I have identified with every character in it, I kid you not. I had found myself in many of their situations. I had grieved their losses and experienced their pain. It felt very much like I was constantly drifting in and out of this book, my life having been woven in its pages before I have even lived it. In so many ways, I am still that 16-year-old.
It will be interesting to meet up with this old friend again someday. Maybe, if I find myself out of the woods.
I have first picked it up after having been kicked out of the university and I had gone back home in disgrace. I was 16, very sick, friendless and hopeless.
Within the pages of this book, I have felt understood. It had spoken of things that other people were too afraid (or could not be bothered) to talk about with me. Death, loss, grief, unrequited love, depression, desolation, isolation, darkness; but also - growing up, learning about one's sexuality and sex, friendship, devotion, hope, little glimpses of light. But I hadn't known yet how much of this book I would get to experience for myself.
I have lived with this book, I have lived through it, I have lived by it. I have identified with every character in it, I kid you not. I had found myself in many of their situations. I had grieved their losses and experienced their pain. It felt very much like I was constantly drifting in and out of this book, my life having been woven in its pages before I have even lived it. In so many ways, I am still that 16-year-old.
It will be interesting to meet up with this old friend again someday. Maybe, if I find myself out of the woods.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Sexual content
meg_reads83's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Rape, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Misogyny
teranmbaker05's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Minor: Sexual content
vicdonalds02's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Sexual content
afreyno1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
Norwegian Wood is the longest book that I’ve read so far this year, and I really enjoyed it. Last week I read over half of the book, and at one point I read 50 pages a day, which is pretty crazy for me, because I usually take a week to read 50 pages.
I really really enjoyed Murakami’s writing style in NW, it's very easy flowing/easy to read. I have no idea why I was so drawn to this book but it is really good, there were a few points in the book where I wondered “Why am I even reading this?”, but I kept on going, and I am really glad I did.
I really really enjoyed Murakami’s writing style in NW, it's very easy flowing/easy to read. I have no idea why I was so drawn to this book but it is really good, there were a few points in the book where I wondered “Why am I even reading this?”, but I kept on going, and I am really glad I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia
soniaaaaaaaa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
heartbreakingly good, the characters felt like real people and how murakami is able to explore grief and loss was really effective.
i would also check the trigger warnings before reading, some stuff i read i didnt expect and it was quite disturbing
i would also check the trigger warnings before reading, some stuff i read i didnt expect and it was quite disturbing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Minor: Lesbophobia, Death, Child death, and Death of parent
mirrorofneptune's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very quickly on in this book I realized that none of the characters talk like any actual living person I’ve ever heard before. They’re all melodramatic and philosophical and you just have to roll with that. All of the women are arguably manic-pixie-dream-girl-esque but several of the men, including the narrator, are arguably manic-pixie-dream-boy-esque so I guess that’s equality for you.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t yet read much from Murakami but it felt more straightforward than Kafka on the Shore (which I did also enjoy) and it was full of incredibly-quotable paragraphs ruminating on life and death. There were some strong and interesting themes about how we as people relate to and explore the world, and what the consequences are for us when we lose the ability to do that.
A good read. Might need to go listen to that Beatles song now lol
That being said, I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t yet read much from Murakami but it felt more straightforward than Kafka on the Shore (which I did also enjoy) and it was full of incredibly-quotable paragraphs ruminating on life and death. There were some strong and interesting themes about how we as people relate to and explore the world, and what the consequences are for us when we lose the ability to do that.
A good read. Might need to go listen to that Beatles song now lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Suicide
aimee_faithx's review against another edition
sad
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
2.5
There were good parts but overall it was pretty meh. None of the characters are particularly likeable or fully fleshed out. The way women are written about in basically only a sexual manner and often related to kids was icky.
I finished the book but I do not understand why it’s so popular and couldn’t recommend.
I finished the book but I do not understand why it’s so popular and couldn’t recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, and Sexual content
rhiannatherad's review against another edition
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? N/A
I think I'm done with Murakami for a bit. This sucked. Not a single character, scene, or thought that I cared about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content