Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Norwegian Wood

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

25 reviews

lenanin99's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

the writing style was great & the storyline was extremely interesting. Throughout the book I developed a love/hate relationship with all of the main characters. Even though the ending and especially Toru’s encounter with Reiko made me dislike both of the characters quite a bit i still think this is a sad but unforgettable book.

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slssecretbookacct's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

It’s hard to say I enjoyed this book because it’s so fucked up but it was a worthwhile read just know that there’s some messed up shit you’re going to have to read

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domiohrens's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

The minute i finished the book I knew that it had become my favorite book.
The plot is incredible, the characters are likable (except for Toru and literally any men in the book) and they feel real, you can easily relate to their emotions and the problems they have throughout the book. I read this book because its Harry Styles favorite book, I didn't know what I was getting into or how this book would change the way I read and enjoy books.

This book showcases how deep and difficult mental illnesses are and how trauma can change the way you live, think and feel. I loved all the characters deeply and shed many tears while reading. I find that Murkami is really good at describing the feelings the characters have, as well as situating the reader, in the ambiance of the place where the story develops. (It makes you feel like you're there with them)

I don't think ill ever love a character as much as I loved Naoko (which makes me question my mental stability/health lol). The women characters of this book are amazing and real, if you see them from the right lens. As a woman and feminist I never saw them the way Murkami intended to show them. The way you think truly changes the way you understand and read the book.
My favorite chapters were

the ones were Toru visted Naoko and Reiko. I loved how you get an "inside look" into their daily lives, activities and what they're feeling/working on.

At times some really weird stuff happened like

when Wanatanbe and Reiko had goodbye sex in honor of Naoko ????

. The rating would be higher if Murkami wasn't a misogynist and often added too much detail to triggering/(uncomfortable to the reader) situations. At times some really weird stuff happened like

when Toru and Reiko had goodbye sex in honor of Naoko ???? or when Reiko described what happened to her with her student

. I hated the way Toru only saw women as a piece of meat that he can just have sex with, often the book portayed women like they were weak and defenseless and only a man (Toru with this shrimpy lol) could save them from their emotions and trauma.

I have to say that this book might not be for EVERYONE, to some people it may be boring, "too much" or "too dramatic/heavy". It also talks about serious issues that may trigger people. I recommend looking at the reviews and seeing the trigger warnings before you read it, just to know what you're getting into. If you're okay with all that I encourage you to read this book, you won't regret it and its really makes you think about your life and the people that you surround yourself with (also your mental health lmao).

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closelywatchedfilms's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense 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? Yes

1.0

Haruki Murakami really irritates me as an author because he clearly has the ability to write beautiful, intense passages but seems to simultaneously possess a desire to make every single female reader feel as uncomfortable as possible. There were events in this book that made me visibly cringe and overall is incredibly problematic. Unfortunately, I think my time attempting to connect with Murakami is now over.

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cehknight's review against another edition

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dark reflective 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

1.0

I was very surprised upon reading that this book is as popular as it is. This probably isn't an original point to make, but I got the sense that Murakami didn't run this book past any real-life women. I didn't feel anything towards the female (or male) characters, because they felt so hollow. This book is definitely a perspective of women through the male gaze, and it worries me that men would read this book and think it was indicative of a 'cool' way to view women. The narrative arc was good, I enjoyed the temporal structure most of all, but that's where my enjoyment ended. It was an easy read, however, and I hope upon reading more of Murakami's works that I find them easier to relate to. PSA: women don't wash their bras every night. It damages them. Ask any woman and she'll tell you.

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