Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Norwegian Wood

Murakami’s writing style is beautiful and easy to read. The content of this novel, however, is not for anyone who is depressed or just can’t stand reading deeply disturbing thoughts from deeply disturbed characters. There isn’t much growth in these characters and it’s just hard to read sometimes, and it makes you wonder why you’re reading it.

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stuckduck's review

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dark sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

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m4rtt4's review against another edition

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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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anna_l'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? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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yorozuya's review against another edition

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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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leabharlady'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? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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ficteon's review against another edition

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2.5

This book is a rollercoaster and I have very mixed opinions of it. I'll try to keep it spoiler free.

This book would've been amazing! If Murakami kept his weird fetishes, opinions about women and periods and weird view points to himself.

I went from crying to cringing and thats very bizar. I've given other books by Murakami such great ratings (as there he kept his dumb outdated ideas to himself.) Very ironic is that one sentence in the book is on how another book is outdated... which made me laugh, as look at yourself

One thing I loved about this book is how Murakami writes death. He made me sob about characters I've only known for 1 or two sentences. He is a great writer! Just this book has pages after pages with just misinformation and cringeworthy sex.

Can this man stop talking about periods and talk to his wife about them to learn how they work???? Its just embarrassing.

'Im not like other girls'? plenty

Rape fetish? included.

Victim blaming? Yup.

Unconsentual sex? Yesss

No we women don't scream at strangers or friends and become uncontrollable monsters on our periods. Thanks murakami for seeing your wife this way.

The last pages I went from absolutely sad and loving the words to cringing as the mc cums in a women without consent. Not that the women minded ofc, they never do as women are sexdolls in this book.

Some quotes to show the problematic writing:

"Know what I did the other day?" Midori asked. "I got all naked in front of my father's picture. Took off every stitch of clothing and let him have a good long look. Kind of in a yoga position. Like, "here, daddy, these are my tits, and this is my cunt."

"Ok, I'll wear a hat for a couple of days after my period starts. A red one. That should work," she said with a laugh. "If you see me on the street and I'm wearing a red hat, don't talk to me, just run away."
"Great. I wish all girls would do that."

The mc and a girl are going to a porn movie in an adult cinema (its the 70s) and they are watching a s&m rape kidnap fantasy movie where two sisters get kidnapped and raped and ofc like it as porn.
"If I were the younger sister, I wouldn't get worked up so easily" said midori. "I'd keep watching"

Oh people are looking up my skirt??? Mmmmmh I love to be seen as a sex object anyway so idc. Well one thing is right though! The women in this book are not like other girls!! As no real women would react like the women do in this book.

I think from page 100 to 200 it was only bad page after bad page. And then after it kept returning as well again and again but those 100 pages were cruel.

And don't get me started on the pedophilia!!! As the age of consent was (since recently was) 13 Its not seen as pedophilia to mr Murakami that one character had sex with a 13 year old. Yes!! The character was raped by this child. Thats bad! But if you read that part the woman thats raped by the girl is not upset about it being a child, she was actually into it!!! She only rejected having sex WITH A CHILD because it was cheating on her husband. Was she raped - yes! Was she attracted to this 13 year old - Also yes!!! It was absolutely gross.

Again the writing is absolutely stunnningggg. He is just an outdated male writer which is a flaw. It's not all his books and ill keep reading them as they do have a lot to them. Just this one wasn't it at allll. Still it has amazing moments it in it as well so I'm not completely hating it either. See complex relationships with the book.

The emotional writing is stunning. Murakami can make you feel big emotions (even if he ruins that with cringe shit after but ok) His words and way of writing is amazing and in his other two books I read he really does it soooo well.

When it wasn't about the cringeworthy stuff the mc really had some good things to say. It just always got ruined by him saying something bad a second after.

Tw for suicide.. as lots of people kill themselves in this book. You could say its almost the whole plot.

I look forward to reading his other work. But again.. this was not it for me. Even if there is a reason for the grossness (which I don't think so. He is just an old guy born in a conservative society.) The reading experience really got ruined.

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