Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Norwegian Wood

I think Murakami might be my favorite author. I read Kafka on the Shore about a year ago and had conflicting emotions. The misogyny was shocking and horrifying, but I can't stop thinking about it. So i decided so give him another try.

This one is much less bad. The misogyny is still there, but it feels more like its on purpose because of the nature of the main character. And its not like every woman he meets is just a pair of breasts with legs this time. Because I was expecting it, it was less of a problem for me.

It sure doesn't sound like I'm describing a good book, does it? Let me tell you what this book got right! Unlike his other works, there is no magic in this book. The writing is whats magical about it. It has that japanese way of storytelling, much like a Studio Ghibli movie, where you're following a character through their daily life, living the slow moments with them.

The main character grapples with the dilemma of loving more than one person at a time and having to choose and wondering if he's making the right choice. And you really feel his love for both women and get to see such tender but different moments between them and could see him being happy either way. And its told from the perspective of him looking back on his life and wondering if theres anything he could have done differently.

Its reflective, its charming, its mundane. This books makes me want to live.

Content Warnings

beanewman's review against another edition

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dark reflective slow-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

3.5

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squirrel66's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.75

Puh. Schwer zu entscheiden, wie viele Sterne ich dem Buch geben möchte. Fühlte sich insgesamt überbewertet an.

Die Erzählung ist an einigen Stellen lyrisch und wenn ich es nicht als Hörbuch gehört hätte, hätte ich sie mir gerne markiert. Allerdings überwiegt das Maß an Szenen, in denen es um Sex gibt. Die Gedanken aller scheinen sich permanent um Sex zu drehen, denn die meisten Interaktionen enden in Sex und/oder Suizid. Das nutzt sich dann doch ab.
Ich bin generell kein großer Fan von expliziten Szenen in Büchern, muss aber zugeben dass ich die Szenen an sich nicht schlecht geschrieben fand. Es kam für mich durchaus auch das Gefühl einer innigen zärtlichen Verbindung rüber, was den zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen in dem Fall auch Tiefe verleiht. Aber das wurde durch das schiere Übermaß der Sexszenen wieder genommen. Das ständige Reden über und Forcieren von Sex wurde irgendwann leider genau so nervig wie die unterwürfige und stets nach männlicher Bestätigung fragende Darstellung der Frauen.

Man könnte das noch der Zeit der Handlung oder dem Alter der meisten Personen zuschreiben, wenn Murakami nicht dafür bekannt wäre. Ich hätte die poetischen Stellen im Buch definitiv gerne mehr genießen können, aber bei der Erzählung hatte ich mit der Zeit einfach einen ziemlich sexfixierten älteren Autor vor Augen.

Content Warnings

warmrats's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love Murakami and his writings on grief, loss, and growing up really struck a chord w me. However, I can't look past the mistreatment of his female characters. Justice for my girls!!!!!!

Content Warnings

prlprl's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

Murakami’s writing style is easy and interesting to read. His ability to recreate life without romanticism is itself charming. The lucid normalcy of Norwegian Wood and honest sexuality makes for a refreshing read where scintillating sensationalism has saturated itself into a genre of romance. The narrator witnesses and experiences much, but does not attempt to explain what he does not know, and for that he is appreciated. Without patronising or proselytising, the simplicity of existing is coloured by the difficulty of living. I enjoyed every page for the writer’s keen ability to touch upon the nature of memory, love, and the inevitability of death, and how this forms and ideates our relationships with others.

Content Warnings

nastyreefer's review

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Good book for the feeling of contemplation for loss, attachment to others, and fulfillment. Has odd sexual themes here and there but is otherwise related to themes of young-adulthood and mental illness, painting a good picture a chaos that comes from that combination. Very enjoyable portrayal of the late 60s era.

Content Warnings

jppineda's review against another edition

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challenging 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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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kydnmthws's review against another edition

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emotional sad

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I have this thing about Murakami. He's by no means a bad author, but his books really don't feel like they have any business being books.

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