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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
This was difficult to rate because the translated prose is at times beautiful and always compulsively readable. Once I’d really gotten into the text I devoured it quite quickly. And yet I couldn’t help but groan at some of the ridiculous things characters said and did. Characters having poor judgement obviously doesn’t make a bad book, but I did find it difficult with how neutral the protagonist was. It was as if he had no real opinion or maybe his friend was right when he said “neither of us is interested, essentially, in anything but ourselves … neither of us is able to feel any interest in anything other than what we think or feel or do.” Except, what he feels is at times a mystery. At one point, a character tells him of a truly stomach churning encounter with a child and frames herself as a victim. He doesn’t seem to have any reaction and what’s more, the character tells him of her friend’s response to the story that was bizarre beyond words. I never felt this character could be trusted and yet the narrative itself never framed her as anything sinister. That, a long with some other things said and done by the female characters, left a bad taste in my mouth.
I’d be willing to trying Murakami again, but I think I’d get along better with his magical realism.
I’d be willing to trying Murakami again, but I think I’d get along better with his magical realism.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
First things first, this book is full of misogynistic remarks and tons of sexual aspects that might seem unnecessary or questionable and also is worldwide known that the author is not good at writing female characters (AT ALL).
So, I know that there are a lot of ppl who dislike this book or can’t digest it, but for me it was a weird experience, because after hearing tons of opinions and thoughts about it, I don’t know if i’m reading more into things or i’m twisting every aspect of the plot to fit it into my own narrative, god i don’t even know if im just insane to say, i get it.
The thing is i liked this book, it wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, is flawed, is weirdly written at points and there’s no much going on, just the story of a dude that’s detached from emotion thanks to grief and his relationships and exchanges with even more flawed characters.
Honestly I enjoy the no plot plot a lot, in movies and in books, I love how life can be portrayed when nothing is actually happening and Murakami is one of those authors that knows that he can write beautifully, and that he can mage to turn this mundane fragments of life into something dreamy and serene, like they say in mexico el wey sabe tirar verbo, but the only problem is that sometimes it lacks depth or a little something that can truly transform his story into something more meaningful, overall it feels kinda hollow, and it’s more like a mood/vibe kinda thing.
A lot of themes get unexplored or inconclusive but at the same time that gives space for interpretation (idk if this man was planing this but that is what i got from it
So, I know that there are a lot of ppl who dislike this book or can’t digest it, but for me it was a weird experience, because after hearing tons of opinions and thoughts about it, I don’t know if i’m reading more into things or i’m twisting every aspect of the plot to fit it into my own narrative, god i don’t even know if im just insane to say, i get it.
The thing is i liked this book, it wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, is flawed, is weirdly written at points and there’s no much going on, just the story of a dude that’s detached from emotion thanks to grief and his relationships and exchanges with even more flawed characters.
Honestly I enjoy the no plot plot a lot, in movies and in books, I love how life can be portrayed when nothing is actually happening and Murakami is one of those authors that knows that he can write beautifully, and that he can mage to turn this mundane fragments of life into something dreamy and serene, like they say in mexico el wey sabe tirar verbo, but the only problem is that sometimes it lacks depth or a little something that can truly transform his story into something more meaningful, overall it feels kinda hollow, and it’s more like a mood/vibe kinda thing.
A lot of themes get unexplored or inconclusive but at the same time that gives space for interpretation (idk if this man was planing this but that is what i got from it
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Norwegian Wood wasn’t what I was looking for in a Murakami book. His style of writing in this was different to his usual style, and while I can appreciate it, I much prefer his other books. I thought some parts were a bit dull, and I didn’t care about some of it.
Toru Watanabe is a college student, who has lost his best friend to suicide, and wants to be with two girls at once. One, his former best friend’s girlfriend, who is overcome by grief and ends up at a sanatorium, and the other, who is very bubbly and extroverted, and also has a lot on her plate.
I love Murakami’s writing style; he can make the most boring and mundane things come to life, and I think this is what helped me through the book. That being said, there wasn’t a lot I liked about the story itself. I like the traditional, surreal Murakami, and so my expectations were vey different to what was delivered. I found most of the characters quite irritating, although they were very unique, and each had a very developed personality. The only thing I really hated about the book were the sex scenes, two of which were especially unnecessary and uncomfortable to read.
For me, the main issue was that it wasn’t what I wanted from a Murakami book, and I probably wouldn’t have picked it up had it been written by somebody else.
Toru Watanabe is a college student, who has lost his best friend to suicide, and wants to be with two girls at once. One, his former best friend’s girlfriend, who is overcome by grief and ends up at a sanatorium, and the other, who is very bubbly and extroverted, and also has a lot on her plate.
I love Murakami’s writing style; he can make the most boring and mundane things come to life, and I think this is what helped me through the book. That being said, there wasn’t a lot I liked about the story itself. I like the traditional, surreal Murakami, and so my expectations were vey different to what was delivered. I found most of the characters quite irritating, although they were very unique, and each had a very developed personality. The only thing I really hated about the book were the sex scenes, two of which were especially unnecessary and uncomfortable to read.
For me, the main issue was that it wasn’t what I wanted from a Murakami book, and I probably wouldn’t have picked it up had it been written by somebody else.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book took me back to my first few depressive years moving away from home for uni. Hauntingly sad yet beautiful, like watching an old sad movie the umpteenth for comfort on a rainy Sunday.
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes