A review by prlprl
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

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.
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