Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

[@euginny19]

My take on the story: CONTAINS SPOILER I see it more as a struggle between survival and death or suicide rather than a love triangle. The way I see it, Naoko represents death while Midori represents life and Toru is in constant struggle between the two. ( I read somewhere that Naoko's name means red and might represent blood while Midori's name means green which represents forest, life? I'm not sure if these are true though because I don't inderstand Japanese 😁). Naoko herself also struggled between life and death. She tried to live for Toru, but at the end she can't bear the pain of losing her sister and Kizuki who both commited suicide. At the end she succumbed to death while Toru chooses survival. Someday he and Naoko will meet again but for now he is choosing life. He also said so when he talked to the dead Kizuki that he is not like him. I might be wrong of course, but that's how I interpreted it while reading the story. ☺️

[@auntiesocial808]

I concur.

[@alonzosoto4363]

You just made me like the book a bit more

[@brinda722]

I completely agree with you. This whole plot was so much more than a love story, I feel. I totally enjoyed reading it. I teared up a bit too.

[@Archonsx]

You’re like that annoying literature teacher who tries to find “a meaning” behind any crap

[@euginny19]

@@Archonsx Whoa! What's the hate all about? 😂 Different people read for different reasons, and some like to be more engaged and active while reading. I can't see anything wrong with that.

[@poorni4742]

I really liked watanabe ,,im just tired of reading about extraordinary protagonists all the time and i think murakami's exact purpose was to write about a very normal person :)

[@predragdjedovic]

"Very normal person" aka depressed promiscuous teenager ...

[@greencandletraction]

This was the first Murakami book I read and I really did enjoy it, mostly though I think for the way he writes. I find something very peaceful and reassuring in the writing style, which I can't put my finger on, though somehow brings life to the most mundane of things. I enjoyed the nostalgic tone as I think I do that a lot for my own life, so it felt relatable particularly in the way it doesn't pretend to always be positive. The story itself I found fairly tragic, though I think I saw some of it coming. I'm grateful for you pointing out the gender stuff and the misogynistic angle as I like to think i'm fairly aware of this stuff in life but I somehow miss it in some books, I think maybe as I am so pre-disposed to think what I am reading is 'good'. Definitely had Murakami on a pedestal 😬 Think Norwegian Wood was recommended to me as a starting point, I have bought 4 others thus far, but have failed to make a decent start on any if them. Determined to get into Wind Up Bird Chronicle, but have been false starting it for years. Long ramble, Norwegian Wood has been a favourite of mine for a while, stuck with me long after finishing. Also a sucker for the covert art. Enjoy the new format 👍 Look forward to more 😊

[@Chareads]

"I find something very peaceful and reassuring in the writing style, which I can't put my finger on, though somehow brings life to the most mundane of things" I love that description, I definitely feel that too.

[@xsqarejaye]

I 100% agree with your review. I feel the exactly same sentiments. I’m happy to know I am not alone. The book is definitely a good conversation piece.

[@messifpv]

Sure it's a bit pervy but whatever! That's Murkami! Sure Toru doesn't have any super impressive qualities, but that's the point of the book! A young guy freshly out of his teens trying to figure out life. Nowdays it seems like everything around gender and sex may be considered sexist so it's better to be avoided rather than written. This story is about real life in the real world, no filters. There's young people doing all sorts of weird shit and having sex with each other and talking about it while getting drunk and while doing more weird shit. Instead of censoring it Murakami describes every single little detail of it and I loved it! To me it adds something special to the realism. The book is not about Midori talking about porn movies or Nagasawa going out to sleep with girls or Naoko giving Toru a handjob. The book is about life and death, it's about love, happiness, suffering and sadness, it's about having no clue, no qualities, and trying to figure it all out as a teenager. But most importantly it's about mental health, depression and suicide. All this is missing in your review. No disrespect or offense of course, just my 2 cents.

[@catalinau594]

this!!!!! i completely agree!!!she really just interpreted the book as a misogynistic porno which its not what it is about if you really read the book, that's also the #1 reason I didn't like her review, its like all she got out of it was the pervy scenes. i feel like she just interpreted the book incorrectly and murakami i think would say the same.

[@poorni4742]

👏👏👏

[@youroverts3948]

Agreed

[@thursoberwick1948]

@@catalinau594 It's a superficial, midwit's review. Not impressed.

[@carinasung654]

This is so well put. thank you

[@shivamgoswami5350]

Norwegian wood was the first murakami that i read. I liked the book in the begging because of its enigmatic quality, but after the middle, i started losing attention and felt it was really kind of 'mundane'.

[@yinumzhou]

Watanabe is extremely candid and cool. And he’s good at conversation, if you deem these as good qualities.

[@predragdjedovic]

He is depressive promiscuous teenager ...I guess that is cool nowdays..

[@laurabrescia2673]

just finished reading this and i have to agree with what you said. i think i've never had such an unpleasant reading experience before. the glossing over pedophilia and rape culture just made it unbearable. the writing is good but everything else was absolutely nothing i could ever enjoy.

[@omarshaaban907]

It’s based in late 60s - why is it shocking there’s gender biases?

[@Chris-ef4lw]

Because she is a young woman based in the 2020's. Shock and outrage is the default position.

[@seonaanntom3751]

I just completed the book recently. The book left me with a strange feeling...(like I felt numb)... And I think the end is a little confusing as it is an choice given to the readers....I think Toru called Midori when he was 37 at the airport....When he reached airport and then all his memories are back and he is stuck in his 20s...... Suddenly he may have an urge to call Midori and to start a new life.....And it was when Midori asked him where he was .....he realized that he was in his fantasy all these years. ......He had not reached anywhere and was in the middle of a bunch of unknown people .Then he reliZed that he had no one expect Midori....that is why he called HER from the dead centre or his empty heart......Midori was always a girl of life and breath..... and lets hope he began a new life with Midori..

[@priyasinghb1113]

You literally put my thoughts into words with this video! I couldn't agree more haha I thought I was the only one who thought this way about the book, but I'm glad to see that we share opinions

[@niranjanshankaran3493]

I too came here for negative review

[@thursoberwick1948]

@@niranjanshankaran3493 It's a midwit's review.

[@Rvk1a64]

I respect your opinion and that you're unapologetic for it. I disagree with the sex/icky bit and do see how its set in the 60's but you're valid in saying you dont want to see it that way and just dont like it. reading is meant to be enjoyable. there's no need to try to force yourself to like something when there's so many other book out there that you'll effortlessly enjoy. the main character is very lifeless and bland and its not the easiest to get through so far but im going to finish it before I make a finally opinion

[@parkerrose3590]

I agree, I was disappointed and bored at times.

[@tanvivardam5245]

Firstly, thank you for being so honest. I did not enjoy reading it either. There was no real plot for starters. So many things were inappropriate. Midori was so weird, I mean the part where she sat in front of her father's picture...ok I'm not even going to talk about it. Non-consensual sex, objectifying women, people killing themselves all the time. Boy, I hope there isn't any person alive who has to see so many people associated to him/her, kill themselves. The writing sure was beautiful, captivating and extremely descriptive, easy to understand too. I'm from India so it was good to know about the Japanese culture. But other than that, really did not like it. It was my first Murakami read. Would you suggest any of his other books maybe?

[@ivankavrakov9272]

Kafka on the shore is supposed to be his best book

[@thursoberwick1948]

Sounds like you don't even enjoy yourself. Poor you.

[@Well_Earned_Siesta]

I’m halfway through this book and was struggling to get through. I definitely share a lot of the views you expressed here, especially about magical realism being a highlight in his other books. Now I’m wondering if I’ll finish.

[@user-vb6fb9vr8s]

I quit reading it when i reach the middle of the book. And choose to watch the Norwegian Wood movie, so i can know what happens to all the characters. Glad the movie delivered a good cinematic story.

[@XoeTayonGio]

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, i read this book 10years ago. The film same name of Tran Anh Hung(Vietnamese)-I saw film. I like novel more than film

[@hermionegranger6928]

It's obvious that books are always better than the movies based on the stories

[@soniadipresto7880]

I have subscribed to your KZbin channel because of I agree with you. I would like to add that in my opinion it was written to attract the attention of young guys, since the topics they are most interested in have been explored in depth.

[@morganmodica]

I appreciate this review so much, definitely don't think I would be able to keep reading with the perverted prose.

[@jee492]

Can someone please explain to me the ending? I can't get over it

[@oliverseddon7950]

kyoto well a lot of it is up to your interpretation. The surface level is, After Naoko’s death, Toru runs away and travels. When this does nothing to improve his emotional state, he returns to his university. Reiko then comes to visit him. They reflect on the effect Naoko had on both of their lives, Reiko talks about her plans for the future, and after spending an evening together, they have sex. They agree to stay in contact and part, and they kiss before she leaves. Tohru then calls Midori, who he has not been in contact with since Naoko’s death, and asks to talk to her. And is overcome with a sense of confusion and disorientation. As for what is actually going on in their heads, I’d have to write an essay to describe that, and it would only be my interpretation.

[@simrannisha8793]

okay..thts the best part about murakami's ending.. its left for the viewers interpretation... you can have your own interpretation....

[@beunaventura66]

In the end, Watanabe calls Midori not because he loves her or needs her, its because there is no one else to. This is extremely sad but true for him, and he accepts this reality. As a depressed man, he understands that no one can please him, nor can he ever satisfy others, but he takes the courage to give love a try. I loved Murakami's message because as a depressed person myself it was brutally accurate and encouraging.

[@justmelistening2songs2]

@@beunaventura66 Exactly, this book is for the people who know depression, but this also says to choose the life

[@user-lb4ys3rn7f]

Is Midori the girl who had piano lessons off reiko ?

[@mute_sparrow]

No

[@user-lb4ys3rn7f]

@@mute_sparrow I wouldn’t be so sure 😉

[@zuzusuki]

i thought the same at first but their age gap between reiko and that girl is not same

[@JT-xs7es]

Your smile as you say this book is so pervy has me convinced;)

[@simrannisha8793]

I would recommend reading kafka on the shore by murakami its my most favourite book till now.... its better than Norwegian wood tbh... after reading kafka on the shore i was soo amazed...it was one of the most amazingly written book ever..... a piece of art... Norwegian wood wasn't that good.... I just finished it...and i just wanted to vent out somewhere.... I am a lil disappointed by this book in all honesty.... but i cannot say much about it because ...in the author's note murakami himself admitted that this is a slight different book...than his usual style...he took it as a challenge to write a love story ...in his words 'a simple love story' so he gets a pass i guess.... if you've liked this...than guess you are in for a God damn ride (a good one 🤞🏼)

[@Chareads]

I made a video on Kafka and judging from the comments I had some controversial opinions...

[@vosges5636]

I really enjoyed reading the book but I’m a 16 year old boy in secondary school, I completely glossed over the fact that a lot of the book was sexist but now that you point in out there was just a lot of unnecessary creepy descriptions and midori’s character is also just unnecessarily obsessed with porn and sex. Overall I enjoyed it but I understand why you found it boring sometimes and I do agree with you that it is sexist in many areas of the book.

[@thursoberwick1948]

So you were a 16 year old boy, read it and thought this? I think you were up to other stuff. This was a poor review anyway, barely skimmed the surface.

[@joeblazey048]

i love me some midori kobayashi ❤️

[@user-bc2in7oe3l]

You should really try to keep in mind that .......It depicts japanese culture .Gender dynamics maybe different there

[@naimishrastogi481]

I have the same views for Toru, thanks somebody said it.

[@soumyajain9370]

An absolute waste. Don't really understand the hype about Murakami. Can someone just explain me the ending! And what just happened between Toru and Reiko?!? Glad to hear your honest review.

[@justmelistening2songs2]

If you don't know depression, you will not understand it.Its about choosing life even in the darkest possibilities you fall in

[@mamayeye306]

I would recommend you to read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage.

[@Chareads]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fX20pWagrcipm5Y :)

[@nickerssan]

unexpected review, I thought you were going to like it! I agree though and thought it was pretty boring 🥱

[@juditkovacs1205]

Oh, I have just realized the thing with the cover. I did read it as an e-book, so I couldn't realize this, but thanks for pointing that out. This was my second Murakami read, and I didn't like it either, for the same reasons you've listed. The other one was Men Without Women, which was so unremarkable that I cannot for the life of me remember anything from it. Not very likely that I will ever pick up another one of his books.

[@freakmagnet2737]

Second Murakami book I read after 1Q84. Liked it, very trippy sex too

[@Wats06071]

First time on your channel. I agree to a great extent.

[@kmm2442]

Good one. Very enjoyable.

[@gabrielagoni8131]

Omg, thanks for this! when I read it, I looked for critiques and none of them talked about the sexism. I find it terrible that the protagonist raped Naoko, and then she developed issues with sex... but it's so absurd, bc her issue was that she couldn't have sex WITH THE SAME GUY WHO RAPED HER (???).

[@fitzeflinger]

i didn‘t read it in english but in my native language, so it may differ in some words. but i‘m pretty sure that there was no description of the main character raping naoko. in the contrary, she talks afterwards about it as the single enjoyable sexual encounter she ever had.

[@gabrielagoni8131]

@@fitzeflinger I read it in spanish. I don't remember the exact words, but it said that naoko was crying, super vulnerable, and the protagonist started kissing, and touching her, while she wasn't showing any signs of ejoyment. Then, when naoko was internalized, there was a part when she said something about the violence of penetration and the psychologycal pain it caused on her. Murakami doesn't use the word "rape", but the facts and experience is easily read as a rape. It's like Neruda's "Confieso que he vivido", where he tells the story of an obvious non consensual encounter with a woman that didn't speak his language

[@gabrielagoni8131]

@@fitzeflinger Also, I remember a scene when the protagonist talked about how anoying it is when a woman he met at a bar resists to have sex with him. And, if my memory is not failing me, he tried to force and rape her. So, he's kind of a creepy guy

[@fitzeflinger]

@@gabrielagoni8131 i just read the part of the book in question again (in german btw), and there is no sign of reluctance from naokos side. yes, she cried a lot before and she is in a vulnerable state, but she goes along and even touches the main character on her own. she is in pain because it's her first time, which is unfortunate but not unexpected. he comforts her though until she feels okay again. as for the second scene mentioned, the main character speaks disparagingly and disrespectfully of the girl in the hotel room, which is not nice at all, but what he actually did was to let go of her once she showed she did not want to do anything, and when he left her alone and started reading in a book she came back to it by herself. i don't want to defend or say this is good behaviour, but calling it rape is still a bit much i think.

[@fitzeflinger]

also how i read it, the psychological pain naoko felt comes more from her remorse being so easily sexually attracted to the main character (in said night) while she wasn't able to feel the same for her dead ex-boyfriend.

[@mrcaljoe1]

There was way too much sex towards the end. At one point, I was welling up with tears and the next cringing at that last sex bit. Totally nonsensical and almost completely ruined the end for me. Still though I loved it and highly recommend

[@rafaelteixeira9838]

Finally!! I find Watanabe so boring, if it wasn't for the other characters I would never have finished this book. But the end is as disappointing than the rest, it has some interesting elements, but overall, it was really boring. I'm glad I finished it.

[@bluebamboomusic6882]

For the most part, i really love the storytelling of Haruki Murakami, however, this book, and most of his early works for that matter, are pretty... well they just treat women weirdly. I'm a man so i guess i dont have the same perspective as you but nonetheless i also find it off putting. Having said all of that, i'd say around 2/3 of his books such as The Wind up Bird Chronicle and 1Q84 make him one of my favourite authors.

[@maryamaadw123]

Yessss. The presentation of women in this book is just so off, you can sense a lot of the female characters are projections of some sort of male fantasy of women.

[@simrannisha8793]

yes thts a part of his writing style i guess....female objectifications quite frequent... I do not mind it honestly... I am a woman....still i dnt mind it... because his stories are so well put.. I mean...i really love his writing style his story development.. and the way he perceives the world..his characters... etc... he is my favourite author atm..

[@guitaremarine]

Hi I enjoyed your review. I finished this book yesterday and I was expecting a different ending. As you say characters do not seem to redeem themselves or don't want to. I feel deceived by the author, but I should have seen the type of ending coming, judging by the way Watanabe behaves. Thanks!

[@heytherebilo12]

I totally agree, I just finished the book 10 minutes ago and 'deceived' is the perfect way to describe how I feel right now 😂

[@chad_mackinson]

Yeah, no threeway, just NORWAY. I'm a huge fan of Beatles (and especially Lennon) inspired stuff, so my expectation was something more, but it was OK, just a bunch of nothing.

[@sindhuthasan]

0:23 me2😂😂 currently I'm reading this book 🙂

[@_TheGreatOne_]

I don't Get Murakami. I hated this book. Why he would want to share this story with his readers, i will never understand. It was sad, hopless and pointless. I''ll try one of his "full of paranormal" stories next.

[@crystallora2756]

I love you

[@jakobdieckmann]

No... don’t want to... 🤣

[@savagedonut]

women sure like to complain.

[@Chareads]

men sure like to gratuitously comment

[@savagedonut]

@@Chareads women sure like to almost start a fight.

[@lingotss8392]

@@Chareads Why don't you write a bestseller then?

[@thursoberwick1948]

@@Chareads You need to deprogram yourself from whatever some second rate lecturer(s) taught you, and learn how to read literature beyond the surface level.

[@lararose3445]

Wow loved this!