Hello everyone,
Time for another book review. I have this thing where I like to read people’s favourite books, it makes me feel like I get to know them better. Plus it gives you more things to talk about. Norwegian Wood (aside from being a Beatles song) is a book by Haruki Murakami. My housemate and her boyfriend both really love this book and recommended that I read it.
Norwegian Wood is set in Tokyo in the 60’s as Toru reflects on his university years, loves both lost and found and growing up. The late teens and early twenties is a very tumultuous time as you try to find your feet in the world and figure out where your life is going. For Toru this was no different, though tougher than most. His first love Naoko suffers from depression. Toru has encountered depression before, when he was 17 his best friend and Naoko’s childhood sweetheart suddenly committed suicide, gouging a deep wound in both their hearts.
It is only natural after such a tragedy for the people involved to grow closer and try to protect each other from further harm. However, it’s extremely difficult to protect someone from harm being done from the inside. The harder Toru tries to shield Naoko the worse she becomes, finally ending up in a sanitarium for alternative therapy.
As Toru struggles with this a girl name Midori rockets into his life and turns it all upside down. She becomes his best friend and confidente. As he slowly falls in love with her his heart is torn in two. What do you do when you love two people? The story follows Toru as his past and his present collide and his future balances on a knife edge.
Murakami weaves a compelling narrative, with characters you instantly emotionally invest in. I just could not put this book down, it tugged so hard on my heart strings. If you suffer from depression (which I am fortunate enough not to) or have known someone who does then this book will speak to you and hit you hard. It certainly hit me, it was insightful and devastatingly beautiful. It gives you a deeper understanding of what it is to be the person standing helplessly by as someone close to you suffers. It was a hard read, but I’m glad that I did.
Have you read this? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
xoxo
