Review: Haruki Murakami – Norwegian Wood
Haruki Murakami. This japanese writer, born 1949, has destroyed the thrill of reading other authors. He has rolled them into a carpet and thrown them in the cold river. I can´t see why I really should read anyone else?
It´s like when you first discover – truly discover – Bob Dylan. When you go from his 1960-songs to his 1970-songs and the ground beneath your feet starts to quiver, quake and finally disappear. You got no safety line, no protection, no turning back. You got no shelter from the storm.
Norwegian Wood is the third book I´ve read from Haruki Murakami. Kafka on the Shore and Sputnik Sweetheart is already done and I can´t wait to start reading stuff like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and the marathonbook What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.
It´s a lovestory from the 1960´s. A sad, lonesome tale but still compelling and profoundly well-written. Toru Watanabe hears the Beatles-song Norwegian Wood and gets overwhelmed with emotions and memories. We go back with Toru to the university in Tokyo, his love for the fragile Naoko. Naoko goes to a Cuckoo´s nest in the mountains, Toru waits. It´s vibrant, between the lines, great stuff. It´s the heartache of growing up.
Haruki Murakami wrote this book 23 years ago. It just became a movie and is less of that magical realism you will find in Kafka on the shore, this is more of a straight shooting novel. Well, I like that side of this japanese moon as well.
¤ Judge says: 6/7 Kentuckyseven´s.
¤ Movietrailer: Norwegian Wood
