Classic Fiction: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

I remain on a quest to explore all of the novels of Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, and today I will talk about Norwegian Wood, a book that launched him into super stardom in Japan, though this was much to his dismay at the time.

The Situation: Toru Watanabe is a college student studying drama in Tokyo. He is the average male, average student, with average grades, and average abilities. There does not seem to be anything truly special about him. He even describes himself as average looking. Before entering college, his best friend, Kizuki, took his own life. Now Toru and Kizuki's girlfriend Naoko have begun meeting up and taking walks together, their behavior towards each other making it abundantly clear the Kizuki's death continues to have a profound effect on both of them. For the most part, they live and function as college students, despite the sadness in their shared past, and despite the tumultuous political atmosphere of 1960s Japan, which seems to have been just as full of unrest and protests as 1960s America. Even so, Toru manages to keep it together, and is shocked when Naoko withdraws from school and enters a treatment facility.

The Problem: Without Naoko and their walks together, Toru folds in on himself, opting to not be too social or make many real personal connections. He does attempt to write letters to Naoko, and she eventually responds, even inviting him to visit her, which he does. He is able to see firsthand how she is doing, what her treatment entails, and even what her roommate is like. But despite the strong desire to remain hopeful, it is not clear when, or if, Naoko will be well enough to return to society. Toru knows by now that he is love with her, and willing to wait for her until she is fully capable of living outside of the facility. This is until he meets the incredibly confident and outgoing Midori, who he also finds himself attracted to. At the tender age of 20, Toru finds himself faced with several difficult decisions, during a time in his life when most people have yet to fully realize who they are or who they even want to be. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in Japan, mostly in the year 1969. Our narrator is the average, and somewhat hapless, Toru Watanabe. Though he has chosen to study drama, he does not have any specific aspirations regarding a potential career path, and seemingly picked the subject for no real reason. For the most part, Toru is quiet, introspective, a bit serious, and more than a little bit selfish and self-absorbed. It simply does not occur to him to consider someone elses feelings when it comes to most things. He is surrounded by women who are much more confident and self-assured, at least enough to know when he is not giving them what they need. Also, there is a near-constant theme of suicide. When playing Murakami bingo with this novel, readers could certainly blot out the spots for a dried up well, cats, urban ennui, train station, precocious teenager, cooking, Tokyo at night, and even historical flashback as the novel opens up in the year 1987, and then Toru begins to tell the story of when he was 19 on the verge of 20 in the year 1969. The book is often described as a love story, but I would argue that it is about a young man who truly has no idea what he wants. 

My Verdict: Norwegian Wood seems to be a Murakami favorite for many, and I can certainly understand why. It somewhat breaks away from many of the common Murakami themes his loyal readership is used to seeing, but it is still recognizable as being his style. There is little to no mention of the supernatural; there are no hidden passageways; and though there is mention of a well, it is brief and easily forgotten. Some readers have lamented that it is only a "love story," which I take to mean that they were hoping for more of the aforementioned elements. I quite enjoyed the change of pace, though having Toru as the focus wore my patience thin. I found it difficult to connect with someone who seemed okay with being aimless, and was also okay with not considering how his actions affect other people. Granted, Toru is still incredibly young and has much to learn, but I doubt he is someone whose friendship I would have sought in college. Murakami fans should certainly add this one to their list as they make their way through the author's works.

Favorite Moment: Whenever Reiko, Naoko's roommate at the facility, would tell Toru a story, whether about her past of something else.

Favorite Character: I was not sure how I would feel about Reiko at first, but she grew to be the character I looked forward to hearing from the most. Her stories are fascinating and engaging, and though she has been at the facility for seven years, she seems to me the most well-adjusted of all of the characters, though this may be due to her age.

Recommended Reading: My favorite Murakami novel continues to be A Wild Sheep Chase, though if you can slog through it, 1Q84 is certainly worth it.