Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami

Norwegian Wood tells the story of Toru, a quiet and preternaturally serious young college student in Tokyo. He is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there, but Naoko finds the pressures and responsibilities of life unbearable. As she retreats further into her world, Toru finds himself reaching out to others and drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.

The writing in Norwegian Wood was simply beautiful. The narration was very intimate and vivid. It drew me in right from the start and made me feel all sorts of emotions that the protagonist was going through. The author used the instances from his life during student days, giving it an autobiographical feel, but that was not his intention. It’s not just a love story, though there are references to love throughout the novel. It’s a coming of age story with themes such as life and death, communication, isolation, mental illness, politics etc.

This story is filled with melancholy, pain, regret, and some short bursts of fleeting romance. Does feeling the warmth of small doses of sunshine make it worth enduring a dark storm? Yes, probably, maybe, hopefully. Highly recommended – read it today.

What happens when people open their hearts?
They get better.

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