Completed October 2021
NORWEGIAN
WOOD
From my previous reading of Murakami I arrived at Norwegian Wood expecting a certain level of whimsy. Bizarre, otherworldly twists had frequented what I'd read so far, so I'd braced myself for more of the same. Needless to say, it never arrived. This is a novel grounded in reality, the complexity lying instead in everyday lives. What lacked in mysterious surrealism it more than made up for in emotion – which at times did edge into eccentricity.
The narrative voice was for this reason an essential element in the book. It goes to explain the often bizarre pace of the plot, which seemed to fluctuate wildly. Some events unravelled at rapid speed whilst others meandered, regardless of their importance. This confused me at first, but at its heart, this was a nostalgic book, written by the protagonist in hindsight. Therefore this contrast made sense based on Toru's desire to reflect, lingering only on what he cared to (or was able to) at the time.
This made for an interesting, if at times challenging, experience as a reader. Similarly I felt at times like my attachment to the narrative was elusive – drifting and out of focus, at one moment totally grounded and the next caught in fanciful detail where I had to concentrate to stay connected. Stylistically this deepened the impression of a dreamlike state, plunging deep into emotional depths before returning for air.
I've seen Norwegian Wood categorised, if not in the romance genre officially, then as a romantic novel before now. But I feel this is disingenuous. Although I empathised with the characters deeply it was clear that each was wandering their own path, and the connections between them never felt fully sincere. Maybe it was the perspective of youth, a time of egocentricity like no other (not to criticise, as I wouldn't quite remove myself from that category just yet). But even so, it often came across as if the characters sought within each other not true understanding but just what would serve their own needs.
Never was this more apparent than within the collision of Toru, Naoko and Midori. The first pair were tied together through shared trauma and tragedy, and although their exchanges were heartfelt they never seemed to overcome this nostalgia to construct something new and unique to them. Toru's longing therefore struck me more as grief for the past, and inability to confront his own future.
As for Midori – she seemed to be the perfect motivator for Toru to grow, and yet again their relationship once again felt stagnant. Not due to either individual's flaws – I just couldn't help but feel fiery, dramatic Midori could have done with someone who could match her energy, rather than the introspective Toru who was sure to let her down. As he inevitably did, with plenty of drama within the numbered months we see of their relationship. Again, it was difficult to watch Toru defer to Midori, who had fallen into his life by happenstance, rather than pursuing a more intentionally symbiotic relationship, with the ability to foster growth in both parties.
This was the main frustration of the book for me. Toru was a difficult narrator to connect to, and his passiveness and lack of ambition did nothing to drive the momentum of the plot. Perhaps this is the ultimate message – self reflection is essential but only up to a point. It is easy to instead descend into nihilism, but this is something we must realise and overcome if we are to find meaning.
Reflecting on these elements now, I feel I sound overly critical. Because Norwegian Wood was not only beautifully atmospheric, if at times hauntingly so, but poignant and heartfelt. There were plenty of hard hitting passages which took my breath away. And despite my vexation at Toru's behaviour, it was in a way refreshing to read an imperfect ending, not nicely tied up in a bow. This was a cautionary tale – and, despite its idiosyncrasy – a truthful one.
“I’m not totally mad at you. I’m just sad. You’re all locked up in that little world of yours, and when I try knocking on the door, you just sort of look up for a second and go right back inside.”