Norwegian Wood – Haruki Murakami
I was first told to read some work by Haruki Murakami by a friend, who would often message me saying; ‘omgomgomGGGGG JULIETTE U NEED TO READ MURAKAMI LIKE NOW PLS IM DYING ASDFGHJKL.’ While I could tell me friend was clearly impressed by one of Japan’s most famous authors, it hadn’t dawned on me quite how impressive he really is.
Norwegian Wood follows Toru Watanabe following the suicide of his best friend. Kizuki’s suicide impacts all that knew him heavily, and Toru and Kizuki’s bereaved girlfriend, Naoko, try to find solace in silent walks across the Japanese countryside. Unsurprisingly, Toru falls passionately in love with Naoko, but things are complicated after she is forced into a mental rehabilitation centre and Toru finds a blossoming friendship in Midori, a pixie-haired girl from his university. However, don’t expect this to be like any love story that you’ve read before. If you have a fascination with death, sex, and The Beatles’ classic ‘Norwegian Wood,’ then this book may be for you. Beautiful and spine-tingling – a must read book for everyone.