Book review: Norwegian Wood

Just recently another author's work boomed in the market. But this time, it was an Asian author. Haruki Murakami. Familiar? Yeah, it should be. I doubt that anybody who loves to read has never heard of Murakami. His works are "hot items" nowadays. Swept by this hype, I bought my own copy, or make it, two copies of his works, just for trial. Upon reading reviews of other book bloggers, I chose "Norwegian Wood" and "After Dark" as the first books that I will read. I understand that Norwegian Wood has created a hype not only in Japan but in the whole of the readers' universe. In fact, Norwegian Wood has been created into a movie in Japan due to its popularity.

With so much curiosity and expectations, I read Norwegian Wood's first few pages with gusto. Quite frankly, I do not know what to expect, for one I have read quite a few mixed reviews of this book, mostly praises but also a few negative ones. Another thing is that I have already watched the movie version of the book, courtesy of my officemate who insisted that it was a fairly good movie for me to watch. I know that our fellow-Asian, Japanese have their own culture, sometimes, quirky, and some are just plainly weird for me but I thought maybe a glimpse inside their world will help me understand their ways of life a little. I hate to say this since I purchased his work due to the "mostly praises" that I have read about Norwegian Wood, but I find it somewhat detached. I mean, yes, it is not a Nicholas Sparks kind of novel, it is somewhat closer to reality, especially about the coming-of-age of the narrator, Toru Watanabe. But a narration that it is, I find it somewhat lacking in the connection department. Norwegian Wood, in my opinion is a "true" love story. And what I mean by true, is that it is somehow closer to what happens in the real world but the idea is to narrate it as a narration and nothing else. Maybe Japanese people are really somewhat detached. Maybe I am so used to the Western kind, which attaches and touches you as you read each part. But I just think that when reading a novel, of course I am not talking about biographies and stuff, I deem it proper to put in some feelings that will make the readers relate to the story or at least live them in their subconscious minds. This element, I think is what Norwegian Wood lacks as a novel. As of this entry, I have also finished reading After Dark, actually I read After Dark first before Norwegian Wood, and it left the same impression on me. Well, maybe Haruki Murakami's works are not my cups of tea. I love Midori's character, though. She is liberated and yet emotional, sometimes she struck me as a little bit weird, but I admire her ability to open up and express herself honestly. Something that I cannot fathom doing myself. And to think that this is 1960's to 1970's. Quite a gutsy lady, I must say.