Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami, is a book I loved so much that I actually want to hide it and never ever look at it again. Strange, I know! Compared to all the other books, such as TheSun Also Rises, Purple Hibiscus and even Let me Go, that I have loved, I have always wanted to re-read it. But with Norwegian Wood, the minute I shut it for the last time today, I literally hid it under my bag - it's a sad story, a very very sad story.
Unlike most sad stories, I didn't cry at the end of this. (Mainly because, I think I've cried myself out for everything else that has been hurting me...I have no tears left!) I'm just filled with this empty feeling.
The story is about a boy, Watanbe whose best friend kills himself when he's 17. He carries on with life, moves to Tokyo and bumps into his dead best friend's girlfriend. To get over her grief, she too moves away from their home town. Soon enough they form a friendship and then fall in love. To cut a long story short, Naoko (the girlfriend) is extremely troubled in life and ends up in an asylum. Watanbe tries to be there and goes on coping with his life. Unexpectedly, he befriends and falls in love with a girl from his class Midori. Although, it's not until the very end that he realises it's love! It's easy to love two or more people at the same time, it's only human. The boundaries, though, that one creates is what makes us better or worse. I love the way the boundaries and the understanding between the characters are drawn.
It's not a love story, it's a sad story - possibly the saddest book I've read in the longest time, and that too at a very wrong part of my life!
There's a line in the book (and even though it sounds romantic - it probably is) that has been stuck in my head since I read it. Midori tells this to Watanbe:
"I'm not going to believe in any damned revolution. Love is all I'm going to believe in."
And to be honest, this quote hits all the right notes with me, conjuring up emotions I never knew I had.
Naoko dies in the end. I'm guessing whoever reads my blog will not be rushing to buy a copy for themselves - the books and music I love are usually not liked by you lot (I know, I know!) Anyway, the reason I'm writing this post is not to review the book per se, but to be able to put my feelings down about it. I'd have loved to talk to someone whose read the book, but alas (!) I'm a lonely cat.
I chose this book amongst the many other Murakamis because, I loved the way the author describes Watanbe's memory of Naoko. It's enough to make you fall in love.
I don't know - this is probably a very stupid feeling, but with the end of this book, I almost felt like a part of me had reached its end. Like I said, a very stupid feeling, but with what's been happening lately, I know how I can put things like this to context.
Anyway, I'm sad. I love the book, and it's a beautiful story. Truly touching. Read it, if you like sad stories like me, don't if you are a cold, twisted, heartless human being!
Also, here's the song Norwegian Wood by the Beatles, enjoy :)
xxx
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