Norwegian Wood

Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no Mori) is a novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, published in 1987. The novel is a nostalgic tale of loss and sexual awakening. It is told in the first person by Toru Watanabe, who reflects on his days as a college student in Tokyo. Through his reminiscences, readers see Watanabe develop relationships with two very different women: the beautiful but emotionally troubled Naoko and the outgoing, lively Midori.

This novel is set in late 1960s Tokyo, at a time when Japanese students, like those in many other countries, were protesting the established order. While it serves as the backdrop for the novel's events, Murakami portrays the student movement as largely weak-willed and hypocritical (through the eyes of Watanabe and Midori) Murakami adapted the novel's first section from an earlier short story, "Firefly." The story was later collected in the anthology Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. Norwegian Wood was a huge hit with Japanese teenagers, propelling Murakami to stardom in his homeland (apparently much to his dismay at the time).

Author: Haruki Murakami
Publication date: 1987
Genre: Literary fiction, romance novel
Goodreads rating: 4/5 (542,358 votes)
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