The term ‘Cult Book’ is generously awarded to nice-selling niche books, most often by the author’s own publishing house. Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, however, is one of the true cult classics – a story that has managed to transcend its temporal and geographical setting and speak to multitudes of readers. By now, it has sold millions of copies all over the world. Indeed, it is said that Murakami was so embarrassed by the novel’s success that he fled the country and did not return for seven years.
The storyline in Norwegian Wood is a pretty straight-shooting affair. It is written like an autobiography, borrowing details from the author’s own youth in the late 1960s. Toru Watanabe, age 18, moves from Kobe to Tokyo to take up his University studies. There he falls in love with Naoko, the girlfriend of his dead best friend. The somewhat ethereal story of Toru and Naoko is balanced against the story of Toru meeting Midori. Somehow, he steers clear of all cliches, managing to keep it far away from ever being a triangle drama (or any other geometrical form or other template for that matter). Basically, it is a young man’s coming of age story, set in a tumultuous time in an interesting place.
Its true power is rooted in its descriptions and evocative language. Using the light touch of a true master, Murakami manages to play on emotions already present in the reader, allowing him to use fairly sparse language to evoke a vivid emotional landscape. Taking this style to the limit, he manages to produce an easily read novel that is at the same time hip, sexy, dreamy, entertaining, haunting and absolutely cool.
After writing Norwegian Wood (1987), Murakami would take his authorship back into the fabulistic realm, the dreamy landscape that he so much enjoys to describe; flirting with the supernatural while still keeping the reader in a tight illusion of reality. Personally, I would have loved to read what else he could do in this more realistic universe.
If you like reading and haven’t read it, it should be at the top of your shopping list.
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