Norwegian Wood

This is a book that has been read by everyone in Japan (give or take). It was written by Haruki Murakami who usually writes surreal novels I guess the same kind of genre as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, although this one is a much more straight forward love story. Not that it's boring or mundane or typical in anyway. It is narrated by the main character Watanabe and is his memories of the period in his life between 17 and 21. In a way it's a coming of age story too, Watanabe is a very well rounded character with plenty of flaws but always remains likeable although you do feel like giving him a good shake at some points of his story. He is in love with Naoko who was the girlfriend of his dead best friend, who is a beautiful but very troubled person, emotionally unavailable to say the least. But then another girl comes into the story, Midori, I love Midori, one of the strangest, funniest characters i've had the joy to meet on my bookish travels. We get to see how his relationships with these two girls change and develop as the novel progresses. Apart from love a lot of the characters in this book have varying levels of mental illness/depression, and some of it is very sad but life isn't all sweetness and light so novels shouldn't be either and the author strikes a fair balance, the story of Reiko who we meet about halfway through the novel demonstrates this particularly well, she too is one of Murakami's strange girls but all of them seem believable at the same time. I have a few other of his books sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read and going by this one I have high hopes, a very enjoyable novel. 4 stars. P.S On a side note this book has given me an overwhelming urge for sushi and I wouldn't mind visiting Japan which is something that has never crossed my mind before.