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Apr 27, 2015KateHillier rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Not sure what to say about this one. This is my third book by this author and maybe I've just finally hit one that didn't quite affect me the way the other two did. Not to say I didn't like it - I did - but I don't think it clicked with me quite the same as the other ones. It's a coming of age and a love story all in one package. The main character is in love with a girl who is with their close friend. The close friend kills himself and the two of them start drifting toward one another but also apart at the same time. While Toru tries his best to make his way through life as best as he can, Naoko ends up withdrawing every time she tries to engage a bit more. The novel is told in flashback so the main events are taking place in the 60s so in the background are these student protests which rather compliments the story rather well. Toru also meets a variety of different girls but still is working and waiting for Naoko despite everything. There's a lot to relate to in that. The writing is fantastic and I can still hear the Beatles' song "Norwegian Wood" in my head even after I've finished it. The song does make an appearance a few times but I just found myself hearing it at odd times. There's a feeling and an aesthetic perhaps to this book that I connected with more than the actual plot, I suppose.