国境の南、太陽の西 South of the Border, West of the Sun (1992 in Japanese/1999 in English) A Wild Sheep Chase 羊をめぐる冒険 (1982 in Japanese/1989 in English) Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated my experience of listening to Norwegian Wood on Audible.-Hear the Wind Sing 風の歌を聴け (1979 in Japanese/1987 in English) When reading the Midori character's words as portrayed by the narrator, I could barely handle it and even looked up the free online PDF text so I could be spared the way in which the narrator did Midori. The narrator would say: me-der-ree with a rapid pace, wow. Midori is pronounced Me do (long 'o' as in door) ri. The narrator for the most part did a basically good job but being third generation American Japanese, wow, when he repeatedly totally mangled simple Japanese names, it was so painful. Fantastic characters pulled me into thoughts that were so compelling and engaging. I feel a great appreciation for the world created within Norwegian Wood and even feel as if I have become a better person because I made it through the book. Murakami's brilliant Norwegian Wood made me feel throughout the book as if everything inside of my skin had been scraped and gutted out leaving me empty. If anyone understands the ending, please write to explain it.

What character would you cut from Norwegian Wood? reading a book about teenage angst (is that was it was about?). Who would you have cast as narrator instead of John Chancer? I think I spent the entire novel waiting for a sparkling line of prose or one interesting thing done by any of the characters. Whereas Kafka on the Shore & the Windup Bird Chronicle sucked you in and played with your soul, this novel was droll at best. What was most disappointing about Haruki Murakami’s story?

This was clearly written before Murakami figured out his writing style, because this lacks both the amazing storytelling and wonderful prose in his later work.

If this was the first Murakami novel I had ever read, I would never have read anything else he had written. What disappointed you about Norwegian Wood?

Norwegian wood kindle