REVIEW: 'Norwegian Wood' by Haruki Murakami

Yes, guys. Another Murakami book.

Having gone through quite a few of Haruki Murakami’s novels over the past year or so, I finally had the opportunity to tackle his most popular work, ‘Norwegian Wood’, when I saw it available in my library. I had previously stayed away from this particular work because, although it has been regarded as a classic worldwide, it is much more entrenched in the romance genre than his other works and this made me think it to be “watered down”. However, after reading a couple of 400+ page novels in the past few weeks I wanted something a bit easier to take in but with equally high expectations. So, why not try out Murakami’s magnum opus?

==---Plot---==

When the airplane that Toru Watanabe is on plays the eponymous Beatles song, it brings him back memories of twenty years ago to his university days in 60s Tokyo. For Toru it’s less a time of studying and more a period of unusual friendships, sex, and most of all, his passion for two young women. The fragile Naoko is the girlfriend of Toru’s best friend from high school and both of them share a deep loss in their lives which seems to haunt them. Midori is a vivacious student who draws him in with her perkiness and tough home life. The two women begin to mean different things to Toru, but whom will he choose in the end?

==---Opinion---==

Thankfully, ‘Norwegian Wood’ more than met my expectations. It is not quite a straightforward romance story and there are still surreal elements present, especially as Toru’s mindset can be very vivid as it runs through several emotions throughout the course of the story. It is very well-paced and the writing kept me coming back to see how Toru handles his student life with two girls he becomes fond of. I’ll admit there is a sudden swerve in the final chapter which totally startled me but I think it was a good move as after this event I just wanted to keep reading until the end.

The setting of Japan/Tokyo in the 60s is one that I was easily drawn into despite being born in 1992- the music and literature form excellent motifs, especially that of the titular Beatles song (I listened to this song and I must say Murakami made the theme of the novel fit perfectly with its lyrics). It seems to have been a turbulent time with demonstrations and occasional fighting, but as the protagonist Toru is very much on the sidelines, just expressing his views on how fruitless it seems to be. Even as a student of the present day I share his sentiments completely (maybe I shouldn’t admit that, hmm...).

Generally one of Murakami’s strengths as an author is his characterization, which is brilliant as ever here. As I’ve said already, Toru Watanabe is a relatable lead character, but to those who aren’t/weren’t university students, he also gains sympathy for having suffered for a shocking event in his high school years that connects him with Naoko. He reaches some real lows in the course of the novel caused by both past and present matters, but by the end of the novel he has very much come of age and is ready to move on, which made me finally happy for him. With the two female lead characters, I found myself preferring Midori because she was lively and witty so that she brought the best out of Toru. Nevertheless she too is frustrated with her life, especially regarding her dysfunctional family and straight-laced boyfriend. Naoko is in contrast is charming, somewhat shy and someone who truly cares for Toru. Like him, she has been more deeply affected by the past and it did make her a slightly more unsettling character to me. The supporting cast are also in-depth characters with nobody feeling flat at all.

==---Overall---==

‘Norwegian Wood’ is an excellent story which I was hooked to from beginning to end, eventually finishing it in less than twenty four hours. It is personally not my favourite Murakami book (which is ‘Dance Dance Dance’) but it comes pretty close and is very much deserving of its reputation. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something more than a general romance book, or for those looking to get into Murakami’s other works.

This review is based on a library copy. It may also be found on 'ciao!' and Dooyoo.

REVIEW: 'I am a Cat' by Soseki Natsume

With the whole summer off from university, I have decided to spend more of my time reading for pleasure, which includes dipping into literature outside of Britain and the USA. I’ve already grown to like books by Haruki Murakami, but am willing to try out other popular authors from this country. One such Japanese classic is Soseki Natsume’s ‘I am a Cat’, which I first heard about from my sister (a student of Japanese at university). So when I saw it in the library I was eager to pick it up. Sadly, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

==---Plot---==

‘I am a Cat’ is a collection of short stories that had been published in a notable Japanese literary magazine between 1905 and 1906. It chronicles the day to day observations of an unnamed cat on the humans around him. The cat is an intelligent, philosophical narrator who thinks most humans to be inferior beings, especially as the household that reluctantly take him in- which consist of his eccentric master Mr. Sneaze, the put-upon mistress, three reckless children and a housekeeper that loathes him- don’t treat him well at all. Through this unique perspective Natsume gives a social commentary on the changes happening in early 20^th-century Japanese society, such as growing modernisation of the country and its growing Western influence, as discussed by the human characters.

==---Opinion---==

I will say that Natsume’s cat narrative is fantastic to read: anthropomorphic, witty, deep-thinking and more intelligent than most of the human cast. He isn’t afraid to speak his mind about how (most) humans are inferior and seemingly incapable of emotion, which is understandable given the way he is treated by his adoptive family as well as how they expect him to behave. For example, the master and mistress consider him useless just because he can’t catch rats nor alert them to a thief (which he in fact tried to do in one story; they were just too deep in sleep to ignore him). Natsume himself was an English university lecturer and widely read, so ‘I am a Cat’ has extensive references to Western and Eastern literature of the past and present, culture and philosophy which further develop the cat’s character. As a Western reader such references allow me to connect to the book and its messages more easily. Whilst the cat sometimes comes off as arrogant to a fault, it is still a sympathetic and funny narrator that readers can relate to despite belonging to a different species. The rest of the characters are also brought to life through our cat’s perspective. For example, we learn that his master, Mr. Sneaze, is a humourless man, eccentric and easily influenced by others. None of the supporting human cast are made really likeable but they are developed enough for our feline protagonist to give his snarky opinion on their actions. Therefore the ending of the whole series was unexpected and a little sad, reflecting once again on how unwanted the poor cat is.

My biggest problems with ‘I am a Cat’ are the long, long paragraphs of dialogue, usually between the master and his friends. The cat narrator disappears to tell us everything that these men say, even though the subject matter of which isn’t always interesting because they turn out to be incredibly lengthy stories that even the characters comment on as being too long to be worth their time! These happen in almost every short story and are can be spread over a dozen pages. I just found these so boring because there’s hardly any narrative outside of it- just two to five characters talking back and forth- and ended up skimming over these for fear of falling asleep in the middle of them. It doesn’t help that Natsume Soseki’s writing style (or the translation, but I’m more sure it’s the former because it would try to capture his nuances) uses a lot of complex words during these dialogues.

==---Overall---==

Therefore, whilst ‘I am a Cat’ is a thought-provoking read, with a unique narrative and an interesting outlook, is let down by becoming boring to the point where I was forcing myself to finish it. The dialogues simply made the book unreadable in places because I was expecting more witty narrative and less “social commentary”. However, people whom are interested in this period of Japan will perhaps find the stories more readable, so by means I still recommend it to those looking for an intelligent piece of classical literature from Japan.

This review is based on a library copy. It may also be found on 'ciao!' and Dooyoo.

REVIEW: 'Remember Me' by Lesley Pearse

*Library Copy Only*

‘Remember Me’ is a novel by Lesley Pearse which I decided to get from my library after reading a positive review from another Dooyoo member (dippykitty) and realising it sounded like my kind of novel. This is my first Lesley Pearse novel and I hadn’t read around the setting of the book much, but thanks to that review I had high expectations from this book and honestly, I wasn’t disappointed!

==---Plot---==

It’s 1786. Avoiding a hanging when she is caught stealing a silk hat, Cornish-born Mary Broad is instead sentenced to transportation. She is bound for a ship to Australia with fellow convicts and Marine troops. However, her journey conditions on the ship are horrific and settling on the mysterious land, under the orders of an apathetic, lawless, colony doesn’t make her life much better as she and her companions hoped. But Mary is determined to stay strong and survive under these new circumstances, for the sake of her children and herself, and longs for the day when she can escape back to England...

==---Opinion---==

‘Remember Me’ is superbly written right from the beginning. We immediately learn about and empathize with Mary and it stays that way through to the very end. Pearse writes about the terrible conditions of both the Australian colony and the ships Mary is forced to travel on throughout her journeys, and I felt disgusted that any people, even convicted felons, were treated without any consideration for survival either on land or at sea. Although in a story of a journey like this there aren’t any twists to speak of, unexpected things do happen and it left me pining for Mary as it seemed like she was fated for disaster at each turn. Fortunately, there is a more or less happy ending for Mary after all her struggles.

Mary Broad is a perfect protagonist: skilled, hardy, and most of all determined amongst men who consider her inferior instead of an equal. Sometimes I was put off by her behaviour, such as the scenes where she offered herself for tangible benefits, but these things were necessary for her survival and it stops her from being a Mary Sue-like character. The story of Mary Broad was real and Pearse does well into making her into a woman of the times but one whom we can relate to and eventually admire. Her characters grows from a nineteen year old filled with regret at the crime which has got her hanged, to a woman in her mid-twenties whom has survived so much but does not break down. That said, while none of the male characters are as dominating as the female protagonist they can be interesting in their own right. Mary’s husband and fellow convict Will is a charismatic man who shares a few of Mary’s strengths but more deeply flawed and insecure, while Marine Officer Watkin Tench is a kindly man who cares so much about Mary that I also sympathized with him a lot as well. Pearse brings them all to life as they all share a part in the horrors of the convict ships and life in Australia, yet as men they recognise Mary’s strengths and survivalist nature despite her being a woman.

==---Overall---==

‘Remember Me’ was an amazing book. I have never been interested much in this period of history, let alone specifically the colonization of Australia, but this novel got me fascinated with how it turned out and I got very accustomed to the period and the situations of the times. I will definitely be checking out some more of Lesley Pearse’s books in the future because I really enjoyed this one!

Review also posted on Dooyoo and Ciao.

REVIEW: '1Q84' (all 3 books) by Haruki Murakami

Two days ago I finally finished book 3 of Haruki Murakami's latest offering, '1Q84'. As I said in my last blog post this is of course one heck of a long read, and I've found it hard to concisely summarize the book. Therefore I might be rambling a lot in this post, rather than giving a straightforward review.

Unlike the US (where it was published in one volume) or Japan (where each book was published separately, in the UK '1Q84' Books 1 & 2 were published together and released first, followed by Book 3 a week later. Did I feel separate publication was necessary? Well not really. There aren't really any major time skips because the book takes place in one year and each book covers about 3 months/1 season. Actually, Book 2 does end on a cliffhanger which makes getting Book 3 off the shelf more appealing, but I can't remember such a thing happening at the beginning of Book 1. Nevertheless, I suppose it makes the publishing company more money by splitting it into 3 books and honestly, the thought of a 900+ page epic to read is hard for me to stomach!

Let's try and get my opinons onto paper a blog post now, shall we?

==---Plot---==

 

There are 3 main POV characters throughout the novel, though Books 1 & 2 only follow the two actual lead characters- Aomame and Tengo. Book 3 introduces us to Ushikawa, a minor character introduced in Book 2 and is tracking down the other two characters.

It's 1984 and Aomame's story begins in a taxi on a motorway on her way to an "assignment". Said taxi is stuck in traffic, and Aomame's appointment apparently cannot wait. Her driver suggests she walk to her destination by exiting the motorway through an emergency stairway nearby. Aomame decides to do so, but as she is about to leave the driver warns her that, once she goes outside, the very nature of variety may change. Aomame does get to her destination and finishes her "assignment"- you see, she's an assassin who ends the lives of domestic abusers in a way to make them look as if they got a heart attack.
Her life afterward seems slightly different, such as noticing things around her that apparently have been changed (such as police guns being issused), and soon realises that the world has indeed moved to an alternate reality, which she names '1Q84'.

Meanwhile Tengo- a maths cram school teacher and aspiring writer- is discussing with literary agent Komatsu about a manuscript with a potentially terrific but horrendously written story, 'Air Chrysalis' by one Fuka Eri. Komatsu wants Tengo to re-write 'Air Chrysalis' and asks her to get Fuka Eri's permission first. Tengo's reluctance to make another's story his own is conflicted with his encounters with Fuka Eri- a dyslexic and bemusing girl who says Tengo can do as he wishes with the story. His concern about Fuka Eri and her story lead him to her legal guardian, Professor Ebisuno and he learns about his past along with that of Fuka Eri's parents. Her parents live in a secular commune called Sakigake where nothing has been heard about them since Ebisuno left the commune some time ago, but Fuka Eri managed to make her way out of her commune- in fact as Tengo soon begins to suspect, the fantasy of 'Air Chrysalis' might be essentially a true account of her time in Sakigake.

The two storylines at first seem quite unrelated, but towards the end of Book One we see that Tengo and Aomame, both of them in an alternate, surreal 1Q84 are very much connected both through their pasts and the current goings-on around them. Aomame's job takes to one of her biggest missions in that she targets the leader of Sakigake for death.Tengo's association with "Air Chrysalis"'s publication becomes a cause for concern when a myserious man, Ushikawa (the third POV in Book 3), begins pursuing Tengo for unclear reasons and Fuka Eri goes missing before seeking refuge at Tengo's house. Gradually to us the nature of this alternate 1984/1Q84, determined by unusual occurences, the mystery of the sinister "Little People" and two moons present in the night sky, becomes clearer, and through it all Tengo and Aomame are drawn closer together...

==---Opinion---==

 

I can firmly say that '1Q84' is very well-written. Murakami has managed to create the stories of two (later three) semmingly unrelated characters but which cross over into each other's events smoothly. I enjoyed reading each character's perspectives on things as I learnt a lot about them and it's needed to help me comprehend the story as a whole. It has all the typical Murakami surrealist elements, with weird, philosophic dialogue focusing on mundane happenings and the world around these characters, as well as unexplained happenings in the narrative that readers are expected to interpret for ourselves. Definitely DO NOT read this if you like your stories completely laid out for you with nothing left in the open, because you will get nothing out of this book (nor from Murakami or his contemporaries either).

As always, it's the characterization that stands out here. Aomame is a complex woman whom is seen as strong and capable as a unique assassin despite a pretty depressing and self-dependant childhood (most of which we learn about from Tengo's POV, which I found quite clever as you don't know initially whom he is thinking about). We soon learn the reasons for why she works for an elderly Dowager in murdering domestic abusers and that reason is quite moving. However happenings in 1Q84 wear her down throughout the course of the novel and at times she can get emotional, hence I sympathized with her most of all. Tengo is just as complex although I percieved him to be slightly more submissive to his daily life; he was a childhood prodigy who has ended up a maths teacher yet he dreams of being an author. However his childhood is still far from ideal with an overbearing father whom he stops contact with until circumstances change during Book Two. He might appear boring but this is probably because he is surrounded by equally or moreso interesting characters. Besides, he has his own determination to survive whatever 1Q84's world throws at him. I admire him, but in slightly different way to the way I did Aomame. The other major characters are also very in-depth with individual personalities, from Fuka-Eri's weird way of speaking (usually avoiding questions directly at her, while not addressing people in the correct way) to the oblvious Komatsu. You really connect with everyone in some way in the story. Even Ushikawa, who is portrayed as a physically repulsive and sinister character at first, gained some sympathy from me as a former family man whose ugliness haunts him in whatever he does.

Surpringsly enough, I was able to connect with the setting of 1984/1Q84 pretty easily. I haven't been to Japan, nor did I exist in the 80s, but that didn't bother me here. True, there are mentions of some current events that happened around this time and fashion trends, but the focus is on the story and not the limitations of the decade it occurs in, so I don't feel like I'm missing out for not understanding any 80s references.

So did I have any problems with '1Q84'? One that really sticks out in my mind as I write this is that Book 3 had really boring padding in Aomame's and sometimes Tengo's POV chapters. I can't give the reasons why for spoilers, but Aomame spends her time in one place going over the same things again and again for about three of her chapters- nothing much ever progresses! In contrast, Ushikawa's POV always have him making progress in his investigation of the other characters, even if he's going over ground that was covered in the past books it's still a different interpretation and that's what makes it readable instead of simply repetitive. In addition, I don't think we learned that much about 'The Little People', who are crucial to this alternate 1984. I mean, was it ever made clear if they were good guys or bad guys, for our protagonists or against them? There were just the moments of confusion when the surrealism got a bit too much for my head, but as with Murakami, he's never one to explain himself in full, which I've already made quite clear in this post. ;)

==---Overall---==

'1Q84' is a fantastic read and certainly one for fans of Murakami and surreal fiction to sink their teeths into. However, whilst I'm quite new to Murakami as a whole I wouldn't say it's one of my favourite books by him, as the story does suffer from many uneventful moments and a concept that could have been explained with a bit more depth than were actually treated. Still, I'm not that let down and enjoy the novel in its strengths of characterization and narrative.

Books 1 & 2: 4.5 out of 5
Book 3: 3 out of 5 (for padding reasons)
Overall: 4 out of 5

Progress... (June, mostly)

Since this is a reading as well as a book review blog, I figure that people who read/stumble upon this blog might want to actually know about what I cover on a weekly (or monthly if I get that lazy) basis. I don't intend to review every book I read because, well, some are doggone hard to analyze the plot of, let alone give a consumer opinion on!

However some of these I've already reviewed on other websites- 'ciao!' and 'Dooyoo'. Despite saying otherwise in my intro post, I've decided that cross-posting old reviews onto this blog is pretty redundant since I want showcase my new reviews on here rather than previous stuff for the sake of filler. So if possible I have linked you to my book reviews on Dooyoo if you want to check them out. :)

Books I read in June- 9th July:

'The Final Reckoning' by Sam Bourne
'The Falcons of Montabard' by Elizabeth Chadwick
'The Midas Code' by Boyd Morrisson
'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern
'1Q84' (books 1&2) by Haruki Murakami

Currently reading:

'1Q84' (book 3) by Haruki Murakami

In the reading pile:

'Remember Me' by Lesley Pearse
'I am a Cat' by Natsume Soseki

Maybe this is a bit of a stretch, but 'The Night Circus' is definitely looking to become one of my favourite books ever, and is one I'd definitely recommend, especially if you love books that are 'a feast for the senses' as some reviewers put it! Once I really got into it I found it hard to put down and it's definitely something I want to read again and again. Apparently there are talks of it being made into a film. My opinion? Given the surrealist nature of the novel it will be tricky but I will likely give it a chance depending on the trailers.

'1Q84' is proving to be a good read, but the layout, density (as it's...well, three books in two) and zig-zagging plot make it difficult to cover in a concise review. I'm very close to finishing Book 3 (less than 100 pages to go!) so will probably just detail my rambling thoughts in the next blog post.

Until next time, this is Antonia, signing off. :)

REVIEW: 'Jamaica Inn' by Daphne Du Maurier

‘Jamaica Inn’ is a classic gothic novel by Daphne Du Maurier written in 1936 but (presumably) set in the late 19^th century. This was another pick from the library as I enjoy Du Maurier’s gothic tales and since ‘Jamaica Inn’ is one of her most acclaimed works I picked it up in the hopes of reading a great thriller. So, did it live up to my hopes?

==---Plot---==

When Mary Yellan’s mother dies, she follows her last request to leave her quaint farm and home in Helford and live with her Aunt Patience across the moors at Jamaica Inn. Unfortunately, as both her coachman and a fellow traveller warn her, the inn is a brooding place filled with deceit and wickedness. Her aunt is now a broken woman, completely under the thumb of her dominating husband, Joss Merlyn.

The inn’s atmosphere stifles Mary as she tries her best to stand against her uncle while pulling her aunt together so they can both escape. However she soon becomes embroiled in her uncle’s secret deeds despite Joss’s threats to ignore what she hears and sees, but her chance to be freed of Jamaica Inn’s wickedness is thrown into turmoil thanks to her growing feelings for Joss’s younger brother, Jem Merlyn- but can he be trusted too?

==---Opinion---==

Whilst I enjoyed ‘Jamaica Inn’, I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect book worthy of 5 stars just because it’s a classic.

It certainly has the elements of a good thriller: suspense (especially with chapters ending on cliffhangers), the mysteries of the shady activities that are based at the eponymous inn that pique our curiosity as well as Mary’s. Above all, Du Maurier vividly creates a Jamaica Inn is far from serving the purposes it is meant to, even from just people’s impressions given in the first chapter. It is isolated, dilapidated and lifeless, and its dark atmosphere greatly affects its current inhabitants so that we feel frustrated for Mary in her attempts to bring some sort of normality to the place.

The characterization is very good. Mary Yellan is an excellent protagonist; the deaths of her parents and her reluctance to leave Helford if only at her mother’s request make her a sympathetic character straight away. However, unlike her aunt she is down to earth, strong-willed and determined to escape Jamaica Inn’s grip, hence she isn’t afraid to challenge her domineering uncle and his colleagues despite the fact he could easily break her wrists! Foolhardy or not, I had to admire her determination as the novel became further more depressing after all she witnesses. Joss Merlyn himself is a big brute who dominates the household physically and psychologically, but does have some dry humour in him, at least when sober. Fortunately he isn’t quite a clichéd evil ‘antagonist’ although he comes close- in fact he is most sinister when drunk and reveals his true occupation to Mary, plus when one of his operations backfires he does show vulnerability towards his position towards the end, if only for himself rather than his wife and niece. Plus he seems well-aware of his family’s ‘bad blood’ and is happy to go the way of his ancestors. We don’t learn as much about Aunt Patience’s history but we don’t need to, as it’s clear she’s a broken bird and different from the woman Mary knew as a child when she’s on the verge of marriage. She is such an utterly pitiful character due to her submissiveness and loyalty towards her husband that I felt more for Mary’s frustrations at her ineffectualness rather than Patience herself.

Two more supporting characters of importance are Joss Merlyn’s brother Jem and the vicar of a nearby church named Francis Davey, both of whom prove to be the closest things Mary has to allies during her time at Jamaica Inn. Jem Merlyn is a very complex character because although he is as much a criminal as his brother, it’s on a smaller scale and he’s more of a ‘loveable rogue’. He can be snarky and has a good sense of humour which puts on par with Mary and makes their growing relationship more realistic and complicated since she is unable to trust any man, let alone the brother of her evil uncle. Francis Davey is a strange vicar who despite himself offers Mary comfort and advice when she gets to her wit’s end. Yet Du Maurier does reminds us constantly of Davey’s sinister appearance, as he is an albino; and sometimes I wish she didn’t do that as it slightly gives hints towards a plot twist at the end of the story.

From beginning to end ‘Jamaica Inn’ is well-paced and perfectly atmospheric in its writing. However, Du Maurier does also struggle with unnatural dialogue in places. Characters have habits of stating either their or another character’s emotions/state of mind aloud, which I found off putting because such emotions are inferred from the narrative anyway. Maybe it’s just me, but people don’t usually describe their own feelings in such a way to another person, especially as the author has already stated what a character is feeling or thinking outside dialogue. That’s probably the biggest flaw I found with this novel though, and perhaps it could be a result of how people spoke back in these times (which just shows how familiar I am with books set in the 19^th century, I suppose!).

==---Overall---==

‘Jamaica Inn’ is an exciting story that I quite enjoyed reading with a brilliant gothic setting and many sinister undertones. It may suffer from some poorly written dialogue, but otherwise it is a good read and a well deserved classic.

I got my copy from the library, but you can find the copy I read (published by Virago Modern Classics) for as little as 1p used on Amazon Marketplace, or £5.84 new from the website.