Norwegian Wood is a 1987 novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.

Norwegian Wood is a Beatles song from which the book takes its title. It echoes throughout the novel, the melancholy tune and the sentiment imbuing the work. The Beatles sang:

“I once had a girl / or should I say / she once had me“; (amazing song; do listen to it )

Toru Watanabe (the main protagonist) is similarly unclear as to how he should consider his love for the two girls Naoko and Midori.

Naoko is beautiful, yet an emotionally troubled girl who lives in a sanatorium far from Toru. In high school she was Toru’s best (and only) friend’s girlfriend, and the three of them got along very well. Then the friend, Kizuki, only 17 at that time, committed suicide. They do not meet each other for a long time till their paths cross again in Tokyo where they both are pursuing higher studies. Naoko leaves Tokyo after their brief encounter.

Toru writes almost everyday to Naoko and visits her occasionally at the sanatorium. He loves Naoko very deeply and hopes that some day she will get better and lead a normal life with him.

During this time he meets Midori, who is his classmate in college. She has her own troubles involving her father being sick in the hospital, financial crisis and a boyfriend. Both Midori and Naoko are not entirely approachable. They like, or even love Toru, but they are wary of having him close or revealing too much about themselves. Toru accepts things as they come, always helpful but trying not to intrude too much. He is drawn to Midori but feels an obligation towards Naoko. Nothing is settled for Toru and he is confused being drawn closer to both Naoko and Midori. Crises come, including when Midori’s father dies. Midori also realizes that Toru is not ready to have a true relationship with her. There is, ultimately, another suicide (a somewhat too popular solution in Japan), and Toru finally figures things out in his own satisfactory way.

The portrayal of sex in the book is relatively unusual. There is quite a lot of it, though most involves manual gratification of one sort or another. The book brings out beautifully and subtly the difference between the Sex and the Love; the difference between mere fulfilling of carnal sexual needs and the true longing for someone.

The relatively simple story is told in a deceptively simple and straightforward manner. It is touching without getting too caught up in sentiment. Most of the book, however, comes across very well in this universal story of love, loss, and finding one’s place in the world.

Love, ultimately, is marvelous, even if it is unfathomable and baffling.

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