Oh man this book is loaded with sex. I can now see why people, mostly women, complain about this author oversexualizing any and all female characters. Tsukuru freaking bangs just about every named woman in this book minus the Finnish woman Olga and Kuro’s daughter (because they stated her name.)
Quite a contrast to Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human, which did have sexual undertones but it was subtle and definitely not outright mentioning genitals. Interesting to see how the different era allows Murakami’s explicitly mentions sex while Dazai plays around with the words and scenes to avoid it.
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Now for the actual book mentioned in the title. I read it some years ago and didn’t fully grasp it, now here I am feeling dissatisfied with the book. I want more answers. I want to know who raped and killed Shiro. I didn’t want to read about Kuro’s full breasts. Aka’s business venture also seems to be a topic brought up often amongst the characters – now that I can see why, but really, IRL I’d see it as one hell of a chore to endure as part of the 85% as explained in the book.
Ao and Aka. How much do they believe Shiro at first? Both mention that they can’t believe it, and that eventually Shiro’s story didn’t add up. But the way Ao acted by asking Tsukuru if he really didn’t know why he was cast out… I am inclined to believe that Ao leans more towards Tsukuru being the rapist. Which in that case, I’m surprised he didn’t just lash out at Tsukuru in that phone call from 16 years ago, or from their meeting as soon as they were isolated in the park together. Aka sounds like he’s the most neutral in the group.
And while Tsukuru did talk to his friends, Haida’s reasoning was never truly resolved was it? He disappeared and never came back. No mentions after the Finland trip. Only the LP he left behind is present till the end.
Maybe someone with more insights on philosophy might have had a better time with this book than me. Idk. Just my thoughts on it. Ugh, now I am debating whether to reread Norwegian Wood…
by NommingFood