Norwegian Wood Readalong - The End
No drawing for this one because I've been busy finishing up the Sketchbook 2012 Project instead. Even if I did have the time, I wouldn't draw one for this section of the book because by George, it was depressing! I don't have much to say for it, except that I'm not surprised at what happened to Naoko. I saw it coming, but I was waiting to see how Murakami would end this story. There was never supposed to be a happy ending, but I had at least hoped for an ending that made sense! The beginning of the novel begins with him on a plane in Germany, talking to a stewardess. The next 290 or so pages describe an 18-year flashback...
At the end, is he off the plane and phoning Midori from the telephone booth, disoriented by the overwhelming nostalgia? Or is he still 20 years old, phoning Midori after parting ways with Reiko? The last paragraph doesn't mention the present day, so I'm just going assume that young!Toru's calling Midori, but that's what irks me. I hate when novels have a flashback that never lead back to the present, because you don't see how exactly the past has affected the character's present way of living. There's no closed loop, no closure, and pretty much no ending. While I don't exactly despise this book, it would take me a while before I can bring myself to read it.
What I do appreciate is Murakami's way of using Toru as a transparent character to amplify the girls' characterization, because he's pretty much the chameleon character that picks up on his companion's mannerisms and reacts accordingly. By himself, he's a pretty bland guy who likes to think that he's a hipster because he reads American Lit in a Japanese university and works at a record store. With each girl, however, Murakami then flips the switches back and forth by making you feel so sad for Naoko, charmed by Midori, and tickled by Reiko. Welllll, that's all I got.
Can't wait for the next readalong!
At the end, is he off the plane and phoning Midori from the telephone booth, disoriented by the overwhelming nostalgia? Or is he still 20 years old, phoning Midori after parting ways with Reiko? The last paragraph doesn't mention the present day, so I'm just going assume that young!Toru's calling Midori, but that's what irks me. I hate when novels have a flashback that never lead back to the present, because you don't see how exactly the past has affected the character's present way of living. There's no closed loop, no closure, and pretty much no ending. While I don't exactly despise this book, it would take me a while before I can bring myself to read it.
What I do appreciate is Murakami's way of using Toru as a transparent character to amplify the girls' characterization, because he's pretty much the chameleon character that picks up on his companion's mannerisms and reacts accordingly. By himself, he's a pretty bland guy who likes to think that he's a hipster because he reads American Lit in a Japanese university and works at a record store. With each girl, however, Murakami then flips the switches back and forth by making you feel so sad for Naoko, charmed by Midori, and tickled by Reiko. Welllll, that's all I got.
Can't wait for the next readalong!
You're so right...it never came full circle to the present. It was definitely unsatisfying.
ReplyDeleteI like to think that he called Midori and she told him she didn't want to talk to him and then never talked to him again because she realized she was too good for him. That's my ending, and I'm sticking to it.
Yes, that's exactly how it should have ended :P
DeleteOtherwise it's a vicious cycle of Midori waiting for Toru who's waiting for Naoko who's "waiting" for Kizuki. Let's go with your ending instead :)
Aw, I like your idea though about it being present day and him calling Midori, i.e. they've been together for 18 years. That'd be nice. And maybe he's stopped being kinda douchey in general.
ReplyDeleteHmmm - that's the ending I'll go with in my head to prevent myself from turning my book into tinder. :P
DeleteThanks for the readalong experience! I'm really glad that I got to take part in it, and can't wait until April!
YES to everything you said. It bothers me as well that Murakami never made it back to Toru's present, although I'm kind of sick of him right now and don't care what he's up to. The first chapter was so strange -- there was all that talk about a well somewhere in a field (presumably near the Ami Hostel), which seemed so important at the time but was never mentioned again.
ReplyDeleteI can't decide if I would want Toru and Midori to stay together. On one hand, she's way too good for him, but on the other, I'd rather he ended up with someone honest who can tell him when he's being an idiot.
ohhhh yeah, that super vague yet important Well - I completely forgot where and when that was until you mentioned it. So many loose threads in this novel. Oh well.
DeleteIt was fun bashing this novel with you, even though it wasn't all that bad :)
You know, I didn't consider that we never went back the present day and I think that it's interesting to consider that the last section may exist outside of the timeframe of the flashback. It sort of exists outside of reality in its own way.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with you on that last section of the book - is exists outside of reality because it was so obscure. Thanks for commenting!
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