Book Review: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

How often do I admit to liking something Japanese? How often do I admit to liking a romance novel? Never, right? Well here I am, about to do both of those things now. This book is damn good. No, really.

For those of you who don't know, 'Norwegian Wood' is the title of a Beatles song, and if you've heard it before, it almost echoes throughout the whole book, the melancholy tune and sentiment imbuing the work. The novel begins with a brief introductory chapter by Toru Watanabe, who upon hearing an orchestrial cover of the song, remembers his life about seventeen years ago, and the rest of the book retells those times. The murky ambiguity and confusion of The Beatles song is similar to the novel. It is a love story, or several love story. Baffling as love usually is. The Beatles sang: 'I once had a girl/or should I say/she once had me." Toru is similarly unclear as to how he should consider the relationships he is in.

There are two women involved. One is Naoko. In high school she was Toru's best (and only) friend's girlfriend, and the three of them got along really well. Then the best friend, Kizuki, committed suicide. Toru and Naoko didn't see each other for one year after the funeral. Toru wants to escape Kobe, where they grew up, and so he goes to a university in Tokyo. Here he runs into Naoko again who also goes to college here. They see each other on occasion, and make love once- after which she leaves Tokyo. Emotionally unstable, she returns to her family, and later on goes to live in a sort of sanitorium.

The second woman who Toru gets involved in is Midori, whom he meets after Naoko has left. She is in the same Drama class as him, and quite selfish and eccentric. Both Midori and Naoko are not entirely approachable. Both like, or even love Toru, but they are wary of having him close or revealing too much about themselves. Midori's father, who she says is in Uruguay is actually in the hospital. Toru accepts things as they are, and often tries to help but doesn't want to intrude on things. He is drawn to Midori, but feels an obligation to Naoko.

The story is told in an almost biographical style, which makes it feel all the more real because you feel like Toru is telling you his story. And the emotions, the way they are conveyed, the uncertainty surrounding them, they make this story feel all the more real. They make this story a lot more emotionally intense than your average love story.

Powerful in its delivery, and the reality that surrounds it.

8 out of 10. Minus two because it's from a Japanese author. XD

Book Review: Slaves of the Mastery

I've got a theory about trilogies; I call it The Second Book Theorem. Starting with His Dark Materials, I noticed that in most of the trilogies I've encountered, the second book in the trilogy, more often than not, is the best in the series. The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials), Lirael (The Old Kingdom Trilogy), That-Second-Book-Whose-Title-I-Forget (The Elenium) and now, joining their ranks is Slaves of the Mastery, of The Wind On Fire Trilogy.

The first book sucked. Tanked. Majorly. It was a whole lot of bad from Badonia. There was almost no point in reading the first book. Hell, you can skip it and come out largely unscathed, plotwise. In fact, I recommend you to completely ignore the first book. It's nothing compared to this one.

This book? Oh, it's just one of the best fantasy books in a trilogy that I've read in a while, right behind Lirael and The Subtle Knife. The characters are again one of the strongest points in this book, but this time, add a compelling plot and wonderful pacing to that list.

I don't really like divulging details about the plot but...

Well, Aramanth, released from the grip of the Morah, becomes kinder - weaker. The city had let its guard down and its defences were few. Then came the Mastery and its army, marching in to annihilate Aramanth and enslave its people. This they did, burning the city to the grounds and the Hath family were all captured, save for Kestrel, who had been hiding in the city and somehow got away. Now, she will have to find her family again and set them free...

Well, there's more to it than that, and you see Bowman, along with Mumpo, develop further, growing wiser/stronger. Also, the introduction of Sisi, the Johdilla, adds more depth (even if she herself lacks it) and color (now this she has a lot of) to the proceedings.

It's wonderful how everything gets together so well in this book and I was actually amazed that the author had this in him, considering the H-U-G-E disappointment that was The Wind Singer. All in all, reading this was a pleasure and I expect most of you will feel the same.

I give this an 8 out of 10.

Book Review: The Wind Singer

This is the first book in a trilogy that chronicles the lives and adventures of a trio of children belonging to a tribe of people called the Manths. These people live in a city called Aramanth where exams are everything. Failure to pass an exam carries with it a heavy sentence of being demoted of your privileges, should you acquire them. It's all terribly depressing, and deeply unfair, as Kestrel points out rather er, subtly in the town square.

Ultimately, her defiance to the system led her to carry the responsibility of loosening the grip an evil entity called the Morah on the city. She has to go on a journey unlike any other, endure the deserts and "walk through the fire" to gain the Singer's Voice, or whatever it was called. Then, and only then will her people be free, hence enabling them to "seek the homeland".

Needless to say, this is all boring. I read through the book with a half-heart, not really wanting to know what happens next. One of the few things that made me read on was Kestrel's relationship to her twin brother, Bowman - their love for each other, although somewhat well, nauseating, was real. Also, their father's attempt at a quiet mutiny by convincing his fellow "failures" to do their best at what they know, as opposed to attempting to be an all-rounder.

All right, Whatever. By the end of the book I felt slightly cheated, even if I grew to love the Hath family, Kestrel and Bowman, especially. That's the only saving grace for this book: the characters. The plot and everything else just felt half-baked.

Pick this one up at your own risk.

4 out of 10