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Josefine Slot
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Rebecca
I despised that part. I found it absolutely unnecessary, extremely problematic, rapey, and creepy. I don't understand what it added to the story and it made me extremely uncomfortable. So no, you're not wrong in thinking that it was misogynistic and homophobic and creepy because it definitely was.
Igor Galvão
Murakami being misogynistic is definitely nothing new.
Dustin Steinacker
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Tubanex Senpai
Of course it was! I'm reading it while cringing the whole time. I don't like the part where Reiko was blaming it all to the kid as if she's not compliant. The fact that she was so physically attracted to the girl when she first met her is disturbing enough!
Ken Rosser
I almost gave up on the book at that point
Richp
The kid is presented as an accomplished psychopath, and while it is very plausible that psychopaths are psychopaths at that age, I find it a stretch she is so accomplished at it at 13. We must balance that with this not presented as truth but as Reiko's story, but the symptoms are so good Reiko is unlikely to have been able to make it up unless she was a shrink or a psychopath herself.
I think this is really a setup about Midori, who is likely not a true psychopath, but comes across as a very controlling and psychologically abusive personality herself, but not as cunning, who is not so powerful but finds and selects Toru as her victim. The Intro makes no sense as part of this novel unless we take it as the solution to the ambiguous ending of whether or not Toru puts up with another period of silence after he opens up. We do not know what happened after their last conversation in the 1968 to 1970 main scene of the novel. The beginning tells us he survives, and by inference, Midori did not screw up his life. I recognize her quite well, although different woman, different culture.
I was truly impressed how Murakami's weird characterizations were so much like people I have known or read about.
I think this is really a setup about Midori, who is likely not a true psychopath, but comes across as a very controlling and psychologically abusive personality herself, but not as cunning, who is not so powerful but finds and selects Toru as her victim. The Intro makes no sense as part of this novel unless we take it as the solution to the ambiguous ending of whether or not Toru puts up with another period of silence after he opens up. We do not know what happened after their last conversation in the 1968 to 1970 main scene of the novel. The beginning tells us he survives, and by inference, Midori did not screw up his life. I recognize her quite well, although different woman, different culture.
I was truly impressed how Murakami's weird characterizations were so much like people I have known or read about.
Shoeb Amin
I do not think everything happens around us in real life makes sense and of-course many of them do not fit into our moral standard. I accepted it as a story being told by Reiko to her roommate's boyfriend. We do not know if Reiko was telling the truth and if not what was her intention to tell the story to Toru. When I read the book it appeared to me that the writer wanted us to see the whole story from the point of view of Toru. He does not have the same moral standard as we have. He is a different person. The stories being told to him had different motives and those persons, each of them had different moral standard with their own psychological problems.
Nish
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Chrissy Collins
Yes, I have just reached this point in the book and immediately googled 'Norwegian Wood problematic'. I am not sure if I want to continue reading tbh. Can somebody please assure me that Reiko is dealt with in the book, or the book develops in such a way that we are not meant to feel sympathy for a child abuser? Awful, awful scene. Needlessly graphic. Is it even legal to print such a graphic description of child abuse? I felt violated. I generally am not a fan of 'trigger warnings', but this book really crossed a line. Terrible stuff.
Bighomer
I didn't get any of those impressions so if someone could explain to me what makes it a male-gaze, homophobic, or child sexualizing, I'd appreciate that!
Nic
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Bob Wrathall
Ah, you missed the point. When Reiko and Toru had sex, it was because they liked each other. It made no difference that she was not "cute" or young. He consented to the sex because he liked her as a person and a woman. Remember, Toru, seemed to be relatively indifferent to sex, itself. He did not actively seek it.
Luis Envila Montejano
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Debs
Idk but the whole plot is very male gaze like...like anytime someone starts narrating, they suddenly assume the role of objectifying a person to such a level that it is no more oh this is so complex but rather disturbing but not in an intellectual way
Nico
I didn't quite cringe at that part, i feel it was made so we could understand her behaviour better, cause, at least for me, Reiko always seemed distant, like she is a part of the conversation, but it's not really there to listen to it.
Natália Freitas
YES i'm at that part rn, considering dropping the book because its just disgusting
Zina
The student was a psychopath and a predator, adept at manipulating people and inflicting harm - even though she was still young. Yes, this is not what one expects from an innocent wide-eyes young girl, which is how she can continue getting away with things.
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