Haruki Murakami's novel "Norwegian Wood" was first published in 1987 and is a best-seller in Japan. Love and loss are central themes in this tale, which is why it is so popular among Japanese teenagers.

Obviously, if you've already read the book, you've developed an appetite for others in the same vein.

We understand that finding the right book to pique your interest can be a long and exhausting process.

With this list of the best romance fiction novels in one place, we hope to make your life easier by providing you with a list of ten books.

If you enjoy coming-of-age stories like Norwegian Wood, make sure you don't miss anything in this article. In addition to a summary of Norwegian Wood and a recommendation list for a further ten excellent reads, this is a must-read.

If any of the books on this list catch your eye and you'd like to add them to your library, simply click the button provided...

Norwegian Wood Summary

Toru Watanabe, the protagonist, has just arrived in Hamburg when the story begins. When he hears The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood," he is overcome with nostalgia and emotion.

In the 1960s, Japanese students staged a protest, and he remembers it vividly. His best friends were Naoko and Kizuki, his girlfriend at the time. When Kizuki kills himself, he suffers a terrible loss.

Watanabe and Naoko are working hard to get over their breakup and develop a romantic relationship. Naoko, on the other hand, decides to drop out of school and head to a sanatorium, thus abandoning Watanabe.

To ease his grief, Watanabe is content to spend time with Midori. His drama classmate Midori is an outgoing young lady. As a result, Watanabe is torn between his feelings for Naoko and his desire for Midori.

As a result, the novel tells a moving tale of love and maturation through the exploration of the characters' innermost thoughts and feelings.

Books Similar To Norwegian Wood

The following are ten highly recommended works by authors such as Haruki Murakami that are related to Norwegian Wood:

My Policeman, by Bethan Roberts

In its portrayal of a tragic love story, My Policeman is similar to Norwegian Wood.

By alternating between Marion and Patrick's perspectives, Bethan Roberts depicts a tender and intense love story.

Patrick, a museum curator, is in love with Tom, a police officer. In that time period, both society and the law held homosexuality in contempt.

As a result, Marion marries Tom. Misguided love and hope lead to tragedy for the three of them.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera

Like Norwegian Wood, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is about a womanizing surgeon in Prague named Tomas, who is also the subject of an erotic adventure novel.

He had a son from a previous marriage. In spite of this, he falls in love with a waitress named Teresa and has no ties to his family.

When it comes to her relationship with Tom, Teresa is adamant. Tom, on the other hand, is unable to put an end to his extramarital affairs and does so even after marrying Teresa.

Her feelings and understanding of relationships are revealed by Teresa's infidelity throughout the novel.

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The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

A book about suicidal tendencies and emotions, The Bell Jar, should be on your reading list if you've already read Norwegian Wood.

Esther Greenwood, a college student who aspires to be a poet, is the protagonist of The Bell Jar. After moving to New York for an internship, she experiences a major identity crisis and struggle with social norms.

Also, it demonstrates the 1950s' societal expectations of women in this regard. It's hard to tell how the author, who took his own life a month after finishing the book, dealt with his own descent into madness and eventual recovery.

A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara

'A little life' is a story that depicts the complicated love and ambition of the 21st century. 'A little life' Willem, JB, Brooklyn, and Jude, a group of high school friends, relocate to New York City at the beginning of the story.

While battling poverty, they have nothing but their friendship to lean on. Over time, their friendship becomes tainted by their mutual success and sense of accomplishment.

Their real obstacle is Jude, who has been scarred by his childhood. Haruki Murakami's nostalgic style in Norwegian Wood is reminiscent of A Little Life book.

No Longer Human, by Osamu Dazai

As in Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, No Longer Human tells the story of a young man who experiences a traumatic experience as he becomes trapped between the traditions of his Japanese aristocratic family and their abandonment due to western cultural influence. He now believes he is no longer human as a result of this alteration.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

To read The Great Gatsby after reading Norwegian Wood is the best way to relive your youth romance and nostalgia. In the Jazz Age, when gin was the national drink and sex was the national obsession, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts love and lust.

Gatsby and Daisy's lovers were separated because Daisy was forced to marry a millionaire, Tom Buchanan, in this era of extreme social classism. Daisy's distant relative Nick Caraway makes an attempt to reunite their old lovers years after the events of The Great Gatsby by living in the same neighborhood as the new millionaire Gatsby. A tragic outcome befalls this endeavor.

To this day, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby remains one of twentieth-century literature's most beloved and revered works of fiction.

Normal People, by Sally Rooney

Marianne and Connel inhabit worlds that are utterly incompatible. Connel is a popular soccer player at school, whereas Marianne is a shy and introverted student.

When Connel stops by Marianne's housekeeping to pick up his mother, they form a connection. Despite their unusual and deep bond, they both keep their emotions under wraps.

People have a different outlook on Marianne when she's close to self-destruction. Through Marianne and Connel, Sally Rooney explored the tangled webs of family, friendship, and love.

One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez

The Buenda Family Saga spans a century of turmoil in Latin America, from the 1820s to the 1920s, and this book is a shining example of the genre's best work. Love and solitude are inextricably intertwined in this novel.

Love, relationships, and personal growth were all explored through the lens of magical realism in Gabriel Garca Márquez's works.

Madeline Miller's Achilles' Song

In case you're looking for more heartbreaking tales of love and loss after reading "Norwegian Wood," we have one for you here.

It tells the story of two friends, Peleus and Achilles, who are inseparable. They are both on their way to Troy in order to rescue Helen of Sparta from the hands of the Trojans. It is Achilles' desire for glory that leads him to make a gruesome choice.

The Secret History, by Donna Tartt

Charismatic professors lead a group of bright misfits to a world far removed from their own at an elite New England college. However, over time, they become obsessed, corrupt, and ultimately evil.

They are six socially isolated teenagers whose story is told in The Secret History.

Final Words

If you're a fan of Norwegian Wood, these are the best-selling books you should read. Please let us know if you've read anything similar to Norwegian Wood. Please feel free to contact us at any time.

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