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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Sparse slices of life. Loosely connected by the trauma of the characters, and a touch of the magical unknown. You won't read much about Banana Yoshimoto before you hear mentions of Haruki Murakami.
Their work doesn't seem very similar to me. Murakami has become (along with Cormac McCarthy) my favorite author. His work seems to exist in dreams. Yoshimoto's work exists in the real, and occasionally bushes up against some form of unreality. I haven't read Murakami's short fiction yet, but the problem in these short stories is that I never was able to connect with the characters much through the read of each story, save Lizard (of whom, this collection is named). It is a page turner. I was interested and never disappointed. Never disappointed, and never truly moved.
Their work doesn't seem very similar to me. Murakami has become (along with Cormac McCarthy) my favorite author. His work seems to exist in dreams. Yoshimoto's work exists in the real, and occasionally bushes up against some form of unreality. I haven't read Murakami's short fiction yet, but the problem in these short stories is that I never was able to connect with the characters much through the read of each story, save Lizard (of whom, this collection is named). It is a page turner. I was interested and never disappointed. Never disappointed, and never truly moved.
I was a bit disappointed, this collection didn't rise to the same level as Kitchen and N.P. which are one of my favourites.
The short stories were too similar and not interesting enough.
The short stories were too similar and not interesting enough.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked this short story collection up after watching a YouTube review that said it dealt with the theme of fate - something which really interests me!
This short volume contains six short stories, each of which introduces us to a new character who is dealing with their past, present, and future colliding in these really interesting encounters with other people. I found the stories really interesting and was most drawn in with the, what I believe is Buddhist, thinking on reincarnation. I've never seen that represented in fiction but it's a part of Buddhism that I connect with. Overall, Lizard contains super engaging themes! I'm so pleased I picked this collection up.
The downside with the collection is that I sometimes felt like the character development was a little weak and that there was a lot more juice that could have been squeezed from the themes - both of which are tough to pull off in such short texts, to be fair. The collection definitely gets stronger as it goes on. I thought 'Dreaming of Kimchee' and 'Blood and Water' were both great in exploring our ties to people around us, how we trust our gut instincts about people and situations, and how we can, unfortunately, wind up feeling untethered from those around us and, in dire times, life itself. However, I wanted a little more from them both and think they could have been better fleshed out.
The final short story, labeled 'A Strange Tale From Down by the River' was the most convincing of the collection and the only short story that I found myself getting really lost in. Definitely my favourite short story in Lizard!
This short volume contains six short stories, each of which introduces us to a new character who is dealing with their past, present, and future colliding in these really interesting encounters with other people. I found the stories really interesting and was most drawn in with the, what I believe is Buddhist, thinking on reincarnation. I've never seen that represented in fiction but it's a part of Buddhism that I connect with. Overall, Lizard contains super engaging themes! I'm so pleased I picked this collection up.
The downside with the collection is that I sometimes felt like the character development was a little weak and that there was a lot more juice that could have been squeezed from the themes - both of which are tough to pull off in such short texts, to be fair. The collection definitely gets stronger as it goes on. I thought 'Dreaming of Kimchee' and 'Blood and Water' were both great in exploring our ties to people around us, how we trust our gut instincts about people and situations, and how we can, unfortunately, wind up feeling untethered from those around us and, in dire times, life itself. However, I wanted a little more from them both and think they could have been better fleshed out.
The final short story, labeled 'A Strange Tale From Down by the River' was the most convincing of the collection and the only short story that I found myself getting really lost in. Definitely my favourite short story in Lizard!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
Additional CW: weaponry (knife violence).
Her writing is so soothing and I love that there’s always bisexual ladies in her books.
*3.5
Non sono una grande fan delle raccolte di racconti (quando si comincia ad immergersi nella storia finisce tutto), ma devo dire che Banana Yoshimoto sa scriverli.
Le storie son corte, giusto qualche pagina, il tempo di regalare uno spaccato della vita dei protagonisti al lettore, e via col successivo.
La Yoshimoto scrive per immagini, fugaci ma veramente nitide; le trame sono semplici, quasi inesistenti, proprio per far concentrare il lettore sull'hic et nunc.
Le storie che mi sono piaciute di più, ed è qui che mi contraddico, sono state quelle più lunghe, Lucertola e Strana storia sulla sponda del fiume, entrambe dolcissime nel loro modo di esplorare i rapporti umani.
Leggerò sicuramente altro di quest'autrice.
Non sono una grande fan delle raccolte di racconti (quando si comincia ad immergersi nella storia finisce tutto), ma devo dire che Banana Yoshimoto sa scriverli.
Le storie son corte, giusto qualche pagina, il tempo di regalare uno spaccato della vita dei protagonisti al lettore, e via col successivo.
La Yoshimoto scrive per immagini, fugaci ma veramente nitide; le trame sono semplici, quasi inesistenti, proprio per far concentrare il lettore sull'hic et nunc.
Le storie che mi sono piaciute di più, ed è qui che mi contraddico, sono state quelle più lunghe, Lucertola e Strana storia sulla sponda del fiume, entrambe dolcissime nel loro modo di esplorare i rapporti umani.
Leggerò sicuramente altro di quest'autrice.
All of these stories were great ("The Newlywed" being my personal favorite), but none are quite as satisfying as "Kitchen". Still, a good intro to Banana Yoshimoto if you've never read her books or her short stories before.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
W ostatnim książkowym poście pisałam o tym, że nie mogę się doczekać kolejnego literackiego spotkania z Bananą. Nie spodziewałam się jednak, że będzie miało ono miejsce tak szybko. Wystarczyło tylko jednoksiążkowej przerwy (w postaci „Opowiadań o Łukaszu” Julia Cortázara) bym zatęskniła za prozą Yoshimoto.
Nie będę długo rozpisywać się nad stylem Banany – tę kwestię poruszyłam w poprzednim wpisie. Podobnie jak w „The Lake”, w „Lizard” również znajdziemy minimalistyczną elegancką prozę z elementami realizmu magicznego. W przeciwieństwie do mojej ostatniej książki Yoshimoto, tym razem nie mamy do czynienia z powieścią, a ze zbiorem opowiadań.
Kojarzycie to uczucie, które towarzyszy człowiekowi np. na szpitalnym korytarzu nocą, w opuszczonym budynku lub przy pierwszym wejściu do nieznanego pokoju hotelowego? Atmosferę takich liminalnych przestrzeni odnajdziemy właśnie w opowiadaniach Yoshimoto. Świeżo upieczony małżonek, dziewczyna rozpoczynająca życie z dala od rodziców, młoda kobieta porzucająca dawny sposób bycia, kochanka bogatego mężczyzny to tylko niektóre z postaci opisanych w zbiorze „Lizard”. Praktycznie wszystkie z nich są w stanie „zawieszenia”, znajdują się gdzieś pomiędzy jednym etapem życia, a drugim. Yoshimoto umiejętnie kreśli portrety bohaterów i bohaterek (tych drugich jest zdecydowanie więcej) i w sugestywny sposób opisuje ich uczucia oraz rozterki.
Przeczytanie „Lizard” zajęło mi tylko półtora dnia – na moje standardy to spory wyczyn. Mimo, że tematycznie nie jest najlżej (Yoshimoto po raz kolejny porusza m.in. motywy śmierci, straty i traumy), a opisywane wydarzenia są w większości dość prozaiczne, lektura naprawdę wciąga.
Książka będzie dobrym wyborem zarówno dla tych, które/którzy chcą rozpocząć literacką przygodę z Bananą, jak i dla tych, którzy znają już jej prozę. Polecam.
Originally published on my Facebook page - Pani Kiczcock.
Nie będę długo rozpisywać się nad stylem Banany – tę kwestię poruszyłam w poprzednim wpisie. Podobnie jak w „The Lake”, w „Lizard” również znajdziemy minimalistyczną elegancką prozę z elementami realizmu magicznego. W przeciwieństwie do mojej ostatniej książki Yoshimoto, tym razem nie mamy do czynienia z powieścią, a ze zbiorem opowiadań.
Kojarzycie to uczucie, które towarzyszy człowiekowi np. na szpitalnym korytarzu nocą, w opuszczonym budynku lub przy pierwszym wejściu do nieznanego pokoju hotelowego? Atmosferę takich liminalnych przestrzeni odnajdziemy właśnie w opowiadaniach Yoshimoto. Świeżo upieczony małżonek, dziewczyna rozpoczynająca życie z dala od rodziców, młoda kobieta porzucająca dawny sposób bycia, kochanka bogatego mężczyzny to tylko niektóre z postaci opisanych w zbiorze „Lizard”. Praktycznie wszystkie z nich są w stanie „zawieszenia”, znajdują się gdzieś pomiędzy jednym etapem życia, a drugim. Yoshimoto umiejętnie kreśli portrety bohaterów i bohaterek (tych drugich jest zdecydowanie więcej) i w sugestywny sposób opisuje ich uczucia oraz rozterki.
Przeczytanie „Lizard” zajęło mi tylko półtora dnia – na moje standardy to spory wyczyn. Mimo, że tematycznie nie jest najlżej (Yoshimoto po raz kolejny porusza m.in. motywy śmierci, straty i traumy), a opisywane wydarzenia są w większości dość prozaiczne, lektura naprawdę wciąga.
Książka będzie dobrym wyborem zarówno dla tych, które/którzy chcą rozpocząć literacką przygodę z Bananą, jak i dla tych, którzy znają już jej prozę. Polecam.
Originally published on my Facebook page - Pani Kiczcock.
Quiet, perceptive works of magical realism. I found the last three stories more involving and more memorable than the first three.