You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
Weird taboo relationships (adopted sister and brother, and a teacher and student), which brings it down a bunch. However the main story of the two women characters and their acceptance of loss, and dealing with trauma is always Yoshimoto's forte, the way she writes is beautiful, it's why I keep coming back to her books. Had those relationships not being in the book I definitely would have given it a 4.5.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Casual incest made me a little bit uncomfortable but the prose was stunning! I really didn’t really buy the brother / sister to lover pipeline - other than some pretty on the nose lines, I think their interactions lacked the necessary tension! Their few days in the woods could’ve conveyed more of the magic that Yayoi seemed to feel. Can’t believe I am critiquing the sexual chemistry between (almost) siblings
Not my favourite Banana Yoshimoto novel - beautiful writing as always, but I couldn't quite get over the very taboo/inappropriate relationships explored.
yoshimoto's dreamy melancholic prose can do no wrong
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
always a treat to enter ms yoshimoto's worlds
"And yet nothing had been taken away, only given. I hadn’t lost my aunt and my brother—no, by taking matters into my own hands, I’d discovered my sister, and my sweetheart."
The incest and adult-minor relationship in the book were shocking and I'm certainly not a fan of it. Wondering if I should even get more into Japanese translations or not.
slow-paced
I loved the writing, which is what bumped this up for me. But the story was so disappointing for me. I was really expecting something else here, but the relationships explored felt so uncomfortable and awkward. It really ended up rubbing me the wrong way and I don't understand the choice behind it. I'm so sad this was my first experience with Banana Yoshimoto, but I'm determined it won't be my last because this felt like such a strange one off.