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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
this book has many flaws. the weird stepcest relationship is very distracting, the major twist is revealed too early, and it really needed more room to breathe. but it's yoshimoto, and her writing feels like the summer night breeze, like floating on water. can't beat that.
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This novel is actually 1st published in 1988, & has just made its way into English in 2023.
It centers around Yayoi, a 19-year-old girl who lives with her family in Tokyo. They're a happy family, but deep down, Yayoi is haunted by something blurry from the forgotten past. With her memories of a traumatic event erased, she's protected from the truth by her nearest & dearest, even when every now & then she gets flashes of a different life, with a different family. Her "aunt" Yukino has known the truth all along, but it's only when Yayoi's on the verge of connecting the dots that she confirms those suspicions.
It's a haunting story of long-buried memories, complex family dynamics, & unconventional life choices, told in a gentle & meaningful way. The prose feels crystalline & the plot is flimsy, but I think this calmness acts as a cover for hidden depths & nuances. With ghostly apparition, buckets of nostalgia & a slightly unusual love story, I really enjoy the dreamlike & unsettling atmosphere here. As I read this novel, I couldn't help but thinking of Hirokazu Koreeda's films. It's giving the same vibes!
It centers around Yayoi, a 19-year-old girl who lives with her family in Tokyo. They're a happy family, but deep down, Yayoi is haunted by something blurry from the forgotten past. With her memories of a traumatic event erased, she's protected from the truth by her nearest & dearest, even when every now & then she gets flashes of a different life, with a different family. Her "aunt" Yukino has known the truth all along, but it's only when Yayoi's on the verge of connecting the dots that she confirms those suspicions.
It's a haunting story of long-buried memories, complex family dynamics, & unconventional life choices, told in a gentle & meaningful way. The prose feels crystalline & the plot is flimsy, but I think this calmness acts as a cover for hidden depths & nuances. With ghostly apparition, buckets of nostalgia & a slightly unusual love story, I really enjoy the dreamlike & unsettling atmosphere here. As I read this novel, I couldn't help but thinking of Hirokazu Koreeda's films. It's giving the same vibes!
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
dark
emotional
hopeful