Reviews

Sonno profondo by Banana Yoshimoto

zaraishka's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

shinheiba_sm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

sakisreads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

✨ Thrifted ✨

I liked Banana Yoshimoto’s other works, so I was hopeful this one would give me more to love!

Unfortunately, it didn’t hit the same way as the others had for me 🥲 I felt as though the short stories took me nowhere…
However, I did gasp at certain elements (e.g. Maki and Yoshihiro getting together, Haru and the main character in the second story being in a love hate relationship etc.) and some of it had me gripped.

A quote that stuck with me:
‘That's why he's so nervous. As soon as he starts thinking of the two of you as a unit, his situation becomes extremely dangerous, you see? So for the time being you're nil, you're being held in reserve, the pause button is pressed down, you're stacked in the stockroom, you're life's special bonus.’ 😳

2.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, and Gaslighting

amrutha_r's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

dialhforhgai's review against another edition

4.0

In the night everything seemed possible.

humjh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

elfs29's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

This collection is really special, as is everything Yoshimoto writes. Her explorations of grief and loss are so poignant, but I was struck in these stories as I was especially in N.P too by the way she writes women and the way her queerness manifests in very gorgeous female characters and relationships. Asleep produces such complex female characters, born through the connections between them and the shared melancholy of their experiences.

Whenever we got together I would listen to him talk, and then I’d nod, and that was it. The rhythm of my nods and the rhythm of his talking would become so exquisitely well synchronised that it almost became sort of an art. And that’s when I started getting the feeling that what I was doing was a lot like Shiori’s job, like lying next to people as they slept. 

aleysxi's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

5.0

fran_gel's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really liked the final story (Asleep), was like a better my year of rest and relaxation. As always, the prose of Yoshimoto is cutting and creates easily accessible inner worlds. These were all great stories 

mreddy17's review against another edition

4.0

heartfelt prose like no other