priyapai 's review for:

Lizard by Banana Yoshimoto

3.5

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Picked this up on a desire to read more non-American literature. From the first two or three stories, I wasn't immediately sold on Yoshimoto's writing - I don't think I completely "understood" the speed, sometimes the lack of plot, the vague and confusing feelings of the characters. However, the longer I sat in the existentialist, moody, bleak yet immensely hopeful stories, the more I started to appreciate and really enjoy her style. These stories go fast and often center around a character who is anxious about the precariousness of life yet finding hope in the mundane - a steady lover, the calm of a river, sunlight hitting the room at a particular time. There are larger concepts discussed like faith and desire and family; however, she masterfully encapsulates these conversations into the ordinary, so much so that you don't really even realize what has happened until it's over. The last 2 stories were my favorite. I hope to read more Yoshimoto!