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A review by cesca_natalia
The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Reading The Premonition is like peeling an onion slice by slice; it contains a mystery on every layer but slow but sure, you'll get a peek of what's going to be in the center of the onion. Much like our lead character, Yayoi, who keep having strange feeling of something missing from her life & in order to find what it is, she need to peel slice by slice of everything.
A work of Banana Yashimoto & translated by Asa Yoneda, The Premonition is my first take on Japanese Literature & what an introduction! First impression on The Premonition is it’s unusual, bit quirky and mysterious. From the cover art which gave impression of dark, longing and gloomy to first chapter, the sense of something about to unravel in the near future which wouldn’t be pleasant for the character is always present; it keep me on my toes, edge me a little bit especially with Yayoi’s aunt whose gave these aura of distance and hard to read.
As embarrassing as it is but I have to confess that the reason I picked this book is because of Banana’s name; it’s unique and easily rolled out of your tongue. I think it’s important because it gives this kind of attachment whether to Banana herself or the work which in this case, The Premonition. Beside the author’s unique name, her writing style is so beautiful, even though I read the translation version & of course to adaptive to English language, there’s something need to be tweaked from every sentence to fit the grammar & composition but I still can find her definitive style; she loves to describe everything in detail, not only an emotion, conversation but through the scenery & the living condition our characters in; it makes me feel close enough and emotionally attached to the characters.
It take me some time to immensely committed myself to The Premonition. I think the reason why it takes me for a while is because of the vague situation of Yayoi; in the first few chapters, she always talk about her aunt, kind of worshipping the ground she’s walking on and I have no idea where this is going or what's the plot going to be but curiosity keep me going and later I find the story is engaging in its own mysterious way.
Character-wise, I don’t have any specific character that I love but Yayoi’s bravery to face her past & chase her aunt/sister for an answer kind of admirable; she is not afraid for what’s about to come in front of her though her sister always left her in the dark, figuratively & literally. My least favorite character is definitely Yukino; her personality is so one-dimensional, she's lowkey didn’t care about her sister & left her after revealing a family’s secret & made her traveled across Japan & probably have no pocket money. Oh, and she broke up with her high-schooler boyfriend whose her student in the first place; the abortion excuses still allegedly untrue but based on her personality, I think it’s true. She’s lowkey problematic & what’s with her on the ending scene? I still couldn’t figure out her purpose of “being find” but that’s lowkey pick-me behavior.
Yayoi, for me, as the lead, is the one whose having a major development. In the first chapter, her confusion & dilemma kind of represent her transition from child to teenager; she also had to deal with her own power and her past, but I think when she know the true & decide to chase her sister across Japan, she develop from a child to young girl; It kind of represent her acceptance of herself. She could have choose to stay at her parent’s house but pretend everything is the way it is but she turned down the option & choose to find her sister and her past.
However, as much as I said that Banana’s make such a detailed description so it makes us able to emotionally attached to the story or character, there’s no passage or story line inside The Premonition that make me feel connected in emotional level. Everything that happened in Yayoi’s life kind of makes me question her thought & ability to make a decision. Yayoi’s romantic feeling to her adopted brother which later revealed later in the book and those said feeling's mutual & reciprocated is also enough to makes me questioning myself. Ethically speaking, are their relationship’s acceptable? Are those feeling acceptable? Because though they’re not blood related, they still raised as brother & sister & I think it's just doesn't feel right.
Ending-wise, I am confused and need to take five for a while. Because Yayoi had traveled across Japan to find Yukino only for her to be in their last vacation’s house near their parent’s accident took place. All those clues and messages Yukino’s left only for her to be in there? Why she didn’t said it first when she left Yayoi at her house? Leave a message saying “Will be gone for a while. If you come looking for me, I’m at here” and write down the exact location. Save the poor girl from confusion, please.
Despite all of that, I'm pretty much take pleasure in reading this. Banana Yashimoto had introduced me to her world & I'm glad I have experience to read one of her works. The Premonition is a beautiful story & I hope all of you, who have the same chance as me, also enjoying this book
A work of Banana Yashimoto & translated by Asa Yoneda, The Premonition is my first take on Japanese Literature & what an introduction! First impression on The Premonition is it’s unusual, bit quirky and mysterious. From the cover art which gave impression of dark, longing and gloomy to first chapter, the sense of something about to unravel in the near future which wouldn’t be pleasant for the character is always present; it keep me on my toes, edge me a little bit especially with Yayoi’s aunt whose gave these aura of distance and hard to read.
As embarrassing as it is but I have to confess that the reason I picked this book is because of Banana’s name; it’s unique and easily rolled out of your tongue. I think it’s important because it gives this kind of attachment whether to Banana herself or the work which in this case, The Premonition. Beside the author’s unique name, her writing style is so beautiful, even though I read the translation version & of course to adaptive to English language, there’s something need to be tweaked from every sentence to fit the grammar & composition but I still can find her definitive style; she loves to describe everything in detail, not only an emotion, conversation but through the scenery & the living condition our characters in; it makes me feel close enough and emotionally attached to the characters.
It take me some time to immensely committed myself to The Premonition. I think the reason why it takes me for a while is because of the vague situation of Yayoi; in the first few chapters, she always talk about her aunt, kind of worshipping the ground she’s walking on and I have no idea where this is going or what's the plot going to be but curiosity keep me going and later I find the story is engaging in its own mysterious way.
Character-wise, I don’t have any specific character that I love but Yayoi’s bravery to face her past & chase her aunt/sister for an answer kind of admirable; she is not afraid for what’s about to come in front of her though her sister always left her in the dark, figuratively & literally. My least favorite character is definitely Yukino; her personality is so one-dimensional, she's lowkey didn’t care about her sister & left her after revealing a family’s secret & made her traveled across Japan & probably have no pocket money. Oh, and she broke up with her high-schooler boyfriend whose her student in the first place; the abortion excuses still allegedly untrue but based on her personality, I think it’s true. She’s lowkey problematic & what’s with her on the ending scene? I still couldn’t figure out her purpose of “being find” but that’s lowkey pick-me behavior.
Yayoi, for me, as the lead, is the one whose having a major development. In the first chapter, her confusion & dilemma kind of represent her transition from child to teenager; she also had to deal with her own power and her past, but I think when she know the true & decide to chase her sister across Japan, she develop from a child to young girl; It kind of represent her acceptance of herself. She could have choose to stay at her parent’s house but pretend everything is the way it is but she turned down the option & choose to find her sister and her past.
However, as much as I said that Banana’s make such a detailed description so it makes us able to emotionally attached to the story or character, there’s no passage or story line inside The Premonition that make me feel connected in emotional level. Everything that happened in Yayoi’s life kind of makes me question her thought & ability to make a decision. Yayoi’s romantic feeling to her adopted brother which later revealed later in the book and those said feeling's mutual & reciprocated is also enough to makes me questioning myself. Ethically speaking, are their relationship’s acceptable? Are those feeling acceptable? Because though they’re not blood related, they still raised as brother & sister & I think it's just doesn't feel right.
Ending-wise, I am confused and need to take five for a while. Because Yayoi had traveled across Japan to find Yukino only for her to be in their last vacation’s house near their parent’s accident took place. All those clues and messages Yukino’s left only for her to be in there? Why she didn’t said it first when she left Yayoi at her house? Leave a message saying “Will be gone for a while. If you come looking for me, I’m at here” and write down the exact location. Save the poor girl from confusion, please.
Despite all of that, I'm pretty much take pleasure in reading this. Banana Yashimoto had introduced me to her world & I'm glad I have experience to read one of her works. The Premonition is a beautiful story & I hope all of you, who have the same chance as me, also enjoying this book