I would like to start with a few of my favourite lines.

 “There was no past, no future, no words, nothing – just the light and the yellow and the scent of dry leaves in the sun.” 

“A river is a strange thing. it invariably harbours a quality of menage that can make your hair stand on end. Even on clear days, when the water flowed smoothly and the sunlight glinted the shallows and made the plants on the bank sparkle, I always felt that the river was somehow connected to someone dark, deep and frightening.” 

“Just because they know someone who doesn’t get to go outside, or leave their hometown, or has a life that looks boring… To then think that a person’s mind is captive, too, or placid and simple? It’s such a failure of imagination. But somehow that’s how most people think. They don’t realize that your mind can be as spacious and as wide-open as you want.” 

This collection of short stories follows five women at a pivotal moment in their life. One woman experiences for the first time a romantic relationship where she can fully be herself. Another, goes through the different stages of her healing process after she was betrayed by her fiancé. Another woman loses her first love who got tied up in a tragic incident etc.

Banana Yoshimoto’s writing brings a sense of loneliness and longing. A signature theme in her body of work. Her characters are feelers and raw. There is an authenticity that we, ordinary people, shy away from in the outside world. The women in her book experience something that leaves them exposed and with no choice but to reflect on their loneliness. The writing style is character driven. The protagonists develop. They understand who they are or/and who they want to be after experiencing the hurdle of life. They go through a process of self-discovery, healing, mourning and longing.  It almost feels like the characters are writing a diary to help the process. At least felt like this to me. I deeply enjoyed this book