Yayoi, a 19-year-old woman from a seemingly loving middle-class family, has lately been haunted by the feeling that she has forgotten something important from her childhood. Her premonition grows stronger day by day and, as if led by it, she decides to move in with her mysterious aunt, Yukino. No one understands her aunt's unusual lifestyle. For as long as Yayoi can remember, Yukino has lived alone in an old gloomy single-family home, quietly, almost as though asleep. When she is not working, Yukino spends all day in her pajamas, clipping her nails and trimming her split ends. She eats only when she feels like it, and she often falls asleep lying on her side in the hallway. A child study desk, old stuffed animals-things Yukino wants to forget-are piled up in her backyard like a graveyard of her memories.
As the title suggests, the novel’s plot thickens around this and other 'premonitions,' which are actually more like hauntings ... There’s a matter-of-factness to Yoshimoto’s prose that would feel stultifying if it weren’t so mischievous.
A strange and compelling novella, perfect to read in one sitting. Banana Yoshimoto has created a simple but touching tale where the reader embarks on a journey alongside the protagonist. Ultimately, this is a story about family. Yoshimoto explores the way we are connected to our family, not just corporeally but soulfully as well.
