I rarely see discussions about Banana Yoshimoto on any book subreddits which saddens me a bit because she is genuinely a great author deserving of more recognition! I hate to make this comparison, because I think her work stands on her own, but if you enjoy Murakami you will definitely love her work (and if you find Murakami’s portrayal of women troubling, which seems to be a common criticism, but enjoy the prose – pick up one of her books!!). It’s less intense and maybe a bit more flowy than his books, doesn’t surprise you as much either, but nonetheless it’s a joy to read a female approach to Japanese magical realism. Anyway, if anyone’s looking for new authors to read I wholeheartedly recommend to try Yoshimoto’s books!
by adler_ana