Starred review from June 13, 2022
Yoshimoto’s resonant collection centers on women struggling through challenging events. Though the characters in each of the five stories have been struck by bad luck and duplicity, they are intrinsically good-natured and are also greatly influenced by the generational traditions of their forebears, as evidenced in the heartwarming opener, “House of Ghosts,” in which the college-student daughter of restaurant owners observes a pair of ghosts in a classmate’s apartment, thus setting the mood for the young couple’s unexpected and lifelong romance. After the book editor in “Mama!” consumes poisoned curry in the publishing company’s cafeteria, the ordeal is followed by an emotionally disturbing revelation. Yoshimoto’s characters share a staunch, unfailing allegiance to the idea of love, and they work toward closure amid heartbreak, as in the title story in which a betrayal recalibrates a young girl’s understanding of contentment. Similarly, in “Tomo-chan’s Happiness,” a sexual assault victim discovers hope, catharsis, and new love after years of internal torment. Yoshimoto embellishes these gorgeously written entries with sensual descriptions of food and sex, and makes them memorable by showing how the women set themselves free from misfortune via friendship and resilience. This is a gem.
November 1, 2022
Yoshimoto's (Moshi Moshi) bittersweet short story collection, first published in Japan in 2003, is now available in audio and print for English-speaking audiences. Delicately translated by Yoneda, each of Yoshimoto's five stories centers on young professional Japanese women whose encounters with misfortune, betrayal, and grief force them to re-examine past relationships and contend with new visions for their futures. In "House of Ghosts," two college students forge a connection, first motivated by food and later cemented by two ghosts who inhabit a soon-to-be demolished apartment. In "Mama!," a near-fatal case of intentional food poisoning causes a book editor to see her relationship with her mother and her fianc� in a new light. Unfortunately, while these stories are nuanced and affecting, narrator Kathleen Li fails to tap into the gentle lyricism of Yoshimoto's prose. Li's plodding cadence and overly emphasized pronunciation of Japanese words may draw listeners out of the story. Male voices seem forced, and female voices are too similar to distinguish. VERDICT Short story readers and fans of Yoshimoto's work will find much to love, but this powerful collection that may be better experienced in print than in audio.--Sarah Hashimoto
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