Read if you like:
Magical realism mixed with everyday events, dreamlike stories, haunting vibes, uncovering family secrets, meaningful female relationships, journey of self-discovery, short novels.

Thoughts:
The Premonition was originally published in Japan in 1988, and now, we’ve finally been blessed with the English translation, done by Asa Yoneda. Yoshimoto combines magical realism and everyday events, creating an immersive world that is haunting and dreamlike.

The two central characters, Yayoi and Yukino, are compelling. Yayoi is a young woman who feels something is missing and she wants to find answers. Yukino is a woman in her 30s who lives alone and is viewed as being rather eccentric. Yukino is a character who has stayed with me, long after reading this story. I have so many questions about what her life would look like after the events of this story.

The story is poignant and heartfelt, exploring family secrets and family dynamics.

Some reviewers don’t like the romance subplot, as it tends to be something that would be deemed as unsettling and wrong to some, but it did not bother me in the least bit.

Thank you Netgalley and Counterpoint Press for the opportunity to read and review this gem!

I didn't really enjoy this book, which was surprising because I really loved her last book that she came out with. It felt hard to connect to the story.

I loved this strange little coming of age story and the complicated, totally original relationship it portrayed. I featured this book in my 2023 fall reading guide and highly recommend it to almost any reader.

I'm a big fan of Yoshimoto's work and was excited to get to read this. While it was lovely and the light supernatural elements were well-done, something about this short novel didn't resonate with me as much as some of her other work. The story seemed more forgetable, perhaps. Still worth a read if you are a Yoshimoto fan overall, but not the best introduction to her work for a new reader.

Originally published in 1988, Yoshimoto's THE PREMONITION is a slim, strange and heartfelt story about Yayoi, a young woman haunted by the feeling she has forgotten something important from her childhood. As her premonition grows, Yayoi decides to move in with her aunt, Yukino. From there, the truths from the past become revealed.

This was a quiet, character-driven novel with dreamlike and suspenseful vibes. There's not much to say about this novel that won't spoil it. The secrets of the past get revealed pretty early on but it remained a story that I was eager to get through to see how it all plays out in the end. I found the contrast between Yayoi and Yukino fascinating. Yayoi is determined to remember every little detail of the past while Yukino wants the opposite. The exploration of loneliness, family, self-discovery and breaking down emotional barriers was well done through Yoshimoto's delicate and melancholic writing. However, the romance subplot, I was unfond of. I wish it was different or omitted overall. Although I don't think I fully comprehended the overall message of the book, I felt the romance didn't particularly add anything significant to the story. This isn’t my favourite of Yoshimoto’s work but I am excited to hear her speak later in the month with Bryan Washington!

Thanks to Netgalley and Counterpoint Press for the eARC.

I love reading translated Japanese literature, and have read some of Banana Yoshimoto's work in the past. This missed the mark for me; very strange storyline.

First English language translation of this novel published in 1988. A short, slim story focused on 19 year old Yayoi. Her parents are loving, she has a close relationship with her younger brother, Tetsuo, and she is drawn to her eccentric aunt, a music teacher, who lives on her own, and in her own way. As a child, Yayoi seemed to be, at times, clairvoyant, and has long lived with the sense that she has forgotten something important. Indeed, the novel is about Yayoi figuring things out, about her childhood and the people in her life. Interesting, lyrical, and atmospheric, if not always compelling.

Thanks to Counterpoint and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the first Yoshimoto book I've ever been able to finish and I enjoyed the simplicity of the story and the more linear approach that is sometimes missing in modern Japanese literature. The characters were all interesting and well-developed. I felt that it sometimes read a little awkwardly and I'm not sure if that is the intent of the author or simply due to translation issues; I'd love to read it in the original Japanese to form my own conclusions.
I'm happy that I was able to read it through and form images in my head. There's a great depth here that deserves exploration. In that respect, I think it would be a good choice for a book club.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

It's funny I have read a few books lately where the protagonist realizes that their"odd" relative maybe has a reason for the oddness and that maybe the oddness is really interesting. The writing is beautiful as you would expect from Banana Yoshimoto, and the characters are touching and real.

Thank you so much to Counterpoint Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Premonition is a beautiful tale of finding love and family, retracing the lost past and seek the familiarity. Like the title, our main girl Yukino seems to have an ability or a premonition of things that happened in her life. She was very sensitive spiritually as she had these premonition of past lifes and the future. Living in a blessed happy family of four, Yukino felt something was missing in part of her childhood and its connected to her young aunt. She came to stay with het aunt in hoping to find some answers.

What sparked from the sleepover turns into a journey of rediscovering life, to engage in conversations buried in past,to confront with hidden emotions and feelings. The subtle muted tone of this story captivated me from beginning to end. I love the simplicity of it, the lightness in narrative, the sort of dreamlike quality it haves. It buoyed you along with the waves of nostalgia and rush of calmness, it evokes sense of security and comfort. Yoshimoto's excellence in capturing the subtle loneliness speaks something to my heart.

Although, there are some issues with the potrayal of a very questionable theme which would be frowned upon now, I like thid book for how simple it is. Probably not the best of her work but still a solid one.

I can't resist a book based around a premonition. There are fewer than you'd think. I find premonitions so interesting, often it just seems like someone is just more tuned into the world than other people. In this case it was the catalyst to explore her mysterious aunt. Great story about memory and family ties--positive or negative.

A lyrical book full of heart and insight. The characters are quirky but believable, and the secrets run deep. Recommended for readers who appreciate literary fiction and gorgeous language. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #ThePremonition #NetGalley