Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto

18 reviews

tamara_joy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Yoshimoto's books are so delicately flavoured. This is my favourite one so far; the descriptions of the street make perfect pictures. 
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boop123's review

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A character-driven story that tackles subjects of independence, grief, complex familial relationships, finding one's footing after losing a loved one, and the value of cherishing those still living. 

I particularly appreciated the mother-daughter relationship as they both grieved Imo's passing in different ways. While Yoshie saw him as a loving father who simply tried his best for his daughter, it doesn't change the fact that he died in a murder-suicide incident with a woman he was romantically involved with. This wholly altered Yoshie's mother's perception of him. I found these contrasting viewpoints intriguing as they highlighted the intricacies of grief, especially when someone dies unexpectedly. 

 However, I didn’t like the men that Yoshie was getting herself involved with. I don’t know if that’s her coping mechanism but I certainly didn’t like the fact that she was getting with a man who knew her since she was young 💀 I found that plotline very unnecessary. 

 Overall, it was an okay read, though I feel there are better books out there that explore these themes. 
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deyonce54's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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mcrespo's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

even though i absolutely hate that
yamazaki and yoshie had sex at the end of this book (yamazaki is yoshie’s dead father’s best friend and watched yoshie grow up)
this book still felt inspiring, and like a really great read for any twenty something that still struggles with the concept of what maturity is and what it means. this book is also wonderful for those struggling with the process of change and grieving. 
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mixuchi's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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nyankonii's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

tw: romanticized predatory age gap

this was basically daddy issues: the novel.
mc goes through stages of grief after the suicide of her father.
the writing felt stilted but that most likely is the fault of the translation.
she takes a liking to a regular at the bistro she works at bc he reminds her of her father. she then disturbingly develops a crush on her father’s friend. they both acknowledge it’s wrong since he knew her since she was a child, but they hook up anyways…yeah
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sarah984's review

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hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I really liked that sort of listless feeling of being in your twenties that this book evokes: you're an adult but still really learning what that means, you're having this new sort of adult to adult relationship to your parents, and I feel like that feeling was captured really well. I also loved the sense of place, and the nostalgia and love for a place that was changing.

Unfortunately I felt like the relationship stuff was overall really boring, especially right at the end. All that seemed like it came out of nowhere.
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netylu's review against another edition

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hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

The central theme of this novel is grief (and the healing power of food and community). The narrator, Yocchan, recently lost her father, who died in a murder-suicide with a woman. She and her mother find this hard to comprehend and accept. The book is sad at times but hopeful. I kept thinking it's a great book to read in your early twenties when you're feeling a little lost, trying to detach yourself from your parents and find love.
Some comments for those who read the book are below.
In a way, this novel is a journey to acceptance. But also of letting go. After living with her mother, Yocchan learns to see her separately from her role as a parent. She has to accept her mother, grow up and face herself. She has to answer for herself who she wants to be with.
The title of the book is an echo of two things. One, it's Yocchan's dad, how he left his phone on the day he died and how Yocchan dreams of him calling, struggling to communicate that he loved them and it's okay to move on. On the other hand, it's the reassuring greeting of Yamazaki-san, with whom Yocchan feels safe and whom she loves. I feel the title is very fitting for the book.
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parasolcrafter's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

the way banana yoshimoto writes makes it feel as if youre hearing a story directly from a friend or loved one; you hear all the good and the bad, all the characters inner thoughts and worries, but you still love them after it all because, ultimately, you care for them. this was sometimes a bit hard to read - the grief was sometimes overwhelming, only for the scene to switch up and leave you with that emotion dragging you down when it no longer fits the words youre reading - but overall i really enjoyed this even if the ending was a bit...rushed? that might not be the perfect word, but it definitely was a bit of a shift from the rest of the book, the ending all happening so fast.
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tailwhip's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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