Banana Yoshimoto's 'Moshi moshi' follows the journey of a young woman dealing with the sudden loss of her father in a suicide pact, alongside the mystery surrounding his death. The protagonist moves to Shimokitazawa, a vibrant Tokyo neighborhood, seeking solace and healing. Through dreams, relationships, and the culinary delights of the neighborhood, she navigates grief, love, and personal growth. The narrative weaves themes of loss, healing, and the passage of time, offering a poignant exploration of coping with tragedy and finding a way forward in life.
The book is characterized by its deep yet accessible storytelling, with a focus on relationships, personal growth, and the healing process after loss. Yoshimoto's writing style delicately balances the weight of grief with moments of lightness and hope, creating a narrative that is both introspective and engaging. The exploration of family dynamics, love, and the transformative power of moving to a new place adds layers of complexity to the protagonist's emotional journey, making 'Moshi moshi' a compelling and emotionally resonant read.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of grief, suicide, and emotional distress.
Has Romance?
There is a medium level of romance in Moshi Moshi, particularly focused on the main character's first love.
From The Publisher:
"A beautiful translation . . . Yoshimoto deploys a magically Japanese light touch to emotionally and existentially tough subject matter: domestic disarray, loneliness, identity issues, lovesickness . . . [a] nimble narrative." - ELLE
In Moshi Moshi , Yoshie's much-loved musician father has died in a suicide pact with an unknown woman. It is only when Yoshie and her mother move to Shimokitazawa, a traditional Tokyo neighborhood of narrow streets, quirky shops, and friendly residents that they can finally start to put their painful past behind them. However, despite their attempts to move forward, Yoshie is haunted by nightmares in which her father is looking for the phone he left behind on the day he died, or on which she is trying-unsuccessfully-to call him. Is her dead father trying to communicate a message to her through these dreams?
With the lightness of touch and surreal detachment that are the hallmarks of her writing, Banana Yoshimoto turns a potential tragedy into a poignant coming-of-age ghost story and a life-affirming homage to the healing powers of community, food, and family.
Ratings (3)
Loved It (2) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (9):
Read It (3) | |
Want To Read (4) | |
Not Interested (2) |
1 comment(s)
I'm not sure why, but it took me ages to finish this. Truthfully, it might be because I attempted to read it around the tenth anniversary of my own father's death. A lot of Yocchan's sentiments were much my own, especially in the immediate aftermath. It's very honest and it captures the haze and routine zombie-like walk through everyday life after a traumatic event. That's the thing--it seems like nothing really happens for the first 3/4 of the book. But looking back, after Yocchan and her mother start emerging from that haze, you can see the changes and events that led them there. It's not action-packed, suspensful, or mysterious. It's a quiet journey about healing from grief and learning what life is really all about.
What can you read after
Moshi moshi?
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