![]() ![]() The characters themselves are compatible opposites. But instead of romantic storybook heroes, Chihiro and Nakajima are reticent people tormented by loss, drawn to each other because of their mutual habit of gazing out of their apartment windows. ![]() “The Lake” centers around young muralist Chihiro’s narration of her mother’s recent death and the development of her relationship with the obsessive academic Nakajima. Translated by Michael Emmerich, it stands out amongst other, fluffier romances for its crisply described settings, realistic and reserved characters, and intelligent meditations about the nature of intimacy. But even though Yoshimoto might dabble in the whimsical and the light, her most recent novel, “The Lake,” deals deftly with grief, death, and fear during an intense romance. Her books are littered with characters with premonitory powers, inspired by people she claims to have met in real life. Banana Yoshimoto chose her first name because she likes banana flowers. ![]()
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