Lizard

Rating:
Summary: Short and Simple Deeper Meanings
Review: Having conquered the novella (Kitchen, two novellas published together), and the novel (N.P.), it was only natural for Banana Yoshimoto to move on to the short story form.

Driving succinct prose that hides as much between the lines as it places amazingly in front of us with the surface levels of the stories. Yoshimoto's writing is to Japanese literature as Feng-Shui is to Chinese decorating: simple, spiritual, deep and insightful.

Six separate stories (including "Lizard") all speak about passion, intensity, confusion and desperation. Yoshimoto's characters embody the lost Generation X philosophy. Deep thinkers unable to figure out the world around them: this common thread runs throughout each of these tales that somehow uplift and manage to celebrate life.

Short stories in a small book that doesn't even reach 200 pages, yet with a Hemingway like brilliance, Yoshimoto forced 800 pages worth of depth into these stories. We begin with an apparently simple read that becomes a stark yet hopeful look into the human condition and the lives of people in their twenties, living in this mind blowing world.

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps her best..
Review: Having read all Yoshimoto's thin pieces over a month or so, I can honestly say that this was perhaps her most developed emotional and divinely written work. It tended to stray from her reoccuring occasionally repetitive Gen X themes, but rather, appealed to something more fudamental within.

I was less impressed with what I suppose were her showstopper stories - 'Lizard' and the final piece abot spiritual awakening by the river, but rather, I found the middle stories delightful little tidbits of hope and humour and gorgeously sensual writing. What is it about Yoshimoto's female characters that make them so utterly goddess-like and interesting? I think her characterisation particularly shines in this little volume.

I still think that Yoshimoto is not necessarily furfilling her so obvious potential, but I think this is the first of her works that is even close to satisfying her ability. It is for that reason I would perhaps recommend reading 'Lizard' last (despite it being one of her earlier works) because it shows something much deeper and more emotionally elaborate than the slightly overrated 'Kitchen' or anything else and suggests her great development as a writter.

Still, I also recommend 'Kitchen' and 'Goodbye Tsugumi', while I would probably skip 'NP' and the others, given another chance.

Rating:
Summary: Dull
Review: I am very pleased with Banana's work so far. Her ability to write beautiful and touching stories is admirable. I love "Kitchen" and "NP", and now, "Lizard."

Even though this is not Banana's best work, it is a fun and enjoyable read. All five stories have a similar theme: spirituality and self-discovery. Like her previous books, Banana touches on the more human and spiritual aspects of the characters' lives. My favorite stories are "Newlywed," "Dreaming of Kimchee," "A Strange Tale from Down by the River," and "Helix." Each story had a touch of magic realism, which is something I love in literature. They were beautiful and surreal. Banana has a way with words. I hope to read a new Banana Yoshimoto novel soon.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic empathic display
Review: I became a Banana fan upon reading the first chapter of her novel NP. I bought "Lizard" immediately after I finished NP, resisting the temptation to set high hopes that my second look at Yoshimoto's work would cast the same spell at me. To my surprise, "Lizard" has become one of my favorite short story compilations. I find myself reading many of the tales repeatedly; the last time a short story collection gave me a similar buzz was nearly twenty years ago, when I discovered JD Salinger's "Nine Stories." What strikes me most about Banana Yoshimoto is her empathic voice when she writes from a male viewpoint in the first person. When I read these tales, I feel like Ms. Yoshimoto tries to understand what goes through the minds and emotions of contemporary men. The only other female author who rings my bell (so far) in this respect is Willa Cather. I believe it's a tricky balancing act to write from the perspective of the opposite sex and have it ring true. All stories in this book are vivid and thoughtful, but the title story is the strongest of all. A young man shows us both the gentle strength and fragile secrets inside the girlfriend he nicknames "Lizard." In the same beat he shows us his strength and vulnerability, yet never loses focus on Lizard. I have become a great admirer of Banana Yoshimoto over the past three years. This collection is a great introduction for any reader who wants to give her work a read.

Rating:
Summary: Yayness!
Review: I enjoyed reading the stories in this book. The last story was perhaps the best one in the book; it made you think about other people's perspectives of their life and life in general.

Of course, to know what I mean, you should read the book yourself!!

Rating:
Summary: Certainly the work of a talented author, but...
Review: If you're in the mood for a classic, Lizard will disappoint. But if you'd like something that won't demand much mental energy but isn't too fluffy, Lizard might just be the ticket. (One of her stories was even serialized in the Tokyo subway system.)

Banana Yoshimoto is certainly a talented writer, and it shows in Lizard. There are many passages that grab you in this collection of short stories. These passages are artfully written: they capture the moment, deceptively simple-sounding yet profoundly resonant. Very easy to read, but not very easy to truly understand. You'll want to savor them over and over.

Yet most of her characters are rather two-dimensional. She brings up a lot of issues about living in today's world, with all of its loneliness and moral ambiguities, yet never fully explores all the issues that she brings up. Each of these short stories could be extended into a novella or a novel, and in my opinion, Yoshimoto should have done so. She often answers complicating issues with cop-out plot twists or well-written but overly brief assessments, instead of more fully examining their implications; thus she compromises the plausibility of her stories.

The genre of magic realism -- which I'd define as works that are basically of the often-gritty realist tradition, but include some elements borrowed from science fiction, fantasy, and mythology -- has much potential, and Yoshimoto has certainly scratched its surface in Lizard.

Yoshimoto has a clean, simple writing style and sensitivity towards things of beauty and truth. If you can overlook plot and character flaws, and appreciate these stories for their beautiful moments, you might like Lizard. Otherwise, look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: A Quick Glance at Brilliant Style
Review: Perhaps you're the type that doesn't have a lot of time. These stories are for you. They take the brilliance of Kitchen and N.P. and put them into quick stories that can be read anywhere. I am thoroughly impressed by the unfaultering quality of Yoshimoto Banana's writing. She is without a doubt one of the most brilliant writers I've had the chance to read. My hope is that more people will become aquainted with her talent and incredible writing ability. Another perfect book to add to my collection--Lizard is awesome.

Rating:
Summary: Hope.. there is hope
Review: Personally, the book is not as gripping as I would like to be.
But if you're looking only for light reading, then this book is good.

A collection of 7 short stories with an underlying theme of Hope. Each of the character was presented in a situation and a conflict that separates them from their dreams. They put in the struggle and in the end they realized that one step further in their struggle is worth the effort because it changed the outcome of the situation and brought them closer to the realization of their dreams.

Although perhaps each of the stories in this book doesn't really stand out by itself, together they send a powerful message of Hope.

Rating:
Summary: This banana tastes pretty bland
Review: This was the second time I have read this book. The first time i thought that it was an enjoyable read, but nothing spectacular. I have read it again and find it nothing spectacular and also quite threadbare. THis does not mean that I did not enjoy reading the book, but it is that I got nothing from it. The stories are told in Ms. Yoshimoto's sparing tone and lanquid pace. They all seem to hover around the common themes of Relationships, death, and a bit of paranormal power. They make the reader wonder what was the point of this? Maybe one has to peel back several layers to find the deep rooted meanings to these stories, but to me they seem to be writen by a bored teenage girl who wants a little bit more excitement in her life. I'm not going to bother to go into detail about each story because they all seem to gel together after awhile. Read this if you are a Yoshimoto fan with some time on your hands, but otherwise read her Book _kitchen_ instead although it shares a similar vein to these stories it is told much better and really tugs on the heart strings.