NP [Paperback]

Banana Yoshimoto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995

"Bananamania" has returned in an enchanting new novel of uncanny sulbtlety, style, magic, and mystery that Frank Ramirez of the South Bend Tribune declares is "every bit as good as Yoskimoto's first book ... perhaps better." A celebrated Japanese writer has committed suicide, leaving behind a collection of stories written in English, N.P. But the book may never be published in his native Japan: each translator who takes up the ninety-eighth story chooses death too -- including Kazami Kano's boyfriend, Shoji. Haunted by Shoji's death, Kazami is inexorably drawn to three young people whose lives are intimately bound to the late writer and his work. Over the course of an astonishing summer, she will discover the truth behind the ninety-eighth story -- and she will come to believe that "everytking that had happened was shockingly beautiful enough to make you crazy."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of Kitchen, portrays a dead Japanese writer's story collection and a mysterious curse that dooms those who attempt to translate the last one.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Following her successful debut novel, Kitchen ( LJ 12/92), Yoshimoto again attempts to wrestle with contemporary themes that reflect a less tradition view of Japanese culture. The narrator, Kazami Kano, befriends the adult children of a famous short story writer, Sarao Takase, who commits suicide and leaves behind an unpublished story that tells of his affair with his stepdaughter, Sui. Kazami becomes deeply entangled with Sui, who is living with Takase's son, Otohiko. Sui's psychological obsession with death and her destructive behavior culminates in a failed attempt on Kazami's life as part of a love suicide pact. Despite Yoshimoto's simple yet effective style and the challenging themes of incest, religion, and lesbianism, the youthful characters seem too wooden to allow the story to develop successfully. Not required for most collections.
- David A. Berona, Westbrook Coll. Lib., Portland, Me.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671898264
• ISBN-13: 978-0671898267
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,225,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eerie and Engaging, February 1, 2000

By 

Jake - See all my reviews

This review is from: NP (Paperback)

I have read other books by Banana - Kitchen and Lizard. She always makes me feel as if I'm being followed, though I'm not sure by whom. Her remarkable stories of transvestities, lost love and in the case of NP, incest, awaken a surpressed sense of guilt inside of me. Though my morals, scruples, or just plain common sense tells me it is wrong, I can't help but feel oddly touched by the posioness, romantic love of Otohiko and his sister, Sui. Yoshimoto's stories defy logic, they are about a more spiritual and accepting way of life, they force me to try to strive for such honesty in my own life. My only criticizm lies in the fact that it is a translation of Japanese into English. It pains me that I cannot read and understand this book as it was actually written. At times the words seem overly simplistic, I'm sure it has lost some of the poetry of Banana's style in the translation. Perhaps this is just the kind of inspiration I need to go out and learn Japanese.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking and intense, March 20, 2000

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: NP (Paperback)

I have read "Kitchen" -- it is actually one of my favorite novels. I simply love Banana's descriptions and eccentric characters, and she managed to impress me one more time with "NP."

This quirky novel left a funny taste in my mouth. It dealt with such controversial issues such as incest and suicide -- but it is done with such humanity and vulnerability that you can't help but adore the characters and wish them the best. The translation was done nicely, although I'm sure that the original Japanese version (and Banana's actual words) is much better. I'm looking forward to her new novel, "Asleep" -- I will buy it on the first day of release.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Something oddly addictive about Yoshimoto..., August 30, 2004

By 

Kate (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: NP (Paperback)

Having devoured Huraki Murakami, Yoshimoto seemed like the next progressive step.

And really, they do have some similarities. There is something beautifully refreshing about their aloof, sweet descriptive style and their covert intellectualism.

However, Yoshimoto's works seem to lack a certain something, a certain zest or life. While they are compulsively addictive, they tread so lightly as to be almost unmemorable.

'Y.P' is certainly less impressive than her tiny bestseller 'Kitchen'. In both works, there seems to be a lovely layer of foggy glass between the reader and the characters, yet in 'Y.P', this is tainted by a sense of distachment from the work.

I found myself liking the book, enjoying the descriptions and the complexity of the characters, but not really caring about the outcome.

'Kitchen' is undoubtedly the better read.