The Premonition

‘I had a premonition of setting out on a journey and getting lost inside a distant tide as the sun went down, ending up far, far away from where I started.’

Although Yayoi lives a happy life with her quintessentially perfect family, she cannot shake the strange feeling that she has forgotten something important from her past. Led by this intuition, she takes a trip to her aunt Yukino’s house, deep in a Japanese forest. Yukino is an enigmatic and bizarre character, her house is in disarray, and she often goes missing without a word. While Yayoi and her auntie aren’t especially close, she feels drawn towards her. What is this peculiar feeling and does Yukino hold the answer to it?

The Premonition is a strange and compelling novella, perfect to read in one sitting. Banana Yoshimoto has created a simple but touching tale where the reader embarks on a journey alongside the protagonist. Ultimately, this is a story about family. Yoshimoto explores the way we are connected to our family, not just corporeally but soulfully as well.

Just as you would expect from Yoshimoto, this is an odd little tale. The plot itself is not especially complex and some of the relationships in the story are slightly peculiar, but the beauty of this story lies in its tenderness. The mystery of the plot paired with the beautiful delicacy of Yoshimoto’s prose gives the story a dreamlike quality. It’s perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Sweet Bean Paste.

Excitingly, this is the first time The Premonition is being published in English, and I imagine it will come with high praise. It was first published in Japan in 1988, the same year Yoshimoto made her debut alongside other works, including, most famously, her novella Kitchen.