Abinash Elanggumar > Recent Status Updates

too early with yoshimoto. although, i will say i definitely got a lot out of amrita inspite of it not being as good, because it just felt so different by virtue of being this very long, indulgent sprawling narration. it was a really lovely read.

that more so than a lot of the other stories. my mind was a bit distracted from things, which is my own fault, but inspite of that i really enjoyed this story. i was rereading so many paragraphs over and over again because i was thinking about cooking ffs. but a great end to this collection of stories! overall, it was a pleasant, easy read for sure. it's still no kitchen/moonlight shadow, i wonder if i have peaked

(dead-end memories) quite possibly my favourite of the collection (although i liked house of spirits a lot too - these are the two i see myself revisiting), i feel like yoshimoto's writing really warrants more time to breathe... i just love to spend time with her characters and wallow in their emotions. the way she brings the narrator's feelings to life is her best quality, beautiful imagery, and this story showcases

(tomo-chan's happiness) an interesting one, definitely stands out.
"when she was more alone than she had ever been, Tomo-chan was safely held. By the velvety glow of the night, the touch of the wind as it drifts softly past, the blinking of stars, the voices of insects, and things like that. Somewhere deep down, Tomoy-chan knew this all along. And so she was never really alone."

(not warm at all) short and sweet. the imagery surrounding rivers and light is very compelling.

("mama!") weirdly feel good story all things considered. i really liked it, it reminded me of amrita ... we watch our protagonist navigate a traumatic incident as it shapes the rest of her life. the stuff about her mother, and her dream really got to me. those conflicting feelings, uncertain memories. very good stuff.

(house of ghosts) listened to 'the body is a message of the universe' which was so perfect?? it began with this eerie atmosphere which fit the ghost story so well, crescendoed at some of the big moments ... really added to it for me ;_;. this was a really nice short story, a very sweet romance about two lonely people discovering their purpose and feelings for one another in time. the supernatural touch was also great

a more vulnerable, bitter adult is really interesting to me. i enjoy that dynamic in fiction a lot.

(chapter twelve - corpuscules of light ~end) really lovely book! love how the apartment and the windows became it's own character as well. simple read but very evocative imagery and writing. really connected with the protagonist and her relationship with her daughter. i really enjoy stories about raising children especially when they're as honest as this, the contrast between the endearing innocence of a child and

(chapter eleven - flames) honestly the daughter is so cute, another great chapter

(chapter ten - the earth's surface) this chapter was really sad ... the loneliness of being a single mother, and then when you let go of your daughter having noone else.

(chapter nine - the body) today's three chapters done. i don't have a lot to say that i haven't already, it's a really nice read. a very empathetic portrayal of single motherhood. very simply done, but still really moving.

(chapter eight - red lights)

(chapter seven - the dunes) nooo the windows ;(

(chapter six - the magic words) i like how honest the narration is, how flawed she is. how she feels bitterness towards her daughter, but you understand how her difficult circumstances inspire these unpleasant feelings. you can really empathise with the amount of strain she is under.

(chapter five - the sound of a voice) 0_0

(chapter four - a dream of birds)
i don't have that much to say, another quietly affecting chapter.

i could continue actually but for my own sake i will stop here. i don't think this is the kind of book you should binge in one day, in an ideal world i would have read this over 12 days, starting the day with a cup of tea and a chapter from the book. you gotta let the moments seep in ... it has been a very pleasant, easy read so far. the imagery very evocative. liking it!

other single woman, sleeping on the bench, and then the subsequent revelation about her future fate ... wow, haha. okay. kind of darkly funny but also horrifying.

(chapter three: sunday in the trees)
i see why the book is structured like this now. each chapter is like an individual vignette over the span of the novel. it's very readable, with each chapter tying itself together really nicely. this chapter highlights the strain of being a single mother, the exhaustion of balancing all of these roles, and never being able to put yourself first. the imaginary conversation with the

(chapter two: the water's edge)
i really liked this chapter. it all came together really nicely, the stuff with water, the rain sea, the silver sea. the narrator and her daughter really well characterised too. just an endearing read, i can't say exactly why.

(chapter one: territory of light)
very simple, matter of fact narration. nice to be back to first person ... weird preference of mine, i just find myself endeared to people's narrations of their lives? i don't have that much to say atm, but i feel like the book being so short is split into twelve for a reason, so im going to write whatever is on my mind after each chapter.

(part two) goddamn, ok. i definitely found myself more invested as time went on. komako really is quite a tragic figure, and you do also get a sense of the emptiness of shimamura's life. ending is surprisingly high-key for this book, but definitely affecting still. i think i would appreciate this book more on a reread, so that i can pay more attention to the nature and imagery ... still, i did like it. good read.

part one leaves us at an interesting point. i take it we'll pick back up after a timeskip where the two leads reunite after years of repressed feelings for another. this genre of story is always very compelling to me. so, as of now, it's intriguing to me - can't say i have fallen in love with the prose (which i think is the main draw), but may do so in time. blame it on my own struggles as a reader.

emphasis is on subtle behaviours and characterisation. i think some of the imagery and scenery is going over my head, which i think is what kawabata is known for ;_;. my adhd ass sucks at internalising descriptive writing. i mainly remember this reccuring imagery of a window as a mirror, with the reflection superimposed over the scenery. that was quite a cool image. yoko's red cheeks against the snow white mountains.