Reviews

Hardboiled & Hard Luck by Banana Yoshimoto

subaruforester2001's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

aeski's review against another edition

reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Banana Yoshimoto’s voice shines through this story with her simple yet profound writing style. A masterpiece as usual.

gregorylewis13's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Fantastic book about grief. 

The first story is about a women who remembers her past lover and is pulled into a thick night where she's visited by ghosts and dreams that culminate in a new dawn breaking where things have changed and yet nothing has changed.

The second story is a love story and one best depictions of grief I've read. The love story is slow and wonderful and the loss of a sister is profound. It hits home the feelings of odd joy during grief when you are with a mutual someone your close to, and the feeling of crying when you don't know why. 

Fantastic stories.

milkdong's review against another edition

4.0

and this too shall pass

kaykitty24's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

gensrra_'s review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I simply loved these stories. They're so full of mystery and nostalgia. 
Banana Yoshimoto has a truly unique way of capturing sadness, nostalgia, and mystery, I felt a lot with the stories, especially with Hard Luck.

farahnutscampoo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

olieander's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Death, Grief, and Suicide

mara191's review against another edition

3.0

Zwei wirklich gute Erzählungen. Aber da ich andere Geschichten von Banana Yoshimoto noch besser fand, gebe ich hierfür „nur“ 3 Sterne. Trotzdem eine Leseempfehlung.

adbeyneler's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25