Critical Praise

" Entering Banana Yoshimoto's fictional world is a little like living as an expatriate in Tokyo -- everyday things are disconcertingly different. The exotic lurks around every corner...What sets Yoshimoto apart, though, is her blunt candor, a sense of truth, no matter how odd or awkward, is more important than polish...Amrita is difficult to forget. "-Janice P. Nimura, San Francisco Chronicle" Yoshimoto's most fully realized work to date...Her firm grasp of her characters, her surefooted prose and her wide-eyed exploration of everything from American pop culture to the Japanese language make this one of the most satisfying books of the summer. "-Ben Greenman, Time Out New York"Yoshimoto shouldn't be shy about basking in her celebrity. Her achievements are already legend. "-Boston Globe"Banana Yoshimoto is a master storyteller...The sensuality is subtle, masked, and extraordinarily powerful. The language is deceptively simple. "-Frank Ramirez, Chicago Tribune

—