I've begun the laborous task of reading my first novel written in Japanese. I hope to read about 15 pages of キッチン for spring break. The process of looking up kanji has been tedious, but it's necessary if I want to accomplish my goal.
I've only read two pages so far, but already I am enjoying the writing. The narrator opens the story with an expression of love for her favorite place, the kitchen. She sleeps by the huge refrigerator. But her family has diminished until all that is left is her and the kitchen and her life seems likes science fiction.
The first two pages are filled with loneliness, summed up with the line 「宇宙の闇だ。」I get the same feeling reading this story in Japanese as I have had in the past reading translations of her other stories. I love reading Yoshimoto Banana. The simplicity of her words is often striking and moving. I think I understand human emotions more when reading her stories.
Lastly, here's something that really stood out visually to me, which I wish to share.
「葬式がすんでから三日はぼうっとしていた。
涙があんまり出ない飽和した悲しみにともなう、柔らかな眠けをそっとひきずっていって、しんと光る台所にふとんを敷いた。ライナスのように毛布にくるまって眠る。」
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