Premonition

by Banana Yoshimoto

A quiet novel about memory, intuition, and the things we already know but haven’t figured out yet.

What It’s About

At first, it feels like a story about a girl with premonitions. She’s uneasy about phone calls, she picks up on strange details, she knows something is off but can’t name what.

But what unfolds isn’t a book about sensing the future. It’s about memory. About intuition as a way of remembering what you were never told.

She’s not seeing what’s coming. She’s slowly recognizing what already happened.

The tension in the novel isn’t built on plot. It’s built on quiet dislocation. Family, both real and adopted. A past everyone knows except her. When it finally comes into focus, it isn’t a reveal. It’s something she’s been carrying the whole time, just waiting for the language to describe it.

What Stuck With Me

This was a re-read for me, though I didn’t remember much from the first time. Honestly, forgot I had already read it. But what stood out this time was how much of the story is about delayed knowing. Emotional memory, trauma held in the body, intuition showing up before language can catch up.

The book isn’t trying to surprise you. It’s soft. Steady. A little sad. I didn’t feel like I was discovering something.Something was finally floating to the surface.

The idea of a “premonition” starts to feel like a misdirection. It’s not about what’s going to happen. It’s about what you already know but haven’t been able to face.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes, but not if you’re looking for plot or action. This one is soft and doesn’t explain itself. It prioritizes mood over clarity. But if you’ve ever had that feeling… that slow realization of something you didn’t know you knew… it might land. It’s Banana, doing what Banana does.

Where to Find It

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Also available via WorldCat to check your local library

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