Her pen name chosen as a tribute to banana flowers, its androgyny and “cute” factor isn’t lost on Banana Yoshimoto. While personally I’ve only dug into her short stories, Bookwoman’s monthly discussion group tackles the Japanese author’s 1988 novella, written during her time as a waitress. That background features heavily, as the book follows one Mikage Sakurai as she navigates through love, loss, and food. Though the novella receives acclaim for Yoshimoto’s grounded storytelling, her introduction of a trans woman character stands as particularly progressive given the precarious place transgender people occupy in Japan. Whether or not the presentation is “good” representation given the character’s ultimate fate – no spoilers! – is up to y’all at the book group to discuss. – James Scott