This is Yoshimoto’s 13th novel, and I’ve read them all.  She has a simple, light and fluffy style that I know is a bit lightweight, but I don’t care.  This book, like all of hers, is filled with quirky but relatable characters, and even when she introduces something weird or ridiculous, it just doesn’t matter.  I like her dreamy little books, and I suppose I always will. Last year, I read “Moshi, Moshi”, which I thought was better than The Lake, but I still liked this one.