RaveThe Japan Society (UK)... tighter, more focussed with the same indelible Kawakami style of surgical introspection ... It reaches a nadir in tone when Kawakami produces a chapter detailing sexual violence which is so visceral and believable it will leave those weak of temperament wondering why they ever picked up this book. That is to say Kawakami has truly outdone herself, surpassing even her own lofty expectations of creating a narrative which is immediate and realistic; this English translation is a gift to anyone wishing to understand life for the modern Japanese woman, and the perils and hardships many women face. Of course, no two human experiences are the same, and that point is apparent in the contrast between the female characters in the novel; however, the space between men and women in the book tells the state of gender relations in Japan. It is up to the reader to draw their own conclusions ... a novel which will draw you in with its poetry and prose, and make you dissect it line by line in much the same way as its protagonist does in her work ... a novel which is fresh and unique, albeit imperfect. This is not a great Japanese novel about womanhood, nor is it just a great Japanese novel. It is simply a great novel.
