Startlingly relevant ... These stories of sexism in 1990s Japan also resonate in the English-speaking world in 2025 ... A Tomorrow Full of Love stands out among the others in the collection ... Bergstrom’s translation of Yamamoto’s writing is a treat in and of itself. It’s full of clever turns of phrase ... Even more impressive, each of the five first-person narrators also come across with their own, unique voice ... The Dilemmas of Working Women also closes with a perceptive translator’s note from Bergstrom, notable for providing exactly enough context to add depth to the book’s flavour without digesting the book on the reader’s behalf ... A both powerful and delightful read.
It’s the perfect time to read The Dilemmas of Working Women ... While all the stories are wonderful—sneakily spiky while carrying notes of sweetness—the standout for me is Here, Which is Nowhere ... Shocking yet narratively satisfying ... A set of wonderfully complex narrators.
As I trekked deeper into the world of The Dilemmas of Working Women, the layers between the female characters in the story thickened ... Narrator and restaurateur Majima’s fascination with his employee Sumie’s palm-reading abilities and their allure feels more removed from the rest of the collection’s female narrators ... The exact purpose of this piece remains uncertain for me as a reader.
Audacious ... That Yamamoto writes solely in first-person cleverly encourages immediate engagement for readers, creating an instant gateway into the intimacies of these characters' lives ... Many of Yamamoto's empathic characters...remain timeless figures of strength and resilience.
