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A review by i_love_big_books
Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
A very enjoyable collection of stories inspired by Japanese myth and folklore specifically with respect to the spirit world, these are brilliantly adapted to a modern setting with feminist themes that are very relevant in the present day.
There is a thread of breeziness and humour underlying the stories, even sarcasm. This does not take away from the seriousness of the issues addressed or make them seem trivial.
Many of the tales share a connection that becomes obvious at some point in the narrative.
The deceased aunt who 'visits' her niece and has a conversation about how she should stop obsessing over body hair and in general body image especially to please men, the intelligent woman who is forced to accept less than she deserves because of her gender, the young woman who is a wonderful temple calligrapher but not acknowledged because of her youth, the muddy ghost who visits every night for a bath.. are some of the characters populating these tales that give a new flavor to the myth that inspired them.
I have many favourites in this collection but the one I most related to was Enoki, which is about a tree that develops burrs on its trunk that secrete sap and are considered akin to breasts and revered by women who find it difficult to feed their babies. Their desperation and the fact that even tree sap resembling breast milk is considered ok to feed infants speaks of the culture of vilifying those mothers who are unable to do this much exalted task often through no fault of their own. This was the most hard-hitting story of the collection for me.
It is easy for women to see ourselves in many of these stories and the feelings and experiences of the protagonists are very familiar too. Add to that the fact that these are really nice to read and this is definitely a book I would recommend.
There is a thread of breeziness and humour underlying the stories, even sarcasm. This does not take away from the seriousness of the issues addressed or make them seem trivial.
Many of the tales share a connection that becomes obvious at some point in the narrative.
The deceased aunt who 'visits' her niece and has a conversation about how she should stop obsessing over body hair and in general body image especially to please men, the intelligent woman who is forced to accept less than she deserves because of her gender, the young woman who is a wonderful temple calligrapher but not acknowledged because of her youth, the muddy ghost who visits every night for a bath.. are some of the characters populating these tales that give a new flavor to the myth that inspired them.
I have many favourites in this collection but the one I most related to was Enoki, which is about a tree that develops burrs on its trunk that secrete sap and are considered akin to breasts and revered by women who find it difficult to feed their babies. Their desperation and the fact that even tree sap resembling breast milk is considered ok to feed infants speaks of the culture of vilifying those mothers who are unable to do this much exalted task often through no fault of their own. This was the most hard-hitting story of the collection for me.
It is easy for women to see ourselves in many of these stories and the feelings and experiences of the protagonists are very familiar too. Add to that the fact that these are really nice to read and this is definitely a book I would recommend.