A review by stwriter92
All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I read this book because I got sick of Murakami’s description of women in his books. I used to really like them, but now I can’t get back into them because the way he writes women is just so icky. I had heard that Mieko Kawakami was much better and I do agree! 

All the Lovers in the Night centers on a mid-thirties woman named Fuyuko Irie who works as a freelance copy editor. She lives a lonely life and does not seem to mind this solitary existence. However, this changes when she finally takes a long look at her reflection and decides she need to change. She wants to feel alive again. However, as past traumas resurface, she turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism and forms a friendship with an older man.

The bittersweet story of Fuyuko Irie is the story of all of us. We are all aching to connect with the people around us and each of us feels, at times, like we are alone at sea. This book reminds us that, no matter how alone we are, we can always form connections and reach out. We are not alone.

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