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The Story of a Single Woman
A piercingly beautiful and candid novel of love, sex and independence in 1920s Japan by a trailblazing Japanese writer.
She left her home, just a girl, determined to live alone. But wasn’t this the very life her late father had most fervently forbidden?
As an older woman, Kazue looks back on her tumultuous younger years with piercing clarity. Growing up in a tiny Japanese mountain village at the start of the twentieth century, her life was shadowed by the demands and expectations of her troubled, alcoholic father. While she is still a young teenager, her family arranges for her to marry an older cousin; Kazue stays with the boy for only ten days before returning home alone.
This is the beginning of a life of questing independence, which will see Kazue forced to leave her home at eighteen following a love affair, going first to Korea and then to Tokyo. Driven by her impulses and an indomitable spirit of hope, Kazue moves from one relationship to another, hungry for experience. As her sense of identity and voice grows, she takes to writing as a means to live a life on her own terms.
Candidly told and full of stunning imagery, The Story of a Single Woman is an autobiographical novel by one of Japan’s most significant 20th-century writers, a trailblazer who lived and wrote like no-one else.
She left her home, just a girl, determined to live alone. But wasn’t this the very life her late father had most fervently forbidden?
As an older woman, Kazue looks back on her tumultuous younger years with piercing clarity. Growing up in a tiny Japanese mountain village at the start of the twentieth century, her life was shadowed by the demands and expectations of her troubled, alcoholic father. While she is still a young teenager, her family arranges for her to marry an older cousin; Kazue stays with the boy for only ten days before returning home alone.
This is the beginning of a life of questing independence, which will see Kazue forced to leave her home at eighteen following a love affair, going first to Korea and then to Tokyo. Driven by her impulses and an indomitable spirit of hope, Kazue moves from one relationship to another, hungry for experience. As her sense of identity and voice grows, she takes to writing as a means to live a life on her own terms.
Candidly told and full of stunning imagery, The Story of a Single Woman is an autobiographical novel by one of Japan’s most significant 20th-century writers, a trailblazer who lived and wrote like no-one else.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1972
20 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
About the author
Uno Chiyo
22 books19 followersUno Chiyo (宇野 千代) was a female Japanese author who wrote several notable works and a known kimono designer. She had a significant influence on Japanese fashion, film and literature. She became part of the Bohemian world of Tokyo, having liaisons with other writers, poets and painters
In later years, Uno’s popularity was given formal status as she was recognized by the Emperor and assumed the honor of being one of Japan’s oldest and most talented female writers.
In later years, Uno’s popularity was given formal status as she was recognized by the Emperor and assumed the honor of being one of Japan’s oldest and most talented female writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 16, 2025
(Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a review)
This autobiographical work of Chiyo Uno is an intricate journey into many domains of the author's experiences, which were marked by painful relations, including four marriages and divorces. Written in her 70s, the manuscript chronicles the author's suppressed rage, bitterness, conflict with her ex-husbands, thus giving voice, out of a context of almost cold detachment. The stark writing style and unemotional way through which these feelings are depicted gives the novel a severely beautiful quality stampeding with power, one that some readers may find disturbing, while others will find overtly distant.
Interspersed throughout are several of the themes encompassing love, regret, and self-awareness; which are heavily nuanced by the shifts in the protagonist's perception of marriage— expressing both a desire to avoid it at one point and an obsessive addiction to it at another—contributing to a sense of psychological dissonance. While the novel effectively captures the internal conflict and emotional nuances of the protagonist, the heavy use of irony and the sense of detachment can feel intrusive to some readers, especially when the author seems to demand empathy for actions that may appear selfish or contradictory.
Over and above that, the novel offers a fascinating exploration of human behavior, especially in the way the protagonist engages in actions that seem almost unbelievable; such as showing up at an ex-lover’s house with a knife or abandoning her husband to start anew in Tokyo. These events are daring and force the reader to reconsider the nature of passion and self-destructive tendencies. There’s a notable tension between the protagonist's actions and her ability to grasp the emotions of others, especially her lovers and mother-in-law, which adds layers of complexity to her character. This remarkable sensitivity contrasts with her often cold, almost clinical writing, and invites readers to question their own responses to such behavior.
However, there’s a downside for those who may not appreciate the protagonist’s constant self-analysis and the author’s tone of forced introspection. The book often feels like it invites sympathy for the protagonist's struggles without offering room for readers to form their own conclusions. This can feel grating for those who prefer a more emotionally open or vulnerable narrative. For instance, I don't particularly agree with the author promiscuous way, not because simply that she is a woman but for who she has affected with this behavior. However, that is what draws compassion for the author on me, and I’d actually think less of it if you couldn’t enjoy it as I totally understand why that might be the case.
Ultimately, the novel’s style and content will resonate with readers interested in a deeply introspective, and at times unsettling, exploration of the complexities of love, regret, and the search for self-understanding. For others, the lack of emotional expression and the self-absorbed tone might make it an alienating experience. I on the other hand, actually quite enjoy with how the story was told.
This autobiographical work of Chiyo Uno is an intricate journey into many domains of the author's experiences, which were marked by painful relations, including four marriages and divorces. Written in her 70s, the manuscript chronicles the author's suppressed rage, bitterness, conflict with her ex-husbands, thus giving voice, out of a context of almost cold detachment. The stark writing style and unemotional way through which these feelings are depicted gives the novel a severely beautiful quality stampeding with power, one that some readers may find disturbing, while others will find overtly distant.
Interspersed throughout are several of the themes encompassing love, regret, and self-awareness; which are heavily nuanced by the shifts in the protagonist's perception of marriage— expressing both a desire to avoid it at one point and an obsessive addiction to it at another—contributing to a sense of psychological dissonance. While the novel effectively captures the internal conflict and emotional nuances of the protagonist, the heavy use of irony and the sense of detachment can feel intrusive to some readers, especially when the author seems to demand empathy for actions that may appear selfish or contradictory.
Over and above that, the novel offers a fascinating exploration of human behavior, especially in the way the protagonist engages in actions that seem almost unbelievable; such as showing up at an ex-lover’s house with a knife or abandoning her husband to start anew in Tokyo. These events are daring and force the reader to reconsider the nature of passion and self-destructive tendencies. There’s a notable tension between the protagonist's actions and her ability to grasp the emotions of others, especially her lovers and mother-in-law, which adds layers of complexity to her character. This remarkable sensitivity contrasts with her often cold, almost clinical writing, and invites readers to question their own responses to such behavior.
However, there’s a downside for those who may not appreciate the protagonist’s constant self-analysis and the author’s tone of forced introspection. The book often feels like it invites sympathy for the protagonist's struggles without offering room for readers to form their own conclusions. This can feel grating for those who prefer a more emotionally open or vulnerable narrative. For instance, I don't particularly agree with the author promiscuous way, not because simply that she is a woman but for who she has affected with this behavior. However, that is what draws compassion for the author on me, and I’d actually think less of it if you couldn’t enjoy it as I totally understand why that might be the case.
Ultimately, the novel’s style and content will resonate with readers interested in a deeply introspective, and at times unsettling, exploration of the complexities of love, regret, and the search for self-understanding. For others, the lack of emotional expression and the self-absorbed tone might make it an alienating experience. I on the other hand, actually quite enjoy with how the story was told.
February 14, 2025
1 star.
I hate it when a book doesn’t make me feel anything at all. This was just a brief glimpse into Kazue’s life and relationships, nothing more than a series of events strung together. No depth, no emotion, no real insight into what she was thinking or feeling. It just happened, all matter-of-factly, like reading a list instead of a story. That’s why I didn’t connect with Kazue at all.
Gosh. How many consecutive meh reads have I been through? 😭😭😭😭
Note : Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I hate it when a book doesn’t make me feel anything at all. This was just a brief glimpse into Kazue’s life and relationships, nothing more than a series of events strung together. No depth, no emotion, no real insight into what she was thinking or feeling. It just happened, all matter-of-factly, like reading a list instead of a story. That’s why I didn’t connect with Kazue at all.
Gosh. How many consecutive meh reads have I been through? 😭😭😭😭
Note : Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 5, 2025
Uno Chiyo was a controversial, unconventional Japanese writer known for her work as a kimono designer and fashion editor as well as for her fiction. Her semi-autobiographical novel is narrated by Kazue an older woman looking back at her formative years from her childhood in the early 1900s through to the early 1930s. It’s a vivid, richly-detailed, sensitively-drawn piece that opens with snapshots of Kazue’s spartan existence with her once-dissolute, now strict father and her nurturing stepmother a young downtrodden woman forcing herself to fulfil her duty to his household. Kazue narrowly escapes the same fate, briefly married off at 13 to her cousin, she manages to return home not long after. As time passes Kazue openly rejects a projected future as submissive wife and mother, allowing herself to be blown, as if by the wind, from place to place and lover to lover. But Kazue’s supposedly free-spirited choices still result in her having to bow to men’s demands. Ultimately a variation on a coming-of-age narrative, Uno’s focus is on Kazue’s growing realisation of her need for self-determination: to tread her own path and build on her wish to become a writer – rather than end up a male writer’s mistress. Although it can feel a little rushed at times, Uno’s novella is fascinating for its representation of the constraints and expectations placed on women in early twentieth-century Japan. Translated by Rebecca Copeland.
Thanks to Edelweiss and publisher Pushkin Press Classics for an ARC
Thanks to Edelweiss and publisher Pushkin Press Classics for an ARC
February 14, 2025
3.5 Stars
This piece of Japanese autobiographical fiction was originally written in 1972, with this American translation offered in 1992. At 160 pages, this is a blunt and straightforward life assessment from a girl's youth, looking back at her life at the age of seventy. She has no wish to marry and conform, but to have many lovers and follow her whims in life. She walks for miles where she has to go, dabbles in teaching, sewing, and more importantly- writing. Her discovery of wearing makeup is literally a transforming moment in her life. She's one of those types of people who heed their own calling- gossip be damned. I appreciated how the intimacy in the book was handled leaving it to the reader's imagination- "bodies pressed together". This was a culturally intriguing taste of life in 1920s Japan, both country and city locales, by a woman flouting all conventions of her time.
Thank you to the publisher Pushkin Press Classics / Penguin Random House who provided an advance reader copy via Edelweiss.
This piece of Japanese autobiographical fiction was originally written in 1972, with this American translation offered in 1992. At 160 pages, this is a blunt and straightforward life assessment from a girl's youth, looking back at her life at the age of seventy. She has no wish to marry and conform, but to have many lovers and follow her whims in life. She walks for miles where she has to go, dabbles in teaching, sewing, and more importantly- writing. Her discovery of wearing makeup is literally a transforming moment in her life. She's one of those types of people who heed their own calling- gossip be damned. I appreciated how the intimacy in the book was handled leaving it to the reader's imagination- "bodies pressed together". This was a culturally intriguing taste of life in 1920s Japan, both country and city locales, by a woman flouting all conventions of her time.
Thank you to the publisher Pushkin Press Classics / Penguin Random House who provided an advance reader copy via Edelweiss.
June 26, 2025
*En esta novela, la autora traslada vivencias suyas a la protagonista, Kazúe, tratándose entonces de una obra que mezcla autobiografía y ficción, ambientada en la segunda mitad del siglo XX.
Creciendo en una casa donde se hacía lo que su padre autoritario demandaba, a Kazúe le resulta ajena y desconcierta cualquier tipo de felicidad que viese en otras familias. Por ello, una vez que se va haciendo adulta, su padre muere y tiene por primera vez la opción de elegir qué quiere para su vida, se niega a vivir de acuerdo a las normas sociales que están siempre presentes, por más que no se digan en voz alta.
A lo largo de los capítulos y con un estilo muy austero y japonés, la narradora cuenta qué fue de la vida de Kazúe, especialmente en su aspecto amoroso y romántico. Cómo vivió conforme según sentía, coqueteando, conquistando y viviendo aventuras con hombres mientras estos fuesen de su interés, para más tarde simplemente huir buscando otro nuevo acontecimiento que la marcase. En cada una de esas decisiones, ronda el recuerdo de su padre y su deseo de alejarse lo más posible del destino que este tuvo.
Si bien me gustó bastante el libro, sobre todo a su inicio, por momentos las acciones de Kazúe me resultaron erráticas en exceso. Más allá de que nunca busco empatizar con los personajes que me presenta el autor, en este caso siento que me falta cierto contexto o algún tipo de análisis más profundo de la psiquis de Kazúe. No necesito empatizar con ella o que me caiga bien para que me satisfaga la lectura, pero sí me interesa conocer los porqués, y creo que eso quedó en deuda.
Creciendo en una casa donde se hacía lo que su padre autoritario demandaba, a Kazúe le resulta ajena y desconcierta cualquier tipo de felicidad que viese en otras familias. Por ello, una vez que se va haciendo adulta, su padre muere y tiene por primera vez la opción de elegir qué quiere para su vida, se niega a vivir de acuerdo a las normas sociales que están siempre presentes, por más que no se digan en voz alta.
A lo largo de los capítulos y con un estilo muy austero y japonés, la narradora cuenta qué fue de la vida de Kazúe, especialmente en su aspecto amoroso y romántico. Cómo vivió conforme según sentía, coqueteando, conquistando y viviendo aventuras con hombres mientras estos fuesen de su interés, para más tarde simplemente huir buscando otro nuevo acontecimiento que la marcase. En cada una de esas decisiones, ronda el recuerdo de su padre y su deseo de alejarse lo más posible del destino que este tuvo.
Si bien me gustó bastante el libro, sobre todo a su inicio, por momentos las acciones de Kazúe me resultaron erráticas en exceso. Más allá de que nunca busco empatizar con los personajes que me presenta el autor, en este caso siento que me falta cierto contexto o algún tipo de análisis más profundo de la psiquis de Kazúe. No necesito empatizar con ella o que me caiga bien para que me satisfaga la lectura, pero sí me interesa conocer los porqués, y creo que eso quedó en deuda.
March 15, 2023
"Ahora Kazue ha olvidado lo que es esperar. No recuerda el sabor de la amargura. Y no intenta culpar a los demás por su suerte en esta vida. Si alguien le hiciese a ella lo mismo que ella hizo a otras personas, no le odiaría por ello. Después de todo, Kazue nunca fue consciente de lo que hacía. Simplemente, tomaba lo que la vida le ofrecía, sin más resistencia que una hoja llevada por el viento".
Con la máscara que ofrece la ficción, la autora puede desnudarse más que en ninguna otra de sus obras y narrar en tercera persona su propia vida, intentando comprenderse a sí misma cuando era joven y tomaba decisiones inesperadas. Un libro descarnado, erótico y en constante crescendo.
Con la máscara que ofrece la ficción, la autora puede desnudarse más que en ninguna otra de sus obras y narrar en tercera persona su propia vida, intentando comprenderse a sí misma cuando era joven y tomaba decisiones inesperadas. Un libro descarnado, erótico y en constante crescendo.
February 27, 2025
I discovered 'The Story of a Single Woman' by Chiyo Uno through a friend's recommendation. I loved my first Chiyo Uno story, and so I decided to read this next.
Kazue was born in a poor family. Her mother died when she was very young, and her father is a drunk and a gambler. Kazue is brought up by her stepmother who treats her as her own daughter and showers her with love and affection. What happens to Kazue as she navigates this life filled with poverty, how she faces challenges and unexpected surprises along the way, and how she stands her ground and refuses to bow to society's rules and defies them is described in the rest of the story.
I loved reading 'The Story of a Single Woman'. Kazue's life seems to have been inspired by the author's own life. The author Chiyo Uno was a firebrand during her time and defied the conservative rules of society, and we see Kazue doing the same thing in the story. Sometimes Kazue gets it wrong and hurts good people unintentionally, but that is the price one has to pay for being a rebel and living a life of defiance.
It is almost impossible to imagine how it must have been for Kazue to live the life she did during those times. It is even harder to imagine how Chiyo Uno managed to do that. Chiyo Uno was born in 1897 and assuming that this is a veiled memoir of her life, Kazue starts breaking social conventions by the time she is around 17, that is by around 1914. That is a totally different era, more than a century back, and it takes a real brave and fearless person to live the life she did. I'm pretty sure Chiyo Uno (at this point, I'm going to just treat Chiyo Uno and Kazue as the same person) must have offended nearly everyone because of her lifestyle choices and the way she lived when she was young, but later generations seem to have appreciated her rebellion and her breaking of the rules, and they seem to have celebrated her. This book came out in 1972, when Chiyo Uno was 75 years old, and it seems to have been well-received and celebrated.
Chiyo Uno died in 1996, at the great age of 98. When she started her life, in 1897, there was no car, there was no plane, there was no TV. When she passed, we had computers and the internet, and planes and spaceships, and mobile phones. She had lived through the Meiji era, two World Wars, the atomic explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War era, Japan's growth as an economic power, and she had lived through the whole of the Showa era. Her life was living history. Chiyo Uno lived a long, beautiful life, in her own style, having defied the moral police for nearly a century. We need to celebrate her more.
Have you read 'The Story of a Single Woman'? What to you think about it?
Kazue was born in a poor family. Her mother died when she was very young, and her father is a drunk and a gambler. Kazue is brought up by her stepmother who treats her as her own daughter and showers her with love and affection. What happens to Kazue as she navigates this life filled with poverty, how she faces challenges and unexpected surprises along the way, and how she stands her ground and refuses to bow to society's rules and defies them is described in the rest of the story.
I loved reading 'The Story of a Single Woman'. Kazue's life seems to have been inspired by the author's own life. The author Chiyo Uno was a firebrand during her time and defied the conservative rules of society, and we see Kazue doing the same thing in the story. Sometimes Kazue gets it wrong and hurts good people unintentionally, but that is the price one has to pay for being a rebel and living a life of defiance.
It is almost impossible to imagine how it must have been for Kazue to live the life she did during those times. It is even harder to imagine how Chiyo Uno managed to do that. Chiyo Uno was born in 1897 and assuming that this is a veiled memoir of her life, Kazue starts breaking social conventions by the time she is around 17, that is by around 1914. That is a totally different era, more than a century back, and it takes a real brave and fearless person to live the life she did. I'm pretty sure Chiyo Uno (at this point, I'm going to just treat Chiyo Uno and Kazue as the same person) must have offended nearly everyone because of her lifestyle choices and the way she lived when she was young, but later generations seem to have appreciated her rebellion and her breaking of the rules, and they seem to have celebrated her. This book came out in 1972, when Chiyo Uno was 75 years old, and it seems to have been well-received and celebrated.
Chiyo Uno died in 1996, at the great age of 98. When she started her life, in 1897, there was no car, there was no plane, there was no TV. When she passed, we had computers and the internet, and planes and spaceships, and mobile phones. She had lived through the Meiji era, two World Wars, the atomic explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War era, Japan's growth as an economic power, and she had lived through the whole of the Showa era. Her life was living history. Chiyo Uno lived a long, beautiful life, in her own style, having defied the moral police for nearly a century. We need to celebrate her more.
Have you read 'The Story of a Single Woman'? What to you think about it?
February 9, 2025
Tbh jestem trochę rozczarowana, bo po autorce-femme fatale spodziewałam się więcej, a książka mimo pełnego przygód życia głównej bohaterki wydaje się bardzo statyczna i brakuje rozwoju postaci. Może mogłoby do niego dojść, gdyby otoczenie wywierało na Kazue jakąś presję. Nie wiem, czy chciałam zobaczyć, jak ją wywożą na taczce chłopi reymonta way, ale fajnie byłoby, gdyby Kazue pokazała więcej charakteru, bo wyłamując się z jednego stereotypu, wpada w kolejny…….
April 2, 2025
"قصة امرأة وحيدة" لأونو تشيكو تدور حول إمرأة تسعى للاستقلال في مجتمع محافظ. وتمزج الواقع بالخيال حيث تسطر بعض صفحاتها قصة حياة الكاتبة نفسها، بكل ما فيها من تحديات عاطفية واجتماعية، وتكشف عن صراعها الدائم من أجل تحقيق ما تعتبره الحرية. تركز الرواية على رسم العلاقة بين الرجل والمرأة، في فترة تاريخية شهدت تحولات جذرية في المجتمع الياباني خلال فترة الستينات والسبعينات من القرن الماضي.
May 23, 2023
Si nos preguntamos sobre la libertad podemos definirla como facultad y derecho de las personas para elegir de manera responsable su propia forma de actuar dentro de una sociedad.
De esto nos habla Chiyo Uno, con una "novela del yo" como denominan en la literatura japonesa a la mezcla de autobiografía y ficción, presenta bajo una pluma sencilla y una narración en tercera persona, la historia de una mujer soltera que tomaba sus propias decisiones sin importarle las opiniones ajenas.
Viajaba, trabajaba, mantenía relaciones sexuales libremente, una mujer que para ser del siglo pasado era de pensamientos modernos y desafiaba las reglas del matrimonio.
Brillante novela que he disfrutado leyéndola y gracias a @lumenedit he podido conocer a la autora.
Como bien decía Clara Campoamor "la libertad se aprende ejerciéndola"
@larepisadeelena IG
De esto nos habla Chiyo Uno, con una "novela del yo" como denominan en la literatura japonesa a la mezcla de autobiografía y ficción, presenta bajo una pluma sencilla y una narración en tercera persona, la historia de una mujer soltera que tomaba sus propias decisiones sin importarle las opiniones ajenas.
Viajaba, trabajaba, mantenía relaciones sexuales libremente, una mujer que para ser del siglo pasado era de pensamientos modernos y desafiaba las reglas del matrimonio.
Brillante novela que he disfrutado leyéndola y gracias a @lumenedit he podido conocer a la autora.
Como bien decía Clara Campoamor "la libertad se aprende ejerciéndola"
@larepisadeelena IG
February 26, 2025
I finished this book but struggled to really engage with it, despite persevering.
It tells the story of a Japanese girl, Kazue, following the death of her father. Kazue has been adamant from a young age that she won’t be getting married and doesn’t value the sanctity of marriage.
She moves from village to village in search of what I thought was some kind of acceptance. Insecure, she wears her make-up like a mask. Afraid to let it slip for fear that people won’t like what’s underneath.
She flits from man to man and is often mistreated whilst she mistreats others. Towards the end of the story she’s living a promiscuous chaotic life with multiple sexual partners who appear to be using her more than anyone else. She appears to become more numb with age as to the impact that her actions have on others (for instance, she talks about sleeping with a young female villager’s husband but feels nothing when she bumps into this female the immediate next day). She also doesn’t appear to recognise (or care) when she herself is being mistreated.
I found it so difficult to engage with the character in this one but still found her outlook desperately sad.
The character’s chaotic life was almost reflected in the reading style itself as the story bounced chaotically between the various men in Kazue’s life from village to village.
There are others out there who appear to have got more out of the story than I did so definitely read other reviews before drawing conclusions.
It tells the story of a Japanese girl, Kazue, following the death of her father. Kazue has been adamant from a young age that she won’t be getting married and doesn’t value the sanctity of marriage.
She moves from village to village in search of what I thought was some kind of acceptance. Insecure, she wears her make-up like a mask. Afraid to let it slip for fear that people won’t like what’s underneath.
She flits from man to man and is often mistreated whilst she mistreats others. Towards the end of the story she’s living a promiscuous chaotic life with multiple sexual partners who appear to be using her more than anyone else. She appears to become more numb with age as to the impact that her actions have on others (for instance, she talks about sleeping with a young female villager’s husband but feels nothing when she bumps into this female the immediate next day). She also doesn’t appear to recognise (or care) when she herself is being mistreated.
I found it so difficult to engage with the character in this one but still found her outlook desperately sad.
The character’s chaotic life was almost reflected in the reading style itself as the story bounced chaotically between the various men in Kazue’s life from village to village.
There are others out there who appear to have got more out of the story than I did so definitely read other reviews before drawing conclusions.
May 19, 2024
"Simplemente, tomaba lo que la vida le ofrecía, sin más resistencia que una hoja llevada por el viento"
Este es un libro muy japonés, en el sentido de que se aleja bastante de la narración occidental a la que estamos todes más acostumbrades. Todo tiene un cierto aire onírico e irreal, a pesar de que la historia no contiene fantasía y, de hecho, es una semi-autobiografía de la autora en la que transmite parte de su vida a la protagonista Kazúe.
Aunque me ha gustado el libro, he decir que hay muchos momentos en los que no entiendo a la protagonista. Hay veces en las que me da la sensación de que actúa de manera errática, y no puedo parar de pensar (algo apoyado por otros momentos de su vida) que Kazúe sufre de algún tipo de trastorno en el que no profundizan en la obra. A pesar de que comprendo el mensaje de libertad y rebeldía que transmite el libro, algo que me encanta sobre todo por la importancia que tiene para una mujer japonesa de la época, hay demasiadas situaciones que no comprendo.
Es un libro que te engancha y que te puedes leer perfectamente en un día. Sin embargo, no es un libro para todo el mundo y creo que tiene que gustarte este estilo asiático en el que parece que sin contarte nada, te están contando todo.
Irbis.
Este es un libro muy japonés, en el sentido de que se aleja bastante de la narración occidental a la que estamos todes más acostumbrades. Todo tiene un cierto aire onírico e irreal, a pesar de que la historia no contiene fantasía y, de hecho, es una semi-autobiografía de la autora en la que transmite parte de su vida a la protagonista Kazúe.
Aunque me ha gustado el libro, he decir que hay muchos momentos en los que no entiendo a la protagonista. Hay veces en las que me da la sensación de que actúa de manera errática, y no puedo parar de pensar (algo apoyado por otros momentos de su vida) que Kazúe sufre de algún tipo de trastorno en el que no profundizan en la obra. A pesar de que comprendo el mensaje de libertad y rebeldía que transmite el libro, algo que me encanta sobre todo por la importancia que tiene para una mujer japonesa de la época, hay demasiadas situaciones que no comprendo.
Es un libro que te engancha y que te puedes leer perfectamente en un día. Sin embargo, no es un libro para todo el mundo y creo que tiene que gustarte este estilo asiático en el que parece que sin contarte nada, te están contando todo.
Irbis.
April 9, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Story of a Single Woman, by Chiyo Uno, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an autobiographical account of Japanese author Chiyo Uno's life, spanning her childhood to her mid-thirties, written from the perspective of Kazue, a fictional character in her seventies, reflecting on her life. Kazue is born to a strict father and loving stepmother. Kazue faces life’s challenges head-on, determined to understand the love between man and woman. All this while defying traditional expectations.
Can I just say wow? This book mainly focuses on her relationships, affairs, and encounters. While reading I felt that she drifted from one relationship to another. Along with this, she would just leave her life for a new one, and she would do this without much concern for the impact it would cause. This takes bravery! She faced all the consequences of her decisions with composure!
She truly lived her life, regardless of the societal damage her reputation would take. She did this all during a time when Japanese women were supposed to be submissive and quiet. She embraced who she was and lived life the way she wanted. She is one of the women who has paved the way for modern women to live the life they want. Anyone who’s followed their heart, going against society, or everyone who says otherwise, could truly appreciate this book.
This is an autobiographical account of Japanese author Chiyo Uno's life, spanning her childhood to her mid-thirties, written from the perspective of Kazue, a fictional character in her seventies, reflecting on her life. Kazue is born to a strict father and loving stepmother. Kazue faces life’s challenges head-on, determined to understand the love between man and woman. All this while defying traditional expectations.
Can I just say wow? This book mainly focuses on her relationships, affairs, and encounters. While reading I felt that she drifted from one relationship to another. Along with this, she would just leave her life for a new one, and she would do this without much concern for the impact it would cause. This takes bravery! She faced all the consequences of her decisions with composure!
She truly lived her life, regardless of the societal damage her reputation would take. She did this all during a time when Japanese women were supposed to be submissive and quiet. She embraced who she was and lived life the way she wanted. She is one of the women who has paved the way for modern women to live the life they want. Anyone who’s followed their heart, going against society, or everyone who says otherwise, could truly appreciate this book.
March 9, 2025
The story of a single woman is about Kazue, a girl growing up in rural Japan from 1900 to 1930. The book starts with her earliest memories. As she grows up in poverty, we learn about the family habits, customs, and conventions of that time in Japan. Kazue does not care what other people think, even when rumours are spreading about her. She does not want to marry and is full of passion and longing. The inequality between men and women is a grand theme throughout.
Most of the book takes place in the mountains, and the houses are always described in detail. I really loved being immersed in the Japanese style of the 1920s. The book is based on the life of Uno Chiyo, a trailblazing female Japanese writer.
The book contains short chapters and should be read slowly at different times. It’s ideal for escaping to another world. I would definitely recommend it to people who love Japanese fiction!
Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the advanced reading copy.
Most of the book takes place in the mountains, and the houses are always described in detail. I really loved being immersed in the Japanese style of the 1920s. The book is based on the life of Uno Chiyo, a trailblazing female Japanese writer.
The book contains short chapters and should be read slowly at different times. It’s ideal for escaping to another world. I would definitely recommend it to people who love Japanese fiction!
Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the advanced reading copy.
January 30, 2025
I found the concept of this book really interesting. It’s based on the authors own past, but told in the third person.
I enjoyed seeing what life was like for women at the time, and I liked seeing how the present day Kazue reflected on her past experiences and thoughts.
There was something about the writing that just didn’t connect with me though. I don’t know whether that was because of the way it was translated or if I would’ve felt the same with the original, but the writing style just felt too direct at points.
I recommend this to people who are looking for a quick read and enjoy reading about women through history/ the expectations society put on them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an ARC!
I enjoyed seeing what life was like for women at the time, and I liked seeing how the present day Kazue reflected on her past experiences and thoughts.
There was something about the writing that just didn’t connect with me though. I don’t know whether that was because of the way it was translated or if I would’ve felt the same with the original, but the writing style just felt too direct at points.
I recommend this to people who are looking for a quick read and enjoy reading about women through history/ the expectations society put on them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an ARC!
Read
December 20, 2025Quirky, quiet little book about an unusual woman
May 25, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.
Overview
Uno Chiyo’s The Story of a Single Woman (1928) offers readers a glimpse of Taishō‑era Japan through the eyes of “Chiyo,” a stand‑in for the author herself. The novella unfolds in brief, evocative vignettes that chart Chiyo’s efforts to carve out a life of independence, renting her own room, taking odd jobs, seeking companionship, all under the scrutinizing gaze of a society that regards an unmarried woman’s autonomy as scandalous.
What I Loved
Lyrical, Poetic Prose: The translation glides along, capturing the hush of cicadas, the soft patter of rain on a paper lantern, the tension in a bowed greeting. Every scene is painted with delicate brush strokes.
Period Atmosphere: From vintage kimono patterns to references to “modern girl” fashion trends, you really feel 1920s Tokyo and Osaka coming alive.
Quiet Vulnerability: Chiyo’s small defeats, being passed over for a teaching post, overhearing gossip, resonate deeply. You can sense her longing for respect and connection.
What Didn’t Quite Work
Emotional Distance: By keeping Chiyo in third person, Uno Chiyo deliberately distances herself from her protagonist. It’s an interesting choice, but it can feel chilly. I often wished for more direct access to Chiyo’s inner thoughts, her heartbreak and hopes feel glimpsed rather than fully inhabited.
Uneven Pacing: Some chapters feel like they end mid‑breath, while others linger too long on incidents that don’t always drive the arc forward. The result is a somewhat episodic structure that occasionally stalls the momentum.
Subdued Critique: While the novella clearly shows the social taboos and surveillance women faced, it stops short of overt feminist polemic or deep social analysis. It’s more observational than revolutionary.
Final Thoughts
I came to this expecting a deeply personal, confessional narrative—autobiographical fiction is my sweet spot. Instead, I found a quiet, restrained work that observes its protagonist with gentle detachment. That restraint is its strength and its limitation. If you crave lush atmospheres and subtle social commentary, you’ll find much to admire here. If you want a passionate, immersive feminist manifesto, you might feel a bit undernourished.
Recommended for fans of early 20th‑century Japanese women’s literature and anyone curious about the “modern girl” era’s social tightrope. Pair it with Higuchi Ichiyō’s short stories for a more intimate counterpoint.
Overview
Uno Chiyo’s The Story of a Single Woman (1928) offers readers a glimpse of Taishō‑era Japan through the eyes of “Chiyo,” a stand‑in for the author herself. The novella unfolds in brief, evocative vignettes that chart Chiyo’s efforts to carve out a life of independence, renting her own room, taking odd jobs, seeking companionship, all under the scrutinizing gaze of a society that regards an unmarried woman’s autonomy as scandalous.
What I Loved
Lyrical, Poetic Prose: The translation glides along, capturing the hush of cicadas, the soft patter of rain on a paper lantern, the tension in a bowed greeting. Every scene is painted with delicate brush strokes.
Period Atmosphere: From vintage kimono patterns to references to “modern girl” fashion trends, you really feel 1920s Tokyo and Osaka coming alive.
Quiet Vulnerability: Chiyo’s small defeats, being passed over for a teaching post, overhearing gossip, resonate deeply. You can sense her longing for respect and connection.
What Didn’t Quite Work
Emotional Distance: By keeping Chiyo in third person, Uno Chiyo deliberately distances herself from her protagonist. It’s an interesting choice, but it can feel chilly. I often wished for more direct access to Chiyo’s inner thoughts, her heartbreak and hopes feel glimpsed rather than fully inhabited.
Uneven Pacing: Some chapters feel like they end mid‑breath, while others linger too long on incidents that don’t always drive the arc forward. The result is a somewhat episodic structure that occasionally stalls the momentum.
Subdued Critique: While the novella clearly shows the social taboos and surveillance women faced, it stops short of overt feminist polemic or deep social analysis. It’s more observational than revolutionary.
Final Thoughts
I came to this expecting a deeply personal, confessional narrative—autobiographical fiction is my sweet spot. Instead, I found a quiet, restrained work that observes its protagonist with gentle detachment. That restraint is its strength and its limitation. If you crave lush atmospheres and subtle social commentary, you’ll find much to admire here. If you want a passionate, immersive feminist manifesto, you might feel a bit undernourished.
Recommended for fans of early 20th‑century Japanese women’s literature and anyone curious about the “modern girl” era’s social tightrope. Pair it with Higuchi Ichiyō’s short stories for a more intimate counterpoint.
April 29, 2025
Kazue's story is very unique, but it certainly also gives the reader a glimpse into early 20th century rural Japan through the eyes of a woman very different from the expectations of the time. From her difficult childhood to her success as a writer, but only hinted at, the book stops, as if out of modesty, as soon as the protagonist-the writer's alter ego-achieves success.
La storia di Kazue é molto particolare, ma sicuramente offre al lettore anche la possibilitá di dare un'occhiata al Giappone rurale dell'inizio del secolo scorso, attraverso gli occhi di una donna molto diversa dalle aspettative del tempo. Dalla difficile infanzia fino al suo successo come scrittrice, ma solo accennato, il libro si interrompe, come per pudore, appena la protagonista - alter ego della scrittrice - ottiene il successo.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
La storia di Kazue é molto particolare, ma sicuramente offre al lettore anche la possibilitá di dare un'occhiata al Giappone rurale dell'inizio del secolo scorso, attraverso gli occhi di una donna molto diversa dalle aspettative del tempo. Dalla difficile infanzia fino al suo successo come scrittrice, ma solo accennato, il libro si interrompe, come per pudore, appena la protagonista - alter ego della scrittrice - ottiene il successo.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
May 13, 2010
I don't promote the author's promiscuous lifestyle, but I did enjoy her description of early 20th century Japan. Favorite lines:
1. "'Make up' means literally 'to falsify', doesn't it? And never was a product more aptly named" (46).
2. "Each of us, at one time or another, have been so caught up in what we are doing that we have no idea just what it is we are up to or what our actions will mean to others" (103).
3. "It is the innocence of children, after all, that allows them to pull the wings off dragon-flies" (118).
1. "'Make up' means literally 'to falsify', doesn't it? And never was a product more aptly named" (46).
2. "Each of us, at one time or another, have been so caught up in what we are doing that we have no idea just what it is we are up to or what our actions will mean to others" (103).
3. "It is the innocence of children, after all, that allows them to pull the wings off dragon-flies" (118).
February 25, 2025
The Story of a Single Woman is an I-Novel, written in a specifically Japanese genre of autobiographical fiction. Chiyo Uno had an unconventional life for a woman of her generation (she was born at the end of the 19th century and died in the 1990s, living to be almost a 100 years old) - she married multiple times and had many affairs, she was a professional writer for most of her life, but literary acknowledgement came in her 70s. The Story is one of many narratives inspired by her own life. Kazue, the protagonist, is writing the story of the first 30 or so years of her life, looking back at it from her 70s. Through her eyes, we see Japan of the early 20th century and the changing ideas of womanhood in it.
I don't particularly like coming of age stories and children protagonists, so the first 30% or so of this novel were a real slog. Children in fiction rarely notice the world around them, and although there are innumerable differences between children growing up in different contexts, most coming of age stories follow a similar beat, as there are only so many ways a child can discover things about themselves, the world around them and their own body. In addition to this, the writing style throughout the book is very dry, very matter of fact and rather non-descriptive, so as a reader I sort of had to read against the grain to work out things about Kazue's surroundings and get any sense of time or place. It does improve as the narrative goes on, as we get more of the author's reflections on Kazue and her life story, but the first third of the novel was an absolute chore.
Once Kazue starts having relationships with men (the focus of the book), the purpose of it becomes a bit clearer, and the narrative opens up. Unusually for her generation, Kazue never wants to marry and keeps having both long-term relationships and one-night stands. She also gets sexually assaulted multiple times throughout the book. Her reflections about womanhood and normality made me think of another book I was reading at roughly the same time. Sayaka Murata's The Vanishing World. In both cases, we see women behaving abnormally by the standards of their society and navigating the changing standards and definitions of normality.
In many ways, I found The Story to be a more compelling and interesting, if less engaging, narrative, as it stays much more in tune with real-world developments. What was scandalous for Kazue in the 1910s and 20s was no longer as much of a societal challenge by the 1970s. when the novel was written, and today, it basically is a description of most twentysomethings navigating dating in London. Many of the scenarios of Kazue's life are instantly recognisable, from house parties to the ubiquity of drinking in dating culture. Those moments of connection made me both feel for the character and think about ideas of universal vs. culturally particular experiences.
The matter of fact dry writing gives limited glimpses into some of Kazue's motivations. One clear example of this is that she rarely discusses sex itself (despite having quite a lot of it). As an I-Novel, the narrative is also singularly focused on Kazue, at the expense of any other people in her life. We never learn what drew her to the particular men she ended up in relationships with (at some point, she mentions that she does not even enjoy sex that much). If she does not believe in marriage as a transaction (despite her desire to always work and earn money, she does not seem to think of men as a route to monetary security), what drew her to these people?
My other issue with the book was that it gives very few glimpses into the context of the time Kazue lived in. We learn quite a lot about the small rural community she grew up in, but beyond that, the novel reads like it could have been set anywhere and at any time. There is very little in it to root it in the particular time it is set in. Kazue is a writer, she has all these parties with various intellectuals, some of whom are socialists, but we never learn anything about the sorts of things she wrote about or things they discussed at these parties. The author is also conspicuously silent on the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea, even though Kazue travels to Korea to be a teacher. I am used to 20th-century Japanese authors refusing to reckon with Japanese imperialism, but it is still grating to read.
I don't particularly like coming of age stories and children protagonists, so the first 30% or so of this novel were a real slog. Children in fiction rarely notice the world around them, and although there are innumerable differences between children growing up in different contexts, most coming of age stories follow a similar beat, as there are only so many ways a child can discover things about themselves, the world around them and their own body. In addition to this, the writing style throughout the book is very dry, very matter of fact and rather non-descriptive, so as a reader I sort of had to read against the grain to work out things about Kazue's surroundings and get any sense of time or place. It does improve as the narrative goes on, as we get more of the author's reflections on Kazue and her life story, but the first third of the novel was an absolute chore.
Once Kazue starts having relationships with men (the focus of the book), the purpose of it becomes a bit clearer, and the narrative opens up. Unusually for her generation, Kazue never wants to marry and keeps having both long-term relationships and one-night stands. She also gets sexually assaulted multiple times throughout the book. Her reflections about womanhood and normality made me think of another book I was reading at roughly the same time. Sayaka Murata's The Vanishing World. In both cases, we see women behaving abnormally by the standards of their society and navigating the changing standards and definitions of normality.
In many ways, I found The Story to be a more compelling and interesting, if less engaging, narrative, as it stays much more in tune with real-world developments. What was scandalous for Kazue in the 1910s and 20s was no longer as much of a societal challenge by the 1970s. when the novel was written, and today, it basically is a description of most twentysomethings navigating dating in London. Many of the scenarios of Kazue's life are instantly recognisable, from house parties to the ubiquity of drinking in dating culture. Those moments of connection made me both feel for the character and think about ideas of universal vs. culturally particular experiences.
The matter of fact dry writing gives limited glimpses into some of Kazue's motivations. One clear example of this is that she rarely discusses sex itself (despite having quite a lot of it). As an I-Novel, the narrative is also singularly focused on Kazue, at the expense of any other people in her life. We never learn what drew her to the particular men she ended up in relationships with (at some point, she mentions that she does not even enjoy sex that much). If she does not believe in marriage as a transaction (despite her desire to always work and earn money, she does not seem to think of men as a route to monetary security), what drew her to these people?
My other issue with the book was that it gives very few glimpses into the context of the time Kazue lived in. We learn quite a lot about the small rural community she grew up in, but beyond that, the novel reads like it could have been set anywhere and at any time. There is very little in it to root it in the particular time it is set in. Kazue is a writer, she has all these parties with various intellectuals, some of whom are socialists, but we never learn anything about the sorts of things she wrote about or things they discussed at these parties. The author is also conspicuously silent on the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea, even though Kazue travels to Korea to be a teacher. I am used to 20th-century Japanese authors refusing to reckon with Japanese imperialism, but it is still grating to read.
April 25, 2025
Have you read The Trial by Franz Kafka? I found it hard to read for many reasons, and I eventually gave up at 80%. I simply had had enough. Yet, to my surprise, I found articles, scholarly analyses, and discussions about The Trial absolutely fascinating. In other words, talking about the book is far more interesting than the book itself. The Story of a Single Woman seems to be a similar case.
This is a story set in 1920s Japan in a stiff society. The book itself was first published in Japan in the 1970s. It's fiction with strong autobiographical features, which is a separate genre in Japanese literature. The story is a memoir of a woman who values freedom from social restraint more than anything else, but somehow she does not realize it. She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. Any financial, social, or emotional consequences are not important to her at all. She never gives any thought to others. The only exception is her family and the person that she loved in the given moment, but even so, she still behaves as if her empathy is heavily limited.
The memoir is written in third person, which creates a distance between the author, Kazue, and the reader. The writing style feels deprived of any emotions, it's almost dry. This makes it hard to read, but it seems like it's been written this way on purpose. What did Chiyo want to achieve by that? That's been a subject of a long-term debate ever since the first publication date.
This is a story set in 1920s Japan in a stiff society. The book itself was first published in Japan in the 1970s. It's fiction with strong autobiographical features, which is a separate genre in Japanese literature. The story is a memoir of a woman who values freedom from social restraint more than anything else, but somehow she does not realize it. She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. Any financial, social, or emotional consequences are not important to her at all. She never gives any thought to others. The only exception is her family and the person that she loved in the given moment, but even so, she still behaves as if her empathy is heavily limited.
The memoir is written in third person, which creates a distance between the author, Kazue, and the reader. The writing style feels deprived of any emotions, it's almost dry. This makes it hard to read, but it seems like it's been written this way on purpose. What did Chiyo want to achieve by that? That's been a subject of a long-term debate ever since the first publication date.
Read
May 12, 2025Apparently semi-autobiographical, this novel is the story of a Japanese woman in the 1920s who operated outside the confines of, and defied the norms of, matrimonial expectations, before the era of sexual liberation. The novel is quite singular in style as the narrator remembers her past, but does not spend a lot of time on the psychoanalysis of her motivations. Her choice to stay unmarried but engage in a lot of affairs could be due to any number of things: her childhood experiences where she witnessed her stepmother's hardships in relation with a financially dissipative but iron-fisted father; her feeling that to keep the illusion of allure towards men, she can only ever reveal her face with makeup and not her bare appearance; her fierce desire to keep her independence; her preference for serial monogamous relationships with men. Her life has seen its shares of woes. Men in the novel were programmed to understand women as either marriageable or temporary liaisons. The men are pretty horrid; she was raped at least a couple of times, or the men fled and rejected her once they obtained her physically. Then she would dust herself up and continue on a new path again, sometimes uprooting to a new location, always beholden to her choices despite the poverty and lack of stability. It's an interesting look at a singular life in this period of Japan.
May 31, 2023
La novela narra la historia de Kazue, una mujer que va contracorriente de lo se espera de ella. A juzgar por el año de publicación original, los hechos deben situarse más o menos en Japón durante los años 1900s 1970s en Japón.
Si bien me ha parecido interesante leer su historia y creo que es importante una historia de una mujer con una vida tan dispar a lo que se suponía que debía ser (casarse, formar una familia, renunciar al trabajo, etc.), no siento que haya conectado mucho con Kazue.
Me ha gustado que sea tan independiente, que no le importe en demasía lo que opinan los demás sobre ella, lo que hace y deja de hacer. Y, sobretodo, me ha gustado que cuando tiene una idea o algo que quiere hacer, lo hace y se busca la vida para ello. Y, importante, sea lo que sea lo hace con amor.
Ojalá ser más ella en algunos de estos aspectos haha
“Se sintió como si estuviera en un agujero negro, en algún lugar, en un mundo completamente extraño a la salvaje y caótica vida que había estado llevando aquellos dos últimos años. De repente, empezó a preguntarse, como alguien recién salido de un sueño: ‘¿Qué soy? ¿Qué estoy intentando hacer?’.”
Si bien me ha parecido interesante leer su historia y creo que es importante una historia de una mujer con una vida tan dispar a lo que se suponía que debía ser (casarse, formar una familia, renunciar al trabajo, etc.), no siento que haya conectado mucho con Kazue.
Me ha gustado que sea tan independiente, que no le importe en demasía lo que opinan los demás sobre ella, lo que hace y deja de hacer. Y, sobretodo, me ha gustado que cuando tiene una idea o algo que quiere hacer, lo hace y se busca la vida para ello. Y, importante, sea lo que sea lo hace con amor.
Ojalá ser más ella en algunos de estos aspectos haha
“Se sintió como si estuviera en un agujero negro, en algún lugar, en un mundo completamente extraño a la salvaje y caótica vida que había estado llevando aquellos dos últimos años. De repente, empezó a preguntarse, como alguien recién salido de un sueño: ‘¿Qué soy? ¿Qué estoy intentando hacer?’.”
January 27, 2025
This was such an interesting read! I have never read any works by Uno Chiyo before and the book synopsis intrigued me. This is a semi-autobiographical account of Chiyo’s life from birth to the age of thirty, in which she explores her relationship with men, family, marriage, work, and ultimately herself and her quest for independence. She begins by outlining her childhood and her experiences with her father - an alcoholic gambler who made Chiyo the subject of his whims and fancies. Under his tyranny at home, Chiyo learns the skill of self prevention through pleasing others. As she grows up, she struggles with her sexual awakening and details her life as it takes her through the romantic relationships of four different men. Through it all, she explores her perception of marriage, her approach to life, and her desire to stay connected to her former life in her childhood country home.
This work is a simple and fast paced read. The author shows evidence of her maturity in her semi autobiographical character and her relationships with men and others as well. In all, I appreciated this author’s work, as well as the work of the translator, Rebecca Copeland. Her note at the beginning of the work helped put this story into significant context for me and helped me understand the goal of this work.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for sending me an electronic ARC of this work in exchange for an open and honest review!
This work is a simple and fast paced read. The author shows evidence of her maturity in her semi autobiographical character and her relationships with men and others as well. In all, I appreciated this author’s work, as well as the work of the translator, Rebecca Copeland. Her note at the beginning of the work helped put this story into significant context for me and helped me understand the goal of this work.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for sending me an electronic ARC of this work in exchange for an open and honest review!
April 2, 2025
This novel is very classical and very Japanese. It follows the story of a young girl who doesn't want to marry. Instead, she wants to live her life, enjoy relationships with different people, and be free. This was considered rare and even rebellious in Japanese society then. It was interesting to dive into the lives of Japanese people in the 20th century.
It's highly recommended to read the author's biography before reading the book because many things here are autobiographical, and it offers a better understanding of the author's idea. Also, she was really cool and an icon for living the life she wanted.
Although I don't hold a negative opinion about the book, I gave it only three stars. Mainly because I was falling asleep and couldn't follow the plot. The writing is excellent, however, very slow and monotonous. Well, it's a Japanese classic, what can I say?
Thanks to the publisher for giving me a review copy. All opinions are my own.
It's highly recommended to read the author's biography before reading the book because many things here are autobiographical, and it offers a better understanding of the author's idea. Also, she was really cool and an icon for living the life she wanted.
Although I don't hold a negative opinion about the book, I gave it only three stars. Mainly because I was falling asleep and couldn't follow the plot. The writing is excellent, however, very slow and monotonous. Well, it's a Japanese classic, what can I say?
Thanks to the publisher for giving me a review copy. All opinions are my own.
February 19, 2024
Me sorprendió cómo toda una vida y sus sutilezas pueden caber en menos de 150 páginas. Sentí cierta pena por la protagonista y cómo su vida parecía no tener raíces, y porque sus amores tampoco eran sólidos, pero luego pensé que de todas formas nada en esta vida lo es...
Y terminé admirando a Kazúe, que a final de cuentas amaba cuando quería amar, trabajaba y construía sus hogares, y siempre volvía a su familia y a su madre. Sólo me quedó un mal sabor de boca ver en qué desembocaba todo esto... Me hubiera gustado que no acabara así, pero a la vez no veo que toda esta historia condujera a otro final...
Y terminé admirando a Kazúe, que a final de cuentas amaba cuando quería amar, trabajaba y construía sus hogares, y siempre volvía a su familia y a su madre. Sólo me quedó un mal sabor de boca ver en qué desembocaba todo esto... Me hubiera gustado que no acabara así, pero a la vez no veo que toda esta historia condujera a otro final...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2025
Qué preciosidad y qué sensibilidad. De la escuela de la literatura del yo, ha sido un auténtico viaje ver a una mujer tratar sobre amores y traiciones en el marco del Japón de primera mitad del siglo XX comparado con lo que he leído de Mishima et al.
Eso sí, saber de la segunda mitad de la vida de Kazúe habría sido lo más.
Eso sí, saber de la segunda mitad de la vida de Kazúe habría sido lo más.
June 1, 2025
A story about a young woman who defied the norm by choosing love but not marriage and recounting the
This is an amazing story of a female trailblazer and although short is a powerful novel. I started to read a little about Chiyo Uno and her life was no less interesting. An interesting and gripping read; 4 stars.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is an amazing story of a female trailblazer and although short is a powerful novel. I started to read a little about Chiyo Uno and her life was no less interesting. An interesting and gripping read; 4 stars.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2024
Toda la novela me pareció muy realista. Son interesantes las reacciones que la protagonista va teniendo de sus actos, las cuales dan pauta al lector para reflexionar de los sucesos de la vida, sobre todo los difíciles.
February 26, 2025
"Perhaps so much of it rushed past so quickly that most failed to register any lasting impression. Or perhaps she was always so captivated by what would happen next, by what lay ahead, that she failed to pay attention to what was at hand."
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