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The Woman Dies
Feminist tales from Japan that blend humor, surrealism, and sharp societal critique, by the acclaimed author of Where the Wild Ladies Are
A collection of fifty-two short stories and pieces of flash fiction, The Woman Dies takes as its impetus the various forms of discrimination entrenched within Japanese society, particularly the long, stubborn roots of sexism.
Matsuda approaches often-thorny subjects such as the normalizing effect of violence against women on screen, or the aesthetics associated with technology, with an inventiveness and quirky humor that keep the narrative on the cusp between seriousness and levity.
Wordplay evolves into something much more complex, inanimate objects are endowed with their own point of view, and hard-hitting feminist stances are conveyed with a dry, detached humor that makes them all the more uncompromising.
Not so much a rollercoaster ride, rather an entire theme park, The Woman Dies is an out-of-the ordinary space readers will step into with feelings of wonder and discombobulation in equal parts.
A collection of fifty-two short stories and pieces of flash fiction, The Woman Dies takes as its impetus the various forms of discrimination entrenched within Japanese society, particularly the long, stubborn roots of sexism.
Matsuda approaches often-thorny subjects such as the normalizing effect of violence against women on screen, or the aesthetics associated with technology, with an inventiveness and quirky humor that keep the narrative on the cusp between seriousness and levity.
Wordplay evolves into something much more complex, inanimate objects are endowed with their own point of view, and hard-hitting feminist stances are conveyed with a dry, detached humor that makes them all the more uncompromising.
Not so much a rollercoaster ride, rather an entire theme park, The Woman Dies is an out-of-the ordinary space readers will step into with feelings of wonder and discombobulation in equal parts.
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 8, 2016
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1499 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
July 28, 2025
First published in 2019, Aoko Matsuda’s collection is inventive and thought-provoking, sometimes subversive, sometimes deliberately playful, now and then almost wilfully self-indulgent. There are over fifty stories here which may sound daunting – her book’s definitely one for dipping into rather than reading through from cover to cover. However, a number of these pieces are palm-of-the-hand (tenohira no shōsetsu), variations on the miniature form made famous by Yasunari Kawabata - with a similar emphasis on atmosphere or provoking an emotional reaction. Although entries like “The Android Whose Name Was Boy” Matsuda’s amusing take on masculinity and destiny reminded me more of Shin’ichi Hoshi’s ultra-compressed SF.
Like Where the Wild Ladies Are many of Matsuda’s stories combine irony with absurdist elements as in “Bond” where a group of so-called ‘Bond girls’ gather together to rate the secret agent’s sexual abilities. Matsuda often draws directly on personal preoccupations, things she finds arresting or unexpectedly fascinating – she’s included a brief overview of the influences and inspirations behind most of the stories. References to film, art and popular culture are plentiful: “Dissecting Misogyny” is informed by Big Boo in Orange is the New Black; a series of pieces dealing with girlhood, fandom and desire are connected by a shared focus on Criminal Minds’ Dr Spencer Reid; others like the uncanny, fable-like “Starry Night,” build on Matsuda’s own responses to specific artworks.
Matsuda blends the outwardly intimate with broader social and cultural commentary. Misogyny and gender-related constrictions continue to be pressing concerns. Matsuda’s title story is a stirring exploration of the stereotypes and narratives which both frame and limit women’s experiences; while “The Masculine Touch” is a striking, satirical exploration of the positioning of women writers. Capitalism and the relationship between individuals and the world of things are also key issues for Matsuda: identity and promotional culture loom large in the slightly surreal “The Precious Touch” in which a woman’s exposed to unnerving messages concealed inside yoghurt pots; “The Lip Balm Lake” is an unusual look at how consumption punctuates everyday life. I especially enjoyed “Hawai’i,” told from the perspective of a woman’s discarded possessions it’s a marvellous send-up of Marie Kondo’s concept of only keeping objects that spark joy. Matsuda’s general approach is deceptively simple, her distinctive brand of fiction’s carefully crafted yet frequently feels immediate and spontaneous. I love her willingness to experiment; and I’m impressed by her ability to tackle weighty subjects yet render them accessible and entertaining. Translated by Polly Barton.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Europa Editions for an ARC
Like Where the Wild Ladies Are many of Matsuda’s stories combine irony with absurdist elements as in “Bond” where a group of so-called ‘Bond girls’ gather together to rate the secret agent’s sexual abilities. Matsuda often draws directly on personal preoccupations, things she finds arresting or unexpectedly fascinating – she’s included a brief overview of the influences and inspirations behind most of the stories. References to film, art and popular culture are plentiful: “Dissecting Misogyny” is informed by Big Boo in Orange is the New Black; a series of pieces dealing with girlhood, fandom and desire are connected by a shared focus on Criminal Minds’ Dr Spencer Reid; others like the uncanny, fable-like “Starry Night,” build on Matsuda’s own responses to specific artworks.
Matsuda blends the outwardly intimate with broader social and cultural commentary. Misogyny and gender-related constrictions continue to be pressing concerns. Matsuda’s title story is a stirring exploration of the stereotypes and narratives which both frame and limit women’s experiences; while “The Masculine Touch” is a striking, satirical exploration of the positioning of women writers. Capitalism and the relationship between individuals and the world of things are also key issues for Matsuda: identity and promotional culture loom large in the slightly surreal “The Precious Touch” in which a woman’s exposed to unnerving messages concealed inside yoghurt pots; “The Lip Balm Lake” is an unusual look at how consumption punctuates everyday life. I especially enjoyed “Hawai’i,” told from the perspective of a woman’s discarded possessions it’s a marvellous send-up of Marie Kondo’s concept of only keeping objects that spark joy. Matsuda’s general approach is deceptively simple, her distinctive brand of fiction’s carefully crafted yet frequently feels immediate and spontaneous. I love her willingness to experiment; and I’m impressed by her ability to tackle weighty subjects yet render them accessible and entertaining. Translated by Polly Barton.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Europa Editions for an ARC
July 3, 2025
Brilliant micro-fiction. Thank you to Europa Editions for the ARC!!
September 10, 2025
(3.5/5, rounded up)
The 2nd short story collection we’ve been blessed w a Barton translation of—we finally get more Matsuda 😍
My fav aspect of this collection is how seamlessly (& effectively) American pop culture refs are embedded. This being translated, it’s just soo cool to me that Matsuda nailed the refs regardless. I’ve just grown 𝘴𝘰 used to specificity going right over my head in translated lit that coming across Spencer Reid, LOTR, Victoria’s Secret, Star Wars & more—instead of politicians I’ve never heard of or celebs well before my time—madeeee this collection for me.
As w 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝘼𝙧𝙚, Matsuda brings us a treasure trove of variety in 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙞𝙚𝙨. Some of the flash fic is literally a sentence or two, other stories cover multiple pages. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬-𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞. You’re taken from sinister, body horror vibes to pure satire at the drop of a hat. At times I felt like I was being led astray, but then a story’d pop up that could keep me grounded for while longer.
Of the fifty-two (52!! 🤯) stories, my favs were:
𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝘽𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙙
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙞𝙚𝙨
𝙃𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙞’𝙞
𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙
𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙜𝙮𝙣𝙮
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝
𝙏𝙤 𝙔𝙤𝙪, 𝙎𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣 𝘼𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮
𝘾𝙑
𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙥
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙂𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙
𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨
‼️If ya pick this up, make sure to ref 𝘼𝙤𝙠𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙙𝙖’𝙨 𝙊𝙣𝙚-𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 after each story ‼️
I will say, 𝘐 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝙒𝙒𝙇𝘼 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. This collection had some reallll duds…𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯? A❔well above my pay grade that’ll haunt me nonetheless.
Thank you bunches to Europa Editions for the stunning #gifted copy 🦈🦩
The 2nd short story collection we’ve been blessed w a Barton translation of—we finally get more Matsuda 😍
My fav aspect of this collection is how seamlessly (& effectively) American pop culture refs are embedded. This being translated, it’s just soo cool to me that Matsuda nailed the refs regardless. I’ve just grown 𝘴𝘰 used to specificity going right over my head in translated lit that coming across Spencer Reid, LOTR, Victoria’s Secret, Star Wars & more—instead of politicians I’ve never heard of or celebs well before my time—madeeee this collection for me.
As w 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝘼𝙧𝙚, Matsuda brings us a treasure trove of variety in 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙞𝙚𝙨. Some of the flash fic is literally a sentence or two, other stories cover multiple pages. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬-𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞. You’re taken from sinister, body horror vibes to pure satire at the drop of a hat. At times I felt like I was being led astray, but then a story’d pop up that could keep me grounded for while longer.
Of the fifty-two (52!! 🤯) stories, my favs were:
𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝘽𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙙
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙞𝙚𝙨
𝙃𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙞’𝙞
𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙
𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙜𝙮𝙣𝙮
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝
𝙏𝙤 𝙔𝙤𝙪, 𝙎𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣 𝘼𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮
𝘾𝙑
𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙥
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙂𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙
𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨
‼️If ya pick this up, make sure to ref 𝘼𝙤𝙠𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙙𝙖’𝙨 𝙊𝙣𝙚-𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 after each story ‼️
I will say, 𝘐 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝙒𝙒𝙇𝘼 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. This collection had some reallll duds…𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯? A❔well above my pay grade that’ll haunt me nonetheless.
Thank you bunches to Europa Editions for the stunning #gifted copy 🦈🦩
August 28, 2025
August with Matsuda, again brought to us in English by Barton, has been a blast (cf. Where the Wild Ladies Are). My favorites from this massive collection are The Android Whose Name was Boy, The Purest Woman in the Kingdom, and The Woman Dies, obvi. Sorry for the basic list, which includes the title track and opening number. An honorable mention goes to Dissecting Misogyny, a bloodbath of a live demonstration that odorously reeks to high heaven once the lady in charge splits open the cadaver.
At the end of the book, Matsuda includes brief commentaries on the inspiration behind all of her (very) short stories, and I appreciated these explanations. I wondered if some of the stories should be removed in order to strengthen the overall project—I puzzled over some of the content found in the final third. In the end, I got into the groove of the fast-paced movement and enjoyed the author’s modus operandi of capturing an idea or feeling as it emerges in real life. I picture her Notes app always open for convenient, on-the-go jotting (e.g., “I like lipstick with intriguing names”) so that she can workshop the bullet points into a narrative in the quieter hours of the evenings.
I rate The Woman Dies 3.5 stars.
My thanks to Europa and NetGalley for an ARC.
At the end of the book, Matsuda includes brief commentaries on the inspiration behind all of her (very) short stories, and I appreciated these explanations. I wondered if some of the stories should be removed in order to strengthen the overall project—I puzzled over some of the content found in the final third. In the end, I got into the groove of the fast-paced movement and enjoyed the author’s modus operandi of capturing an idea or feeling as it emerges in real life. I picture her Notes app always open for convenient, on-the-go jotting (e.g., “I like lipstick with intriguing names”) so that she can workshop the bullet points into a narrative in the quieter hours of the evenings.
I rate The Woman Dies 3.5 stars.
My thanks to Europa and NetGalley for an ARC.
November 14, 2025
I had great expectations for this book, but in the end, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.
Maybe I should say that I didn't get it...
It's a collection of short stories (some of which are very short), and the point of some of them was lost on me. There were a lot of concepts and ideas, but they were so mixed up and random that it sometimes made me not enjoy the book.
"The Woman Dies" was the story I enjoyed the most. It was extravagant, funny, and again, random.
It reminded me somehow of Sayaka Murata, without being in Sayaka Murata's style.
I am a little bit disappointed with it, but there's one sentence from one of the stories that made me like this book a bit: "God must be stupid for not making cats immortal."
Maybe I should say that I didn't get it...
It's a collection of short stories (some of which are very short), and the point of some of them was lost on me. There were a lot of concepts and ideas, but they were so mixed up and random that it sometimes made me not enjoy the book.
"The Woman Dies" was the story I enjoyed the most. It was extravagant, funny, and again, random.
It reminded me somehow of Sayaka Murata, without being in Sayaka Murata's style.
I am a little bit disappointed with it, but there's one sentence from one of the stories that made me like this book a bit: "God must be stupid for not making cats immortal."
December 19, 2025
Some stories are better than others, but overall I really enjoyed this short stories collection. It was funny, bizarre, quirky and feminist.
November 4, 2025
2/5 stars
The Woman Dies is a short story collection featuring 52 short stories (some are like 2 sentences long) usually about gender, culture and classism. It's very satirical and quite funny, but also a strange, strange book.
I feel like I can't really rate this since I feel like I didn't "get it" but I hate not giving star ratings so this is a tentative 2 stars. The writing was interesting and some of the stories were cool, but the vast majority were so random and strange that I couldn't connect with this collection at all.
The Woman Dies is a short story collection featuring 52 short stories (some are like 2 sentences long) usually about gender, culture and classism. It's very satirical and quite funny, but also a strange, strange book.
I feel like I can't really rate this since I feel like I didn't "get it" but I hate not giving star ratings so this is a tentative 2 stars. The writing was interesting and some of the stories were cool, but the vast majority were so random and strange that I couldn't connect with this collection at all.
May 18, 2025
The Woman Dies was a delightful collection of tales. There was a lot of interesting material here, but if I had to pick a favourite piece that stuck with me the most it would be 'Bond', which was both humorous and thought-provoking. Some stories were more at the humorous end and some more serious, but all had a message to share, highlighting different aspects of society. I would definitely read more from this author in the future, and I recommend this book to fans of feminist writing and contemporary Japanese fiction. I am giving it 4.5 stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2025
This short story collection was certainly an interesting one, and there were plenty of fascinating themes running throughout. I particularly loved the references to pop-culture, so it's no surprise that my favourite story was 'Bond' lol such a fun premise- the james bond girlies doing little reunions- and executed so interestingly.
The wide range of characters, scenarios, and themes was also a plus, because it just gave me so much to think about. Although this is definitely a book to read in small segments because there are just so many stories crammed into this collection.
The main reason I didn't rate it higher is just because I didn't personally connect to the writing, and I don't know if this is more of a translating issue, but the language just came across as rather simplistic at times. Also, there were so so many thought provoking ideas that sometimes I was disappointed when the stories were very short, and more of a snapshot that didn't flesh out a concept; some stories were only a few lines which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I would have liked less stories with more elaboration. That's just my personal preference with short stories, anyway.
The wide range of characters, scenarios, and themes was also a plus, because it just gave me so much to think about. Although this is definitely a book to read in small segments because there are just so many stories crammed into this collection.
The main reason I didn't rate it higher is just because I didn't personally connect to the writing, and I don't know if this is more of a translating issue, but the language just came across as rather simplistic at times. Also, there were so so many thought provoking ideas that sometimes I was disappointed when the stories were very short, and more of a snapshot that didn't flesh out a concept; some stories were only a few lines which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I would have liked less stories with more elaboration. That's just my personal preference with short stories, anyway.
January 4, 2021
3.5 I read this after seeing it mentioned in a friends review for Where the Wild Ladies Are by the same author, which is a great book - I totally recommend it. This short story explores the tropes of women in literature with short paragraphs and then flows into a short story about a group of people at the theater, and a crime victim they stumble upon afterwards. Something about this work, though, struck a bell and I kept thinking of another book I had read, but for the life of me I can't think of it now. I'll have to scroll through my shelves and see if I can recognize the title and make the connection.
October 20, 2025
Huge thanks to Europa Editions and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. First published in December 2016, the translation of The Woman Dies comes out September 2025.
Originally drawn by the cover and the title (the subtleties of which are painfully obvious even without opening the book), I quickly fell in love. It's the kind of book that makes me wish I spoke all the languages of the world so I could read anything anytime. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Polly Barton for translating, and I can't wait to read your translation of Butter as well!
The book is a collection of short stories, some more fleshed out, others the length of a sentence. Each of them feels like a magnifying glass shining on issues that women face, overall tying together in a refreshing perspective on feminism. Some of these little stories are so absurd, but so relatable at the same time - there is You Are Not What You Eat (which singlehandedly fixed my relationship with food), Toshiba Mellow #20 18-Watt (which had me scream-laughing), The Start of the Weekend (which paints a hilarious picture of what financial anxiety feels like).
The stories above are a few of my favorites in terms of simplicity and humor, but there are a few that dig a little deeper, are a bit more serious, but just as impactful (I Hate The Girls That You Like, The Woman Dies, The Masculine Touch). They are of course just as delightful to get through, and though the themes are more serious, the absurdist vibe persists.
Overall, this book is the epitome of "if you know you know" and "for the girls". Lovely quick read, stories that will stick with you for a while! Can't wait to get the physical book when it comes out 🤍
Originally drawn by the cover and the title (the subtleties of which are painfully obvious even without opening the book), I quickly fell in love. It's the kind of book that makes me wish I spoke all the languages of the world so I could read anything anytime. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Polly Barton for translating, and I can't wait to read your translation of Butter as well!
The book is a collection of short stories, some more fleshed out, others the length of a sentence. Each of them feels like a magnifying glass shining on issues that women face, overall tying together in a refreshing perspective on feminism. Some of these little stories are so absurd, but so relatable at the same time - there is You Are Not What You Eat (which singlehandedly fixed my relationship with food), Toshiba Mellow #20 18-Watt (which had me scream-laughing), The Start of the Weekend (which paints a hilarious picture of what financial anxiety feels like).
The stories above are a few of my favorites in terms of simplicity and humor, but there are a few that dig a little deeper, are a bit more serious, but just as impactful (I Hate The Girls That You Like, The Woman Dies, The Masculine Touch). They are of course just as delightful to get through, and though the themes are more serious, the absurdist vibe persists.
Overall, this book is the epitome of "if you know you know" and "for the girls". Lovely quick read, stories that will stick with you for a while! Can't wait to get the physical book when it comes out 🤍
September 2, 2025
I have never been a big fan of short stories or short tales and that is something that needs to be remembered before reviewing this collection among which there are stories from three lines up to 5 pages. Some are peculiar, some innovative, some thought-provoking and some completely incomprehensible. I did not dislike it as a book, but I cannot declare myself enthusiastic either.
Non sono mai stata una grande amante dei racconti o delle storie brevi ed é una cosa che va ricordata prima di recensire questa raccolta tra cui ci sono storie da tre righe fino a 5 pagine. Alcune sono particolari, altre innovative, altre ancora stimolanti e alcune completamente incomprensibili. Non mi é dispiaciuto come libro, ma non posso nemmeno dichiarmi entusiasta.
I received an advanced digital review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
Non sono mai stata una grande amante dei racconti o delle storie brevi ed é una cosa che va ricordata prima di recensire questa raccolta tra cui ci sono storie da tre righe fino a 5 pagine. Alcune sono particolari, altre innovative, altre ancora stimolanti e alcune completamente incomprensibili. Non mi é dispiaciuto come libro, ma non posso nemmeno dichiarmi entusiasta.
I received an advanced digital review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
October 8, 2025
"Sometimes you need distractions in order to make it through this world."
Aoko Matsuda's collection is made up of fifty two stories with the themes of gender, identity mixed with surrealism. Some of these are witty and funny and others envoke a sense of something heavier. Told through the viewpoints of ghosts and objects these short tales will leave the reader with food for thought.
This was one of those collections that you worked through slowly, picking up every now and then, experiencing some crazy stories that leave you at times thinking "What have I just read?"
I liked that some of these were quite bizarre. The author uses that to look into social issues and draw attention to stereotypes and major concerns with societies attitudes towards gender and identity. The clever way in which the author incorporates these with the stories makes them unique.
I liked the way in which the author provides a variety here and does encourage the reader to think further on what they have experienced.
Many thanks to @europaeditions for the copy.
Aoko Matsuda's collection is made up of fifty two stories with the themes of gender, identity mixed with surrealism. Some of these are witty and funny and others envoke a sense of something heavier. Told through the viewpoints of ghosts and objects these short tales will leave the reader with food for thought.
This was one of those collections that you worked through slowly, picking up every now and then, experiencing some crazy stories that leave you at times thinking "What have I just read?"
I liked that some of these were quite bizarre. The author uses that to look into social issues and draw attention to stereotypes and major concerns with societies attitudes towards gender and identity. The clever way in which the author incorporates these with the stories makes them unique.
I liked the way in which the author provides a variety here and does encourage the reader to think further on what they have experienced.
Many thanks to @europaeditions for the copy.
May 20, 2025
Thank you Edelweiss and Europa Editions for the ARC !
While I thoroughly enjoyed some tales and wished they were explored more (especially Bond and The Woman Dies), the majority of the rest felt bland to me. The summary was quite misleading but I can see who people enjoy it !
While I thoroughly enjoyed some tales and wished they were explored more (especially Bond and The Woman Dies), the majority of the rest felt bland to me. The summary was quite misleading but I can see who people enjoy it !
August 8, 2025
Matsuda Aoko mia regina dello humor femminista
September 17, 2025
Energetic
November 30, 2025
what a peculiar and delightful collection of short stories.
November 7, 2025
very interesting way of writing and i think it is quite relatable
December 18, 2025
3.5 stars rounded down. A little hit and miss - some of these were excellent, some just didn’t work for me, and some just seemed to be there to fill space!
November 29, 2025
I don't ever want to stop feeling a sense of wonder in my daily life is how Aoko Matsuda describes her final story in this collection. She has certainly succeeded in communicating that feeling to her readers.
This collection of stories is satirical, feminist, speculative, and creative. They come close to boundaries, but I wouldn't say they were quite pushing the boundaries. They are very short short stories, ranging from a few lines to a few pages.
There's the one where a woman vomits up other people's food, the fairy tale about virginity, the one where we find out what cats would say if someone was murdered in a cat cafe, the one that explains power suits, and of course, the one where the woman dies.
This collection of stories is satirical, feminist, speculative, and creative. They come close to boundaries, but I wouldn't say they were quite pushing the boundaries. They are very short short stories, ranging from a few lines to a few pages.
There's the one where a woman vomits up other people's food, the fairy tale about virginity, the one where we find out what cats would say if someone was murdered in a cat cafe, the one that explains power suits, and of course, the one where the woman dies.
Read
November 20, 2025LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES
The different varieties of chocolate, the constituent ingredients, the weight, the possible allergens, the storage instructions, the manufacturer name, the best before date, and various warnings are all written clearly on the box for you, before you open it.
The last sentence in THE PUREST WOMAN IN THE KINGDOM 🤣
For now, the prince is being beaten up on a daily basis.
Skimmed and selectively read those caught my eye. Might pick it up again and read more.
The different varieties of chocolate, the constituent ingredients, the weight, the possible allergens, the storage instructions, the manufacturer name, the best before date, and various warnings are all written clearly on the box for you, before you open it.
The last sentence in THE PUREST WOMAN IN THE KINGDOM 🤣
For now, the prince is being beaten up on a daily basis.
Skimmed and selectively read those caught my eye. Might pick it up again and read more.
December 3, 2025
The Woman Dies is a small book but yet it is an expansive collection of short stories with bite in them. Some stories were only a few paragraphs long and others, a few pages but nearly all were impactful or fun to read.
The highlight for me was the story where all the femme fatales from the James Bond franchise got together and being finally able to speak freely about the roles they are forced to take on for the movies; often seductive and disposable. It's inventively brilliant and I loved that someone finally got it in black and white and published for public consumption.
A highly recommended read from me especially if you have a girlfriend to buddy read with so you can absolutely share and dissect all the intricacies of being female.
My thanks to the publisher for ecopy of book via NetGalley in exchange of my honest thoughts
The highlight for me was the story where all the femme fatales from the James Bond franchise got together and being finally able to speak freely about the roles they are forced to take on for the movies; often seductive and disposable. It's inventively brilliant and I loved that someone finally got it in black and white and published for public consumption.
A highly recommended read from me especially if you have a girlfriend to buddy read with so you can absolutely share and dissect all the intricacies of being female.
My thanks to the publisher for ecopy of book via NetGalley in exchange of my honest thoughts
October 3, 2025
It’s a shame Goodreads doesn’t have this cover available, as it’s bubble gum pink background and teal-haired protagonist in a shark’s mouth is quite alluring. I picked this up at my local bookstore purely based off its cover and title, which I don’t do often, and I’m happy to report it’s an amusing, quick read. Translated from Japanese, this collection of flash fiction is challenging to categorize. The variety of subjects, characters, themes, and lengths keep readers on their toes, never quite sure exactly what they’re reading. What is apparent, though, is the fresh voice Matsuda brings to the literary fiction market.
I have a deep love for short story collections, especially those interested in exploring feminine issues. Interestingly, though, I struggle to get behind flash fiction, its brevity often leaving little for me to contemplate. This collection of 52 total pieces is a mix of short stories, the longest reaching 12 pages, and flash fiction, the shortest just one sentence. I found myself gravitating towards the pieces on the longer end that are more plot focused. It’s safe to say, though, that all of Matsuda’s pieces have a unique voice and are born from the author’s quite random imagination. In one, Nicholas Cage is kept in a cage by an adoring fan, in another a woman doodles braids while arguing with her boyfriend. It's clear Matsuda’s fiction is inspired by her everyday impulsive thoughts. She somewhat confirms this in her one-line commentaries at the end of the collection. For "Cage in a Cage" she writes, "Once the idea for this occurred to me I had to go ahead and write it, but I slightly regret it now." Normally, I don't enjoy when an author tries to control how their work is read by including their own thoughts on a piece, but I think the additional context in this case is needed for what otherwise reads as a random collection. Hearing Matsuda's inspiration and thoughts on her work aids in the digestion of her bizarre stories and adds to the collection's overall cohesion.
Matsuda's stories vary in their subjects and themes, as well as in POV, location, and literary style. The collection is like a buffet in this way, with something sure to pique each reader's appetite. For me, I am most interested in the stories exploring feminine issues of sexism and misogyny in Japan. As an American reader, its fascinating to see how gender is perceived in Japan, which is notoriously behind in this aspect. In one story, "CV," Matsuda portrays the sexism normalized in Japanese workplaces through one woman's CV. Of the many jobs the narrator holds, she is consistently forced to resign for "personal reasons," when in reality she resigns after facing sexual harassment. "The Masculine Touch" also explores workplace discrimination through reverting gender roles. In this story, a male writer makes a suggestion that skyrockets him into virality, with everyone claiming he has "the masculine touch." This is a parody of the phrase "feminine touch," which, as the male writer declares, is arbitrary and demeaning.
Beyond the workplace, sexism is persistent in Japanese society as whole, which comes through in the titular story, "The Woman Dies." The beginning of this piece reads more like an essay, detailing the arbitrary reasons women are killed off in fictional media. As Matsuda argues, these unnecessary deaths further normalize violence towards women. What would happen, Matsuda wonders through the fictional turn in the story, if the woman didn't die? What would her story become? "Dissecting Misogyny" continues on this thread, imagining a world where women could be taught how to physically dissect misogyny as if it were a piece of meat. If only deconstructing misogyny was so simple.
Other stories that I found myself enjoying from the collection were those with absurd plots, like "Bird Strike!" In this story, birds fed up with being hit by planes organize their own airline. In "Hawai'i," articles of clothing get to choose their eternal heaven after being discarded by their owners. These premises are so bizarre, yet imaginative, prompting the reader to question their understanding of reality. Many more stories I found just plain amusing. The narrator's embarrassment in "This Precious Opportunity" over a yogurt cup is seemingly random as a plot, but I quite enjoyed it for that exact reason. "The Start of the Weekend," only a paragraph long, briefly critiques capitalism by naming objects by their price values. These stories with their less than normal plots still manage to say a lot about society while seemingly saying little.
With so many stories in one collection, there’s bound to be some that aren’t of interest for every reader. For me this included the short, seemingly meaningless pieces like all of the “English Composition” pieces and the “Gaban” pieces. Listing and repetition are common literary devices used throughout the collection that I would argue reach a point of overuse in these pieces. I found “The Year of No Wild Flowers” so annoying for this reason, the format switching between a painfully scientific description of wildflowers and a listing of how people are wildflowers. Beyond just being incredibly clique, the lists about wildflowers are meaningless in terms of the story and are virtually indecipherable. Not to say that listing and repetition aren’t affective, “When the Girl Broke Up with Her Boyfriend” and “The Android Whose Name Was Boy” utilize both in ways that feel interesting and meaningful. Honestly, with so many pieces I think it’s just natural for a few to be mediocre. But with 52 stories, I would argue the collection would benefit from a refining edit, removing a few of these pieces to let the stronger stories shine.
I don’t think every reader will like this odd, little collection. As typical with international literature, it doesn’t fit into the standards set by American literature. The notion of plot takes a backseat to impulsive imagination, and as a result we get stories that dare to say nothing. Interestingly, though, the collection is well aware of the outside world, in this case, the United States. Many of the stories seemingly take place here, and even though Matsuda doesn’t have a full grasp of the cultural nuances, there’s a clear reflection of America’s cultural influence on Japan in her work. Personally, I enjoy seeing how cultural exchange is possible through literature as demonstrated in works like this. I would argue we need to challenge ourselves to read more international literature like this collection to better understand of the world as a whole.
I have a deep love for short story collections, especially those interested in exploring feminine issues. Interestingly, though, I struggle to get behind flash fiction, its brevity often leaving little for me to contemplate. This collection of 52 total pieces is a mix of short stories, the longest reaching 12 pages, and flash fiction, the shortest just one sentence. I found myself gravitating towards the pieces on the longer end that are more plot focused. It’s safe to say, though, that all of Matsuda’s pieces have a unique voice and are born from the author’s quite random imagination. In one, Nicholas Cage is kept in a cage by an adoring fan, in another a woman doodles braids while arguing with her boyfriend. It's clear Matsuda’s fiction is inspired by her everyday impulsive thoughts. She somewhat confirms this in her one-line commentaries at the end of the collection. For "Cage in a Cage" she writes, "Once the idea for this occurred to me I had to go ahead and write it, but I slightly regret it now." Normally, I don't enjoy when an author tries to control how their work is read by including their own thoughts on a piece, but I think the additional context in this case is needed for what otherwise reads as a random collection. Hearing Matsuda's inspiration and thoughts on her work aids in the digestion of her bizarre stories and adds to the collection's overall cohesion.
Matsuda's stories vary in their subjects and themes, as well as in POV, location, and literary style. The collection is like a buffet in this way, with something sure to pique each reader's appetite. For me, I am most interested in the stories exploring feminine issues of sexism and misogyny in Japan. As an American reader, its fascinating to see how gender is perceived in Japan, which is notoriously behind in this aspect. In one story, "CV," Matsuda portrays the sexism normalized in Japanese workplaces through one woman's CV. Of the many jobs the narrator holds, she is consistently forced to resign for "personal reasons," when in reality she resigns after facing sexual harassment. "The Masculine Touch" also explores workplace discrimination through reverting gender roles. In this story, a male writer makes a suggestion that skyrockets him into virality, with everyone claiming he has "the masculine touch." This is a parody of the phrase "feminine touch," which, as the male writer declares, is arbitrary and demeaning.
Beyond the workplace, sexism is persistent in Japanese society as whole, which comes through in the titular story, "The Woman Dies." The beginning of this piece reads more like an essay, detailing the arbitrary reasons women are killed off in fictional media. As Matsuda argues, these unnecessary deaths further normalize violence towards women. What would happen, Matsuda wonders through the fictional turn in the story, if the woman didn't die? What would her story become? "Dissecting Misogyny" continues on this thread, imagining a world where women could be taught how to physically dissect misogyny as if it were a piece of meat. If only deconstructing misogyny was so simple.
Other stories that I found myself enjoying from the collection were those with absurd plots, like "Bird Strike!" In this story, birds fed up with being hit by planes organize their own airline. In "Hawai'i," articles of clothing get to choose their eternal heaven after being discarded by their owners. These premises are so bizarre, yet imaginative, prompting the reader to question their understanding of reality. Many more stories I found just plain amusing. The narrator's embarrassment in "This Precious Opportunity" over a yogurt cup is seemingly random as a plot, but I quite enjoyed it for that exact reason. "The Start of the Weekend," only a paragraph long, briefly critiques capitalism by naming objects by their price values. These stories with their less than normal plots still manage to say a lot about society while seemingly saying little.
With so many stories in one collection, there’s bound to be some that aren’t of interest for every reader. For me this included the short, seemingly meaningless pieces like all of the “English Composition” pieces and the “Gaban” pieces. Listing and repetition are common literary devices used throughout the collection that I would argue reach a point of overuse in these pieces. I found “The Year of No Wild Flowers” so annoying for this reason, the format switching between a painfully scientific description of wildflowers and a listing of how people are wildflowers. Beyond just being incredibly clique, the lists about wildflowers are meaningless in terms of the story and are virtually indecipherable. Not to say that listing and repetition aren’t affective, “When the Girl Broke Up with Her Boyfriend” and “The Android Whose Name Was Boy” utilize both in ways that feel interesting and meaningful. Honestly, with so many pieces I think it’s just natural for a few to be mediocre. But with 52 stories, I would argue the collection would benefit from a refining edit, removing a few of these pieces to let the stronger stories shine.
I don’t think every reader will like this odd, little collection. As typical with international literature, it doesn’t fit into the standards set by American literature. The notion of plot takes a backseat to impulsive imagination, and as a result we get stories that dare to say nothing. Interestingly, though, the collection is well aware of the outside world, in this case, the United States. Many of the stories seemingly take place here, and even though Matsuda doesn’t have a full grasp of the cultural nuances, there’s a clear reflection of America’s cultural influence on Japan in her work. Personally, I enjoy seeing how cultural exchange is possible through literature as demonstrated in works like this. I would argue we need to challenge ourselves to read more international literature like this collection to better understand of the world as a whole.
August 24, 2022
Read for ENGL2610 Diversity in American Literature
September 1, 2025
Okay, I kind of loved this? At first I wasn't sure about it since I've never read any flash fiction before. While I was starting to read I was asking myself, "What's the point of all of this?" and then the author stuck her middle finger up at me and I realized there isn't much of a point and that's the fun part.
With that being said, there were some harder-hitting stories and most of them had an undertone (or in some cases, a satirical, intentionally heavyhanded overtone) of cultural critique, especially surrounding misogyny, consumerism, capitalism, and nationalism. The stories revolved around the author's random preoccupations but often had a deeper social critique if you thought about them too hard. There was an overall sardonic, absurdist tone that was genuinely a lot of fun. I really like this idea of the author being randomly inspired by seemingly mundane objects or thoughts and turning them into works of mini-fiction.
Though the stories felt random, there was some cohesion too. For example, there's a recurring story that features Japan's national anthem as a personified character -- it falls in love with a singer who refuses to sing, then later it goes on vacation and writes in its diary. Or, similarly, there were some mini cat stories that seemed to be the author's random musings on how much they love cats.
It's the kind of work that you can try to find deeper meaning in, or you can just have fun and get lost in Matsuda's playful writing. The stories being so short mean that the author put a lot of thought into which words to use, which images to create, which symbols to highlight. There's a lot left unsaid too, so the reader can find as much or as little analysis out of the stories as they want. The vibe is very much unfettered creativity and allowing stories to be strange and kooky, but also the surface-level fun being a little misleading because it clearly takes a lot of skill to make them work this well.
Beyond the craft, these stories were just weird, unapologetically so. I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times reading these stories because they were so unexpected and filled with a ridiculous, sardonic humor. I'm not someone who typically laughs at books so this one really surprised me.
Finally, the author finishes with a short chapter that gives a one-line explanation or summary for each story, and that made me laugh even harder and made me want to revisit the stories. Like, there's a story where a salesperson demonstrates gruesomely dismembering a body that they call "misogyny" in order to sell knives, and later Matsuda explains the story was inspired by Big Boo from Orange is the New Black. Like what? I love Matsuda's freaky little brain and the weird connections she made.
If you want to try something different, I can almost guarantee you've never read something like this before. If you're a fan of biting humor, weird girl lit, scathing social critique, and absurd imagery, this book will make you very very happy.
I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
With that being said, there were some harder-hitting stories and most of them had an undertone (or in some cases, a satirical, intentionally heavyhanded overtone) of cultural critique, especially surrounding misogyny, consumerism, capitalism, and nationalism. The stories revolved around the author's random preoccupations but often had a deeper social critique if you thought about them too hard. There was an overall sardonic, absurdist tone that was genuinely a lot of fun. I really like this idea of the author being randomly inspired by seemingly mundane objects or thoughts and turning them into works of mini-fiction.
Though the stories felt random, there was some cohesion too. For example, there's a recurring story that features Japan's national anthem as a personified character -- it falls in love with a singer who refuses to sing, then later it goes on vacation and writes in its diary. Or, similarly, there were some mini cat stories that seemed to be the author's random musings on how much they love cats.
It's the kind of work that you can try to find deeper meaning in, or you can just have fun and get lost in Matsuda's playful writing. The stories being so short mean that the author put a lot of thought into which words to use, which images to create, which symbols to highlight. There's a lot left unsaid too, so the reader can find as much or as little analysis out of the stories as they want. The vibe is very much unfettered creativity and allowing stories to be strange and kooky, but also the surface-level fun being a little misleading because it clearly takes a lot of skill to make them work this well.
Beyond the craft, these stories were just weird, unapologetically so. I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times reading these stories because they were so unexpected and filled with a ridiculous, sardonic humor. I'm not someone who typically laughs at books so this one really surprised me.
Finally, the author finishes with a short chapter that gives a one-line explanation or summary for each story, and that made me laugh even harder and made me want to revisit the stories. Like, there's a story where a salesperson demonstrates gruesomely dismembering a body that they call "misogyny" in order to sell knives, and later Matsuda explains the story was inspired by Big Boo from Orange is the New Black. Like what? I love Matsuda's freaky little brain and the weird connections she made.
If you want to try something different, I can almost guarantee you've never read something like this before. If you're a fan of biting humor, weird girl lit, scathing social critique, and absurd imagery, this book will make you very very happy.
I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2025
The Woman Dies
Author : Aoko Matsuda
Translator : Polly Barton
Goodness me, I don't know if this is some "jumping the gun" moment but it is too late to say you got rickrolled! (The cover is just too hard to resist even with the open synopsis at hand) 🫣. Kidding aside, this was a challenging read. Well I just dive into the book without knowing much about it, so YOLO. 🤷♀️
Mind you, this book is full of trigger warnings especially on violence against women, just a heads up!
This has definitely flabbergasted me with 52 sundry short stories; with each tale having their own background lore to tell.
Started off unconventially with its introduction to cause-and-effect cases, progressing to the woman's "death", marriage, sex, pregnancy, loss through miscarriage, and then sexual abuse through rape. The consequent traumatic events women go through were used to expand the stories further of other characters, particularly the men involved around them. Somehow I get the feeling that women in this aspect were a form of "entertainment" to the public in different forms, regardless of them suffering or being in pain.
I was torn in-between if I really understood the whole concept of this book. Half of it felt convoluted or just plain confusing, that most made no sense at all and I just smh the whole time. The other half was uncanningly on point, and surreally relatable. There are parts too that were painfully sharp yet hilariously witty that I chuckled (pertaining to the character references from movies or actors and what-not in the book).
Moreover, the actual plot of the Woman Dies was as clear as day. Intensely thought-provoking.
There are morbid and gore themes combined with misogyny in some stories. Plus the feminism in this, is one that must not be underestimated. The dark humor too is just outrageous. 😅
In the end, it was a great learning experience from an author who's new to me, so this one-time read was definitely without remorse. Would also like to give kudos to the English translation. 👌
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. If anyone wants to follow my book reviews I am on Instagram & Goodreads (bookwormdenz), as well as Threads (denz.kaye). Let me know so we can connect! 📚
Author : Aoko Matsuda
Translator : Polly Barton
Goodness me, I don't know if this is some "jumping the gun" moment but it is too late to say you got rickrolled! (The cover is just too hard to resist even with the open synopsis at hand) 🫣. Kidding aside, this was a challenging read. Well I just dive into the book without knowing much about it, so YOLO. 🤷♀️
Mind you, this book is full of trigger warnings especially on violence against women, just a heads up!
This has definitely flabbergasted me with 52 sundry short stories; with each tale having their own background lore to tell.
Started off unconventially with its introduction to cause-and-effect cases, progressing to the woman's "death", marriage, sex, pregnancy, loss through miscarriage, and then sexual abuse through rape. The consequent traumatic events women go through were used to expand the stories further of other characters, particularly the men involved around them. Somehow I get the feeling that women in this aspect were a form of "entertainment" to the public in different forms, regardless of them suffering or being in pain.
I was torn in-between if I really understood the whole concept of this book. Half of it felt convoluted or just plain confusing, that most made no sense at all and I just smh the whole time. The other half was uncanningly on point, and surreally relatable. There are parts too that were painfully sharp yet hilariously witty that I chuckled (pertaining to the character references from movies or actors and what-not in the book).
Moreover, the actual plot of the Woman Dies was as clear as day. Intensely thought-provoking.
There are morbid and gore themes combined with misogyny in some stories. Plus the feminism in this, is one that must not be underestimated. The dark humor too is just outrageous. 😅
In the end, it was a great learning experience from an author who's new to me, so this one-time read was definitely without remorse. Would also like to give kudos to the English translation. 👌
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. If anyone wants to follow my book reviews I am on Instagram & Goodreads (bookwormdenz), as well as Threads (denz.kaye). Let me know so we can connect! 📚
July 10, 2025
‘The Woman Dies’ is a collection of 52 short stories and whilst feminism is a prevailing theme, the collection spans multiple genres so you’re never quite sure what you’re getting next. I originally read this as I loved ‘Where the Wild Ladies Are’ and was looking forward to another short story collection from Matsuda (and another Polly Barton translation) and whilst ‘The Woman Dies’ did not disappoint; it isn’t as much as a cohesive collection so something to keep in mind. The shift from androids to Bond girls to cats to yoghurts can be a little jarring but it mostly works- especially when you read the one-line commentaries before delving into each story. These commentaries really added to this collection for me- they were tinged with humour (Matsuda, girl, I absolutely see why you regret writing ‘Cage in a Cage’ but I’d glad that you did) and made the whole reading experience much more personal, whilst also helping to contextualise some of the more abstract stories.
Whilst some of the stories definitely deliver on the commentary of sexism promised by the book’s description- the titular ‘The Woman Dies’ provides a sharp critique of the disposability of women in media and ‘The Masculine Touch’ offers a scathing but witty take on the absolute absurdity of the standards by which women are judged- I found the most enjoyment in the more whimsical and the weirder stories. ‘English Composition No. 1’ asks what exactly is a power suit, ‘Hawai’i’ follows the journey of an inanimate object that no longer sparks joy as it retires to paradise and ‘Baseball Player Soup’ likens macaroni to men’s thighs with a macabre twist. The highlight for me however was ‘This Precious Opportunity’ because whilst it might be absurd to some, that one small change would also absolutely ruin my day and I felt validated reading that story. A special mention also has to go out to ‘A Magic Spell’, its simplicity is beautiful, and I too hope to never lose the wonder in everyday life.
Thank you to Europa Editions and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.
Whilst some of the stories definitely deliver on the commentary of sexism promised by the book’s description- the titular ‘The Woman Dies’ provides a sharp critique of the disposability of women in media and ‘The Masculine Touch’ offers a scathing but witty take on the absolute absurdity of the standards by which women are judged- I found the most enjoyment in the more whimsical and the weirder stories. ‘English Composition No. 1’ asks what exactly is a power suit, ‘Hawai’i’ follows the journey of an inanimate object that no longer sparks joy as it retires to paradise and ‘Baseball Player Soup’ likens macaroni to men’s thighs with a macabre twist. The highlight for me however was ‘This Precious Opportunity’ because whilst it might be absurd to some, that one small change would also absolutely ruin my day and I felt validated reading that story. A special mention also has to go out to ‘A Magic Spell’, its simplicity is beautiful, and I too hope to never lose the wonder in everyday life.
Thank you to Europa Editions and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.
July 10, 2025
I read a week ago but I forgot to review (✌🏼 sorry!)
Okay so......this book is strange. Like truly, beautifully, unsettlingly strange. But it’s the kind of strange that gets under your skin haha not just because it’s surreal, but because it’s right. It says the quiet parts out loud, and then it says them again, but through a mirror, in a dream, with dry humor and ghostly precision. And somehow, it all works.
The author doesn’t ease you in. She just throws you into these sharp little worlds where reality bends, language twists, and nothing is quite what it seems but everything feels painfully familiar. You’ll be reading about something totally bizarre like a woman who becomes part of a movie, an object with feelings and then realize, “Wait… this is about us. This is about me.” I was cackling the whole time because I live for dry humor.
And that’s the magic of it.
This book talks about some very real things as well as sexism, violence against women, performative grief, what society expects of us, how we’re flattened into symbols but it never does it in a way that feels preachy or heavy-handed. What I loved most is that every story feels like a quiet rebellion? They’re weird, but they’re also honest. And honestly? The way she points out how used we are to women dying in media as plot devices, as shock value, as afterthoughts had me audibly whispering, “Wow.” Like yes, I’ve always felt that discomfort, but the author gave it a shape. She gave it language.
Let me just say that this novel isn’t for readers who need everything neat and easy. But if you like stories that mess with form, challenge how we see gender and violence, and aren’t afraid to get weird in the name of truth? Read this. You’ll leave a little shaken. A little smarter. And maybe, like me, a little angry in a necessary kind of way cause you know the truth hurts.
4.5 💓⭐️✨
Thank you Europa Editions for my personal copy I loved it!
Okay so......this book is strange. Like truly, beautifully, unsettlingly strange. But it’s the kind of strange that gets under your skin haha not just because it’s surreal, but because it’s right. It says the quiet parts out loud, and then it says them again, but through a mirror, in a dream, with dry humor and ghostly precision. And somehow, it all works.
The author doesn’t ease you in. She just throws you into these sharp little worlds where reality bends, language twists, and nothing is quite what it seems but everything feels painfully familiar. You’ll be reading about something totally bizarre like a woman who becomes part of a movie, an object with feelings and then realize, “Wait… this is about us. This is about me.” I was cackling the whole time because I live for dry humor.
And that’s the magic of it.
This book talks about some very real things as well as sexism, violence against women, performative grief, what society expects of us, how we’re flattened into symbols but it never does it in a way that feels preachy or heavy-handed. What I loved most is that every story feels like a quiet rebellion? They’re weird, but they’re also honest. And honestly? The way she points out how used we are to women dying in media as plot devices, as shock value, as afterthoughts had me audibly whispering, “Wow.” Like yes, I’ve always felt that discomfort, but the author gave it a shape. She gave it language.
Let me just say that this novel isn’t for readers who need everything neat and easy. But if you like stories that mess with form, challenge how we see gender and violence, and aren’t afraid to get weird in the name of truth? Read this. You’ll leave a little shaken. A little smarter. And maybe, like me, a little angry in a necessary kind of way cause you know the truth hurts.
4.5 💓⭐️✨
Thank you Europa Editions for my personal copy I loved it!
October 21, 2025
This collection of fifty-two pieces — some only a few lines long — sits between flash fiction and prose poetry. Each story offers a glimpse into human emotion, gender, and Japanese culture, capturing moments that feel both fleeting and profound.
Matsuda’s writing is sharp, surreal, and beautifully observant. Through everyday scenes, objects, and fragments of pop culture, she explores how women exist within and resist social expectations.
While the stories stand alone, that very structure can feel disorienting. Each time I finished a piece, I needed to reset; sometimes I longed for a thread to carry through. But maybe that’s what literary fiction does best — it invites us to sit in that space of incompleteness and reflection.
Some stories were light, funny and fluffy, while others were more serious. I found myself re-reading a couple stories, then racing through others that were less interesting. Some favourites:
- “Hawai‘i,” where Matsuda imagines a universe for items that once sparked joy but have since lost their place in our lives. It’s a tender, oddly magical reflection on how we consume capitalism and outgrow objects that once defined us. I loved this idea.
- “The Magic Spell,” which beautifully captures the quiet delight of ordinary moments — something I related to deeply.
- “Victoria’s Secret,” a standout that cleverly turns a hyper-commercial lingerie brand into a queer, self-aware story. It reclaims something traditionally built on the male gaze and transforms it into an exploration of identity to question what femininity and sexuality can mean.
I also wish I knew about author’s brief commentaries at the back when reading the book— they provide rich context for each story and reveal the depth behind the deceptively simple vignettes.
Overall, The Woman Dies is a lyrical, feminist, and thought-provoking collection that balances pop culture and real life with grace.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Matsuda’s writing is sharp, surreal, and beautifully observant. Through everyday scenes, objects, and fragments of pop culture, she explores how women exist within and resist social expectations.
While the stories stand alone, that very structure can feel disorienting. Each time I finished a piece, I needed to reset; sometimes I longed for a thread to carry through. But maybe that’s what literary fiction does best — it invites us to sit in that space of incompleteness and reflection.
Some stories were light, funny and fluffy, while others were more serious. I found myself re-reading a couple stories, then racing through others that were less interesting. Some favourites:
- “Hawai‘i,” where Matsuda imagines a universe for items that once sparked joy but have since lost their place in our lives. It’s a tender, oddly magical reflection on how we consume capitalism and outgrow objects that once defined us. I loved this idea.
- “The Magic Spell,” which beautifully captures the quiet delight of ordinary moments — something I related to deeply.
- “Victoria’s Secret,” a standout that cleverly turns a hyper-commercial lingerie brand into a queer, self-aware story. It reclaims something traditionally built on the male gaze and transforms it into an exploration of identity to question what femininity and sexuality can mean.
I also wish I knew about author’s brief commentaries at the back when reading the book— they provide rich context for each story and reveal the depth behind the deceptively simple vignettes.
Overall, The Woman Dies is a lyrical, feminist, and thought-provoking collection that balances pop culture and real life with grace.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
September 1, 2025
ARC Review: The Woman Dies by Aoko Matsuda, translated by Polly Barton
Release date: Sept. 02, 2025
Rating: 4/5
The Woman Dies is a large collection of quirky Japanese micro-fiction; short-as-hell stories and spells and poems. It’s feminist, it’s subversive, it’s angry and silly and ever-so-unique. There are 52 pieces in this collection, but my 10 favorites are as follows:
Bond - a social gathering of Bond women
Starry Night - from the perspective of a resident of Van Gogh’s painting
English Composition no.1 - a hilarious (mis)understanding of power suits
I Hate the Girls That You Like - feminist poetry in short story form
The National Anthem Gets it Bad - my absolute favorite in this collection, the national anthem has an unrequited crush on a student who refuses to sing it
This Precious Opportunity - secret messages under yogurt lids ridiculing you and humiliating you for licking the very lid they expect you to lick
The Woman Dies - totally agree this is a lazy plot enhancement, I’ve ranted and raved about this for years, and then WOW what a twist of topics! Memorable, loved it.
We Can’t Do It! - amazing feminist Rosie the Riveter-inspired poem, I want this tattooed on my back
To You, Sleeping in an Armory - a beautiful elegy to the horrors of war
Bette Davis - the most epic seance, I wished it were longer, it would make an incredible movie if expanded upon!
The Woman Dies is out TOMORROW! It is fun and short and well worth your time. I’d love to compare favorites with anyone else who’s read this collection! I feel I could read this in another sitting and have an entirely different set of favorites (although I know I will always be partial to that heartsick national anthem).
Thank you to Europa Editions @europaeditions for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley (@Netgalley). All opinions expressed are my own.
Release date: Sept. 02, 2025
Rating: 4/5
The Woman Dies is a large collection of quirky Japanese micro-fiction; short-as-hell stories and spells and poems. It’s feminist, it’s subversive, it’s angry and silly and ever-so-unique. There are 52 pieces in this collection, but my 10 favorites are as follows:
Bond - a social gathering of Bond women
Starry Night - from the perspective of a resident of Van Gogh’s painting
English Composition no.1 - a hilarious (mis)understanding of power suits
I Hate the Girls That You Like - feminist poetry in short story form
The National Anthem Gets it Bad - my absolute favorite in this collection, the national anthem has an unrequited crush on a student who refuses to sing it
This Precious Opportunity - secret messages under yogurt lids ridiculing you and humiliating you for licking the very lid they expect you to lick
The Woman Dies - totally agree this is a lazy plot enhancement, I’ve ranted and raved about this for years, and then WOW what a twist of topics! Memorable, loved it.
We Can’t Do It! - amazing feminist Rosie the Riveter-inspired poem, I want this tattooed on my back
To You, Sleeping in an Armory - a beautiful elegy to the horrors of war
Bette Davis - the most epic seance, I wished it were longer, it would make an incredible movie if expanded upon!
The Woman Dies is out TOMORROW! It is fun and short and well worth your time. I’d love to compare favorites with anyone else who’s read this collection! I feel I could read this in another sitting and have an entirely different set of favorites (although I know I will always be partial to that heartsick national anthem).
Thank you to Europa Editions @europaeditions for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley (@Netgalley). All opinions expressed are my own.
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