Ngày đẹp trời để cô đơn

by Nanae Aoyama

Câu chuyện tập trung kể về cuộc sống của cô gái sau khi đến sống chung với bà lão. Đó là một cô gái lúc nào cũng mang trong lòng cảm giác cô độc và trống rỗng; khát vọng sống độc lập nhưng cũng sợ hãi chính điều đó. Cô luôn có những khoảng cách vô hình với tất cả mọi người xung quanh, từ người yêu, bà lão Ginkocho đến cả mẹ mình; để rồi khiến những mối quan hệ của mình đều trở nên ngày càng xấu đi... Truyện chia làm 5 chương: Mùa xuân, mùa hạ, mùa thu, mùa đông, và Đón xuân; mỗi chương là một cung bậc cảm xúc khác nhau của cô gái cùng sự thay đổi về tính cách và thái độ nhìn nhận cuộc sống xung quanh cô.

Genres: Fiction, Japan, Japanese Literature, Audiobook, Contemporary, Asian Literature, Asia

178 pages, Unknown Binding

First published February 16, 2007

About the author

青山 七恵

Reviews

[aly ☆彡 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nanae Aoyama’s A Perfect Day to Be Alone is a novel that attempts to capture the quiet struggles of early adulthood but, alas falls short of leaving a lasting impression.

The story follows 20-year-old Chizu as she moves to Tokyo, seeking independence while her mother works in China. With no money, she stays with Ginko; elderly relative and spends a year navigating love, heartbreak, work, and loneliness. While the premise holds promise, the execution feels lackluster and uninspired.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its seasonal structure, which mirrors Chizu’s emotional journey. The division into Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter provides a framework for her growth; and Aoyama’s spare, understated prose effectively conveys the melancholic atmosphere of her life in Tokyo. There are moments of deadpan humor and subtle introspection that add depth to the narrative, and the contrast between Chizu, her mother, and Ginko offers a thoughtful exploration of generational differences and societal expectations. Ginko, in particular, stands out as a character who embodies resilience and fulfillment, providing a stark contrast to Chizu’s aimlessness.

However, the novel’s flaws are hard to overlook. Writing unlikeable character can be a hit or a miss, depending on how you write your character. Chizu, as a protagonist is cynical, unmotivated, and often mean-spirited. While her flaws may make her realistic, they also make it difficult to root for her especially for a reader like me, who places a lot of importance on how a character is portrayed. That said, characters don’t necessarily have to be kind or good to be compelling; the way the story is told and the depth of their development is what play a crucial role in shaping the reader’s engagement. As for me, it is not worthwhile.

Much of the reason is that her lack of curiosity, ambition, or meaningful relationships leaves little to invest in, and the story often feels stagnant as a result. The plot itself is thin, with little happening beyond mundane daily struggles, and the pacing can feel tedious at times. Therefore, the book’s reliance on symbolism and ambiguity may appeal to some, but it often comes across as superficial — leaving too much unsaid and too little to hold onto.

Nevertheless, the novel’s exploration of loneliness and the challenge of adulthood is relatable in theory, but Chizu’s constant negativity and lack of growth is what make it hard to fully engage with her journey (perhaps a matter of preference and subjective experience). While the ending attempts to strike a hopeful note, it feels not merited as Chizu’s development throughout the story is minimal at best.

Ultimately, this book did try to find meaning in the mundane, but struggles to deliver an imperative or memorable experience. While it has moments of insight and a few well-drawn characters, its unlikable protagonist, slow pacing, and lack of plot make it a taxing read. For those who enjoy introspective, slice-of-life stories, it may offer some appeal, but unfortunately, it seems to me that this is forgettable and disappointing.

[Alwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nanae Aoyama’s prize-winning novel’s a bittersweet blend of slice-of-life and coming-of-age story. It’s narrated by Chizu who’s just turned 20 - not much younger than Aoyama when this originally appeared in 2007. Chizu’s lived alone with her mother since early childhood but now her mother’s taken a teaching job in China. Instead of going with her, Chizu opts to move to Tokyo to stay with older relative Ginko, someone she’s never met. Suddenly thrown together, the two women are at very different stages in life. Ginko’s in her seventies, residing with her cats in a one-storey house in the Tokyo suburbs, for Chizu she’s a source of fascination and occasional irritation. Like many Japanese novels, Aoyama’s book unfolds over the course of a year from spring to spring, following Chizu in her efforts to define herself: to work out who she wants to be and how she wants to live. There are no major plot developments, Aoyama’s emphasis is more on character and mood, as Chizu forms a tentative bond with Ginko, drifting between bad relationships and equally dead-end jobs.

Aoyama’s clearly invested in representing women on the margins of Japanese society, her central character Chizu provides an opening for an oblique exploration of Japan’s so-called “freeters” (フリーター, furītā), a group of younger people not in education or full-time employment. Instead, they seem somehow rootless, engaged in low-status, temp work. Most often women, "freeters" like Chizu are frequently represented as a social problem, misfits who’ve failed, or refused, to achieve the status of adult in Japanese society: seemingly without aspirations; lack of money makes them less likely to live independently, marry or produce children; a potential economic burden because they don’t contribute to pensions or have health insurance.

Aoyama’s sympathetic but refreshingly unsentimental portrait of Chizu raises additional issues relating to femininity and cultural expectations. Chizu’s clearly uncomfortable in her own skin, she longs for meaningful relationships yet holds herself apart from everyone around her. Prickly and frustrated, Chizu exists in a state of muted rebellion, she supposedly despises those who appear settled and “normal” but secretly envies their apparent certainty. She expresses her yearning for intimacy by stealing small objects from people around her, reminders of loss and/or symbols of what might have been. She carefully scrutinises older women like her mother and Ginko in an attempt to work out what futures are possible. Although at times some of Aoyama’s creative choices, such as placing Ginko’s house next to a train station to suggest transition and fleeting connection, felt a little obvious. They also prefigured Aoyama’s ultimate refusal to provide a neat or lasting resolution to Chizu’s predicament. Displaying the influence of writers like Banana Yoshimoto and Françoise Sagan, Aoyama’s acutely-observed piece rewards close reading. I particularly enjoyed and admired Aoyama’s controlled combination of the direct and the lyrical, the copious, atmospheric depictions of light, colour and sensation. Although I would’ve loved to see some scenes that presented things from Ginko’s perspective. Translated by Jesse Kirkwood.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher MacLehose Press for an ARC

Rating: 3.5

[Alex.andthebooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interpretacja, którą dostajemy pod koniec książki nieco uratowała ten tytuł, ale kompletnie się z nim rozminęłam. Zlapalam się na tym, że nie interesuje mnie dokąd zmierzają historie.

[jakesz13 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Muszę iść na odwyk od takich książek.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Japanese culture goes from one extreme to the other – movies like Guinea Pig : The Devil’s Experiment, Tetsuo The Iron Man, Tumbling Doll Of Flesh, Visitor Q and Tokyo Gore Police (watch these from behind your sofa or better don’t watch them at all); then books like
Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami which is completely mad; then all those ones by Haruki the other Murakami, they are pretty weird; and then you get little novels like Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto and the (rightfully) beloved Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata where it’s all about alienated women gradually going mad and dissolving or managing to stay sane but only just. Extreme violence and extreme boredom. Nothing in between.

This little novel (novelette? no, I hate that word) is a not much good version of Convenience Store Woman. 20 year old Chizu goes to Tokyo to find work and lives with a 70 year old lady and footles and mooches around and gets stupid part time jobs and dislikes pretty much everything and can’t find any really solid reasons for stayin’ alive and th-th-th-that’s all folks.

Random point : I don’t get how Japanese people aren’t all overweight – on every other page Chizu is going on about food

While the two of them picked away at a single plate of cabbage rolls, I silently devoured everything I’d ordered, beef tendon braised in black vinegar, veal Milanese, German potato salad, mackerel sushi wrapped in bamboo leaves, and an orange sorbet

(In every Asian movie I have seen there is a scene where they have a family meal about five minutes from the start but they are all slender. What is the secret.)

But the real problem here is that Chizu is mindnumbingly bland and uninteresting as she mopes about, and the old dame she lives with isn’t the most electric raconteur you ever came across either. At the moment of high drama when Chizu breaks up with her boyfriend this is what they say :

“You like someone else, don’t you?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“I know you do.”
“It’s Ito-chan, isn’t it?”
“No, I mean, I don’t know. Sorry.”
“You might as well come out and say it. How can you be so casual about this?”
“About what?”
“About everything.”
“What’s everything?”
“I don’t know, okay?”

Well not everything has to be Dostoyevsky but really.

Two stars not one because I still get a cool feeling when I read a novel in a day, even one like this.

[DoGoryKsiazkami · Rating 2 out of 5]

No nie pykło nam. Skończyłam kilka godzin temu i już zdążyła z mojej głowy wyparować.

Plus za tytuł i objaśnienie/interpretacje na końcu książki, która trochę to uratowała, ale z drugiej strony myślę, czy skoro te kilka słów objaśnienia na końcu, były potrzebne, to czy to nie oznacza, że książka była po prostu słaba?

Wielokrotnie w literaturze czytamy między wierszami, przy tym tytule też powinniśmy, jednak ja tego nie zrobiłam i nie wiem, z czego to wynika, bo starałam się to wszystko zrozumieć, jednak nie widziałam w tym po prostu większego sensu…

Niestety - rozczarowanko.

[Laubythesea · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 ⭐️

Tengo sentimientos encontrados sobre ‘Un buen día para estar sola’ de la autora japonesa Nanae Aoyama.
 
En primer lugar, tengo que decir que me conquistó la preciosa ilustración de la cubierta. Una es así de superficial y nada más verla supe que la quería. También, el título me inspiraba una historia bonita, de autodescubrimiento, algo calmado y agradable para leer sin sobresaltos. Justo lo que buscaba estos días, así que me tiré de cabeza a por ella.
 
Innegablemente, es una lectura sencilla y que se lee muy fluida. Yo en concreto, de una sentada gracias a un viaje en tren que tendió a infinito (gracias por tanto, Renfe). No tiene grandes sorpresas o giros, y creo que quién entra a este libro, ya lo intuye por lo que ahí no tengo críticas.
 
Sin embargo, tengo que decir que no conseguí empatizar con la protagonista (su personalidad es complicada) y en este tipo de libros lograr esa conexión es importante, además el mensaje final me dejó entre fría y un poco enfadada. No quiero tampoco romper el camino de la lectura a nadie por lo no voy a entrar en detalles, pero es verdad que la novela se publicó en 2007 en Japón, es decir, hace casi 20 años y en una sociedad muy distinta, donde quizá el punto en el que nos despedimos de la protagonista si tuviera entonces algo más de rompedor.  
 
Bueno, ¿de qué va el libro? Tenemos a nuestra protagonista y narradora, Chizu, una joven de veinte años que no tiene muy claro qué hacer con su vida. Aprovechando (o más bien arrastrada por) que su madre se muda a China, se instalará en casa la casa de Tokio de una familiar lejana, Ginko, una señora (bastante estupenda, por cierto) de 70 años. La convivencia entre ellas y cómo poco a poco van derribando los muros que ambas han construido, los trabajos a tiempo parcial, las relaciones sentimentales, el paso del tiempo y la sensación de soledad cuando sientes que no encajas son las claves de esta historia.
 
Quiero ser justa y decir que tal vez este libro hace diez años me hubiera gustado mucho más, de haberlo leído en un momento vital más cercano al de la protagonista, cuando estrenas la vida adulta y verdaderamente, no sabes qué hacer ni entiendes nada y la solución es ir probando y fallando hasta que vas haciendo tu camino.

[spillingthematcha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dużo w tej książce symboliki, która pozwala na różnorodne interpretacje i wiele refleksji za co duży plus. Sama historia również dość przyjemna w lekturze, choć niektóre momenty były dość nużące. Styl pisania autorki jest oszczędny, surowy, ale w jakiś sposób świetnie oddaje kontrast między obiema bohaterkami i podkreśla różnicę ich charakterów. Mimo wszystko wydaje mi się, że szybko wypadnie mi z głowy i nieco zniknie na tle innych „komfortowych” tytułów.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Japanese literature tends to be hit and miss for me, but I'm happy to say this little peek at Japanese slacker culture won me over. Short enough to be consumed in a single day, if that's your thing, or conveniently structured by the seasons of a year if you want to break it up and linger longer.

When her mother announces she is emigrating to China for work, 20yo Chizu decides to stay behind in Japan, but move to Tokyo for the first time. In Spring, arrangements are made for her to move into the spare room of an elderly, widowed, distant relative named Ginko, whom Chizu had never met before.

The walls of my room were lined with cat photos, set in fancy frames just below the ceiling. They started on the left as you went in, continued above the window on the far side of the room and extended halfway down the right-hand wall. (Page 1 - OK Nanae Aoyama, you got me!)

These pictures turn out to be the 'Cherokees', Ginko's departed cats whose individual names are no longer remembered, but who were loved nevertheless. Chizu seems to take this and many of Ginko's other quirks in her stride, although she can at times be cruel in attitude and in what she says to the elderly lady. But soon enough, they are getting along and Chizu feels settled enough to add a second part-time job at a nearby train station to her first as a hostess.

As the year passes, both women are in relationships, and the elderly couple often invite Chizu along on their dinner dates. Chizu doesn't exactly reciprocate, but she does bring her boyfriend home for meals with them often enough to warrant his own set of chopsticks. But as the relationship fades, Chizu's insecurities lead to withdrawal and the need to make some big decisions about her life.

By the following Spring, Chizu's transformation is well underway.

In some ways this story reminded me of Melanie Cheng's book, Room for a Stranger, although this time we are looking at it from the younger lodger's point of view. But in Aoyama's book, I felt the connection between the two housemates was more tender and very close to becoming a genuine friendship. I'm happy to recommend this quiet, melancholic coming of age story.

With thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for an eARC to read and review.

[basiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takie sobie. Zero kotów, które były głównym motywem promocji.

W notce o autorce jest napisane, że jest doceniana za szczególną umiejętność tworzenia dialogów i jeśli uznamy, że "szczególne" znaczy od czapy, drętwe, zbędne, niekonsekwetne i nudne - to tak, ma tę umiejętność.

[Książkomanka · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25/5⭐

Bardzo nie dla mnie. Podczas czytania zupełnie nie czułam tej metafory, przesłania o którym mowa na koniec książki. Określiłabym ją jako chaotyczna i o niczym. Niby taka krótka, a mnie wynudziła

[Adela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nie trafiło to do mnie niestety. Dla mnie to co czują i robią bohaterowie to abstrakcja, nie rozumiem ich emocji oraz zachowań. Nie wiem skąd ta złośliwość i arogancją przy wchodzeniu w dorosłe życie. Myślę, że to bardzo subiektywne, że te opowiadania do mnie nie przemawiają.

[Sarah ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Perfect Day to Be Alone - Nanae Aoyama




"كنت أود أن أظلَّ شابة، أن أعيش حياة هادئة محمية من صخب العالم.لكن يبدو أن ذلك لم يكن خيارًا متاحًا. كنت مستعدة لنصيبي من المشقة. أردت أن أجرب أن أكون شخصًا عاديًا، وأن أعيش حياة عادية. أردت أن أكون أكثر صبرًا على الشدائد، وأن أحوّل نفسي إلى شخص قادر على الصمود في وجه أيِّ شيء."
...



تنتقل شيزو إلى طوكيو وتقيم مع جينكو البالغة من العمر 70 عامًا وهي قريبة بعيدة بعد سفر والدتها للعمل في الصين.
النوفيلا عن حياتها في طوكيو خلال أربعة فصول، من الربيع إلى الربيع؛ تمر الفصول وتتغير العلاقات؛ تقترب من جينكو.. يتسلل الدفء أحيانًا ويحل البعد أحيانًا أخرى وتتتابع الفصول وتخوض شيزو غمار الحياة وتعيش علاقات حب وتنفصل وتبدأ عملًا وتتركه وتتعرف على أناس جدد وتلتقي بأمها بين الوقت والآخر، تكتشف الحياة والعلاقات والعمل حتى تصل للاستقرار.
رواية هادئة، بلا أحداث وتركز على مرور الفصول والحياة عمومًا والعلاقات السيئة ووظائف بلا جدوى ويوميات ومشاعر ومزاج وأفكار فتاة في العشرين من عمرها...

[Repellent Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

La madre de Chizu emigra a China por cuestiones de trabajo, y ante la negativa de esta de acompañarla, no le queda más remedio que buscarle alojamiento en la casa de la anciana Ginko, una pariente lejana. Chizu acaba de cumplir los veinte años y se encuentra en una etapa complicada: ya no es una niña, y el mundo de los adultos se le atraganta. No entiende porque las cosas funcionan como lo hacen, porque ella debe comportarse como la sociedad dicta que debe hacerlo. La verdad es que se siente sola y triste, la marcha de su madre, la falta de atención de su novio y lo extraña que le resulta la señora con la que se ve obligada a vivir, la llenan de un desanimo que le impiden relacionarse con los demás, provocando en ella una gran falta de ganas de salir al mundo y disfrutar de las experiencias que este pueda ofrecerle.

“Un buen día para estar sola” es de esos libros típicamente japoneses en los que si se hace una lectura superficial podría pensarse que no ocurre nada, sin embargo, es de esas historias que hablan mucho de emociones, de sentimientos, y en ese sentido, dentro de la protagonista están pasando cosas constantemente. El sentimiento que más persigue a Chizu es la soledad, y no solo por la ausencia de su madre, también a causa de que los hombres que conoce y con los que sale acaban dándole de lado. A esa soledad, se suma la incertidumbre de no entender el amor, de no saber si está sintiendo lo que debería sentir, lo que ve en otras parejas cuando pasea o cuando se sube al metro, lo que parece que estas personas sienten cuando están enamoradas.

Me ha gustado mucho ver esa unión que se va forjando con Ginko, que pese al choque inicial que siente Chizu al conocerla por esos cincuenta años que las separan, lo cual la lleva a casi rechazarla, poco a poco el lector asiste a la creación de un vínculo entre ambas. La curiosidad que Ginko produce en Chizu sirve de motor para que esta última despierte e incluso se abra con la anciana y le muestre su lado más vulnerable. Las charlas que ambas dos mantienen son mi parte favorita de la obra.

Creo que en ningún otro lugar son capaces de plasmar por escrito tan bien como los japoneses esa sensación de sentirse fuera de lugar, de percibirse como un extraño en el mundo que te rodea. Este es un tema recurrente en la literatura japonesa, y no sé si es por ser una cuestión tremendamente habitual en la sociedad japonesa o por que sus autores consiguen adentrarse en ese sentimiento como nadie, pero el caso es que siempre consiguen hacerme sentir comprendido. Al final, a poco que hayas vivido en el mundo y te hayas salido de alguna norma impuesta, es imposible no haberse sentido así. Me gusta mucho como en la literatura japonesa los autores exploran mucho esa idea de no entender estas reglas no escritas, pero que todo el mundo acata, y como el que no las cumple, es apartado de la sociedad, ya que deja de ser útil para esta. Chizu convive constantemente con el enfrentamiento entre lo que desea hacer y lo que se supone que debería hacer.

Otro tema muy habitual en la literatura japonesa, reflejo de su sociedad, es esa falta de comunicación a la hora relacionarse con los demás. Chizu experimenta mucho pesar por no poder expresar sus sentimientos, para evitar sentirse vulnerable frente a otros, por no sentirse ridícula o por pensar que no es asunto de los demás. Los hombres con los que se relaciona o incluso su propia madre, huyen de la confrontación, y evitan comunicarse con ella, dar nombre a lo que sienten o explicae por qué actúan como lo hacen, lo cual aún perturba más sus emociones, aumentando esa apatía que siente ante la vida.

Pese a que es un personaje infantil e inmaduro, a ratos incluso desagradable y grosero con los demás, no he podido evitar empatizar con Chizu. Entendía perfectamente su monólogo interno, sus preocupaciones y sus incertidumbres, hasta tal punto que las páginas finales han conseguido emocionarme. En definitiva, “Un buen día para estar sola” es una novela intimista, que sigue la vida de una joven durante las cuatro estaciones de un año y permite al lector asistir al crecimiento de esta, y como deja atrás la juventud para convertirse en adulta. Ojalá consigamos en español más historias de Nanae Aoyama porque es de esas autoras que conectan completamente conmigo y puede convertirse en una de esas autoras indispensables en mi biblioteca como lo son Kazumi Yumoto, Banana Yoshimoto o Hiromi Kawakami, a las cuales me ha recordado.

[Afi (WhatAfiReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I feel like maybe I should use all of my sadness now, while I'm young. So I don't end up all miserable when I'm old."

"If you try to and save all the fun for later, you'll be my age before you know it, and dying will seem like a pretty grim prospect.
- Pain, suffering - that stuff's always scary, no matter how long you've been around."

A Perfect Day to be Alone brings us through the seasons, and through the lenses an adolescence trying to make way into the world. Its a perfect coming-of-age story that is reminiscent of going through adulthood through the seasons.

We follow through the journey of Chizu in her new life in Tokyo, sharing a house with 70 year old Ginko. The story delves into the eccentric dynamics between the two of them, the exploration of complexity of human relationships and especially of a youngster trying to grasp adulthood on her own, and of humans and their need for companion.

There is nothing and everything in this book. But underneath of the light and monotonous tone of this story, there is almost a dark reflection and expectations of society to women and how at the end its of their struggles to be deemed successful or useful to society .

The writing is quite straightforward and reading it on surface level, there is nothing that likable to our main character, Chizu. She exudes a sense of an-almost arrogance and know-it-all, but beneath all of the bravado, its a girl that just didn't know how to express her feelings well. Reading about Chizu navigating through her life, and her woes and helplessness makes you feel sorry for her and also, its almost like a reminder of how some women struggle to be independent especially with Chizu who lives through a single-mother household all of her life.

I liked the dynamics between her and her house mate Ginko. Both of them are eccentric in their own way, but their friendship works well. And I feel that, Ginko was the best person for Chizu to have in her life on her own for the first time as she learns that even as a 70 year old, Ginko is living her life as she pleases.

I liked the setting of this novel that it goes through the seasons and we can see Chizu's growth through the seasons that has passed as well. From Spring - where the flower blooming is significant to the start of a new venture - to Summer - where she found love that is alive like the blazing heat - to Autumn - where the withering of leaves reflects a change in her relationships - to Winter - where the cold reflects the loneliness within and to Early Spring - where everything is starting again. The way the author has subtly integrated all of these elements made us feel like, as readers, we are growing with Chizu as well. And I felt that was one of the reasons why it won the Akutagawa Prize back in 2006/2007.

I wished we have a POV of Ginko because it will complete this novel entirely, but overall, its a read that will let you reminscene the earlier days of adulthood, the struggles and loneliness of being entirely own your own and of exploring relationships and love.

4 stars for this gem.

Thank you to Pansing for this copy! I truly appreciate it.

[Mewa · Rating 3 out of 5]

„Ach, więc tak wygląda krzyk duszy.“

[Meltem Sağlam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yazar bu eseri ile Akutagawa Ödülü’nü kazanmış. Ergenlik etkisindeki bir kızın, hem aile içi, hem aile dışı ilişkilerini çok başarılı bir şekilde anlatmış. Ayrıca yaş almanın, yaş farkının, bilgeliğin ve özgürlüğün, ilişkilere etkisi de başarı ile işlenmiş.

Akıcı bir anlatım. Cümleler yalın, ancak etkili. Karakterler tutarlı ve sevimli. Tarzını beğendim.

[Miku · Rating 1 out of 5]

20-letnia Chizu postanawia usamodzielnić się i wyprowadza się do Tokio. Zaczyna mieszkać z pewną panią Ginko, która ma już siedemdziesiąt wiosen za sobą. Pojawiają się różnice pokoleniowe między obiema kobietami, ale zasadniczą różnicą jest podejście do życia - kiedy młoda przeżywa kryzys to starsza cieszy się każdą drobną rzeczą.

Największym problemem w tej książce nie jest bardzo spokojna akcja czy zero jakiegoś tąpnięcia emocjonalnego tylko sama główna bohaterka. Chizu jest młoda, niektóre rzeczy przeżywa mocniej niż osoba, która dużo więcej doświadczyła. Natomiast nie mogę zaakceptować jej zachowania w stosunku do Ginko. Przepaść pokoleniowa jest olbrzymia, doświadczenia są zupełnie inne, technologia się zmieniła, kultura tym bardziej, zwiększył się pęd życia i tak dalej. Z góry wiadomo, że nie będą nadawać na tych samych falach. Przede wszystkim Chizu jako osoba świeżo krocząca po ścieżce dorosłości nie potrafi wykazać się empatią oraz szacunkiem wobec starszej od niej osoby. Wyśmiewa się z niej, kpi, odpowiada sarkastycznie, a czasami nawet bardzo chamsko oraz przejawia bardzo specyficzną zazdrość tylko dlatego, że Ginko jest w dobrym nastroju, a ona w dołku. Zdarzało jej się nawet wbijać małe szpilki w stosunku do towarzysza Ginko. Wszystko tylko po to, żeby starsza pani czuła się tak samo źle jak ona, bo jak ona cierpi to powinni wszyscy dookoła. Nie, jeszcze raz nie, ja tego nie akceptuję i to przekreśla całą książkę.

[Loredana (Bookinista08) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a quiet little book, subdued but ultimately extremely endearing. The heroine is sometimes unpleasant, but only because we are getting her unfiltered thoughts and feelings. She is maturing as the book progresses and she keeps maturing even after it ends. She makes mistakes or does questionable things on purpose, which makes her kind of obnoxious to me, but that's the whole thing with this life, right? There is no black or white, just multiple shades of grey. I loved her relationship with the old lady Gingko and I understood her inner turmoil. What I'm trying to say is this book has a tenderness that reveals itself slowly through the pages, and I just loved reading about a slice-of-life story that relaxed my brain while still engaging my emotions.

[Rachel Louise Atkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I really wasn’t liking this at first but then when the main plot kicked in I started to enjoy it a lot more. It’s about a young woman who moves in with a 71-year-old woman and takes up a job at the train station where she meets a man who will break her heart. It’s a really short book but explores the trauma from the lack of closure you get from being broken up with and how it can make you feel completely worthless. The more I read the book the more I really enjoyed it and felt like it was a really sad and tender read about loneliness. A really good pick for women in translation month!

[One more chapter · Rating 2 out of 5]

4,5/10
Pomimo, że sama książka w przyjemny sposób zawiera dużo symboliki to nie wpadła ona w moje gusta. Z jednej strony rozumiem że główna bohaterka ma trudny okres w życiu jednak to ile jest w niej złości sprawia, że nie jestem w stanie jej polubić. Sama historia mnie osobiście też jakoś specjalnie nie wciągnęła.

[Sam Still Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Perfect Day to Be Alone is a quirky story about a young, stubborn woman without a lot of drive finding her way after living with an elderly relative in Tokyo. It’s not incredibly exciting in terms of content, but it does grow on the reader.

Chizu moves in with Ginko, a distant relative with a house next to a train station in Tokyo after her mother moves to China. Chizu knows she doesn’t want to go to China, but she doesn’t really know what she does want. She’s drifting in life with a casual job and boyfriend and not a lot of interest in anything. The only thing she does seem to enjoy is trying to get a raise from Ginko – but always fails as Ginko is calm and quiet. Over the course of the novel, they get to know each other better. They both find boyfriends/companions, and Chizu finds more casual jobs. Chizu begins to open up to Ginko about her fears and concerns for the future, sounding more like an elderly person who is sick and tired of everything instead of a twenty year old woman.

Over the course of the year, Chizu grows more independent and less at odds with the world. She finds herself caring for Ginko more than she expected, even though their time together is relatively short and only a small part of each other’s lives. Not a great deal happens between Chizu’s relationships and work and the reader is less informed about Ginko’s past and current relationships, seeing it only through Chizu’s eyes. It’s a coming of age for Chizu as she realises she’s not old before her time and that not everything has to be negative. She even stops partaking in casual theft from others (not sure what it is about women stealing small objects from others in fiction lately – it’s the second book detailing this in as many months), finding no joy in it.

The story is told simply, divided into seasons across 150 pages. It’s easy to read this in a day or a single sitting as a slice of life novel. It’s not groundbreaking, rather more gentle like other Japanese novels. It’s also without the feelgood vibes of other popular Japanese novels, but is still enjoyable.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com

[emkart_andbooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Takie nijakie to było trochę dla mnie… Choć interpretacja książki na końcu nieco dodaje tej historii.

[iva° · Rating 3 out of 5]

zanimljivo kao mini uvid u japansku kulturu; odnosi između chizu i ginko i ostalih (chizunih simpatija, njene majke i ginkinog hofiranta) čini se da su stvoreni da bi predstavili japan i njegove vrijednosti. ipak, gledano iz perspektive chizu -koja je hladna, zlobna, pakosna, zapravo jedan nemili lik i, uza sve, i kleptomanka- roman je obavijen nezadovoljstvom, samoćom i tihim pesimizmom. chizu je, ustvari, predstavnica generacije koja je nesigurna u sebe, nezadovoljna sobom, nemoćna ostvariti duboke, smislene i kvalitetne odnose i emocionalno invalidna. pedeset godina, koliko je dijeli od ginko, vrijeme je koje je potencijal za razvoj u zadovoljnu i mirnu osobu.

p. s. od tridesetak vrsti hrane koja se spominje, a koje spadaju pod klasičnu japansku kuhinju, niti od jedne mi nisu zatitrali nepci. žele od grahorice? čaj od morske alge? kolač od škroba iz korijena paprati? ma nemoj.

[Ngọc Nguyễn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Đọc truyện kiểu bị hẫng 1 chút
Không hiểu sao, mình chưa bao giờ thích truyện viết kiểu giống như đời như vậy
Kiểu nhìn vào một nhân vật, đặc biệt là nhân vân chính. Mình muốn thấy cuộc đời họ, họ gặp ai, họ nghĩ gì, họ làm gì, tại sao hay chẳng tại sao họ lại làm như vậy
Những truyện Nhật thường ko như thế. Mình gặp một nhân vật như gặp 1 người ngoài đời vậy
Rốt cuộc, ta cũng chẳng hiểu họ
Chẳng biết bắt đầu
Chẳng biết kết thúc
Như kiểu dở dang ngắm nhìn cuộc đời một con người rồi bước đi
---
Có thể một đoạn cuộc đời ấy đã là ý nghĩa của tác giả rồi. Chỉ là em trốn những thứ mơ hồ ở cuộc đời vào đây tìm kiếm chút gì rõ ràng. Nên đọc có chút hẫng thôi

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly relatable story of a young woman starting to live in a big city, having a whole set of strange things fold before her eyes. She tries to feel something new yet she feels very little.
Reading this novel feels like hearing snatches of people's private conversations, like the ones we overhear in cafes or on trains, which fills us with happiness and sadness both.

[booksnagi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Właściwie ciężko stwierdzić o czym jest ta książka, a jeszcze ciężej jest polubić bohaterów. Tytuł i okładka zachęca, ale to tyle.

[Aleksandra Gratka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Są utwory, w których od razu się zakochujemy, które uwodzą historią lub frazą od pierwszej strony. "Idealny czas na smuteczek" do nich nie należy, tu zachwyt wzrasta powoli, tak jak stopniowo odsłaniają się istotne mądrości życiowe.
Chizu jest młoda i to młoda ostentacyjnie wręcz, podkreśla swą gładkość i to, że jest na początku drogi. Tyle że nie wie, dokąd zmierza, a koniec drogi wydaje jej się tak odległy, że nie musi o nim myśleć. Przyjeżdża do Tokio, gdzie zamieszkuje u pani Ginko, starszej od siebie o 50 lat. Przy niej łatwo manifestować młodość... Chizu jest bezczelna i niedelikatna, nie rozumie starszej pani, wyśmiewa jej relacje z równie starym przyjacielem. Pani Ginko znosi ataki młodości ze stoickim spokojem, żyje po swojemu, ba, potrafi cieszyć się życiem. Początkowo oschłość i brak pomysłu na życie Chizu mnie irytowały. Później zrozumiałam zamysł autorki. Przecież atak często maskuje strach. Chizu boi się życia. Boi się tego, że rozczaruje się swoimi wyborami, więc nie wybiera. Boi się utraty miłości, więc wyprzedza fakt wiążąc się z "nierokującymi". Boi się starości, więc ją wyśmiewa.
Młodość i starość. Dwie strony barykady. Przeciwieństwa. Trudność w porozumieniu. W rzeczywistości - tak są sobie bliskie, tak wiele mogą od siebie czerpać. Pani Ginko wie, że życie składa się z pożegnań. Im szybciej to zrozumiemy, im szybciej się z tym pogodzimy, tym mniej zgorzkniali będziemy. Wspomnienia o kotach, wspomnienia o minionym życiu - nawet jeśli czasem bolą, dobrze je mieć.
W tomie jest też króciutkie opowiadanie "Nowy początek" - o tym, jak wiele w ludzkim życiu zmienia perspektywa. Czasem warto spojrzeć na siebie, na swój los oczami kogoś innego. Da to siłę na pogodzenie się z sobą albo na zmianę wszystkiego.
Przeczytajcie te niespieszne, mądre, trochę smutne, ale właśnie mądrze smutne historie. Mnie urzekły.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Sandra || Tabibito no hon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Świetna. Melancholijne spojrzenie na rok z życia dziewczyny wkraczającej w dorosłość. Żadnej niezwykłości, po prostu zwyczajność i powolna akceptacja swojego losu. Bije od niej lekki smutek, czasem rozczarowanie i niepewność. Bardzo mi się podobała, chociaż nie polubiłam się z główną bohaterką - nie mój typ charakteru, lecz same rozterki jak najbardziej do mnie trafiały. A wgląd na życie Ginko to było wręcz uleczające doświadczenie.

[Nie rozumiem tej średniej oceny 🫣]

[Dostałam plik do recenzji od brytyjskiego wydawcy, ale będę jeszcze czytać polską wersję!]