女が死ぬ

by Aoko Matsuda, 松田青子

「女らしさ」が、全部だるい。天使、小悪魔、お人形……「あなたの好きな少女」を演じる暇はない。好きに太って、痩せて、がははと笑い、グロテスクな自分も祝福する。一話読むたび心の曇りが磨かれる、シャーリイ・ジャクスン賞候補作「女が死ぬ」含む五十三の掌篇集。『ワイルドフラワーの見えない一年』より改題。〈特別付録〉著者ひと言解説（「あなたの好きな少女が嫌い」より）

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Japan, Japanese Literature, Feminism, Horror, Magical Realism

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2016

Reviews

[Alwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant micro-fiction. Thank you to Europa Editions for the ARC!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

(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 🦈🦩

[Sam Cheng · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Marisa LM · Rating 2 out of 5]

​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."

[Nicki Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Three cheers for the world of adulthood, where you can puke freely!"

These short stories were something else. They were wild and unhinged. Highly enjoyable and way, way out there!

I love the authors explanations in the back. Some will still leave you confused and I think that’s why I enjoyed this so much.

[Rocelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some stories are better than others, but overall I really enjoyed this short stories collection. It was funny, bizarre, quirky and feminist.

[ellie ♈︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“God must be stupid for not making cats immortal." Is this not the best opening line you’ve ever read?!

I LOVED this. I think I found my new fav writer. Even the stories that weren’t my favourites kept me curious about their meaning and above all about the author herself; her mind, her thoughts, her perspective. Matsuda’s writing truly stands out; in this highly saturated field, her stories have a voice and a reason. The feminist lens through which she poses her social commentary draped in humour and rage juxtapose the adoration and whimsy she laces throughout and wow her writing is just so sharp and witty. I was constantly amused, disturbed, and touched all at once. This book felt like a constant invitation to keep reading, everytime I put it down it called me back “just one more story, just one more.” I felt so engaged and excited to read, to underline passages, to dissect sentences, to savour the writing. I want to kiss the author’s brilliant mind. Do not sleep on this hot bombshell in the literary landscape!!!

[Julian King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strepitoso!
La donna muore è una raccolta eterogenea di diversi racconti e pezzi scritti in più momenti, per differenti occasioni e con motivazioni disparate: dal semplice diletto, al quasi capriccio. Lo stile è inequivocabile, che sia un brano dell'assurdo o un manifesto femminista di una potenza devastante. Contiene anche il racconto più breve mai scritto al mondo e degli esercizi di inglese.

[Hestia Istiviani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it. On some stories, I even really love it. I like the way she wrote the story, put the satire, and try to nudge the patriarchal society.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Amy ☁️ (tinycl0ud) · Rating 5 out of 5]

52 short stories—how to talk about them all?? I had a lot of fun reading this collection so it did not feel like that many stories. Very readable, and as with her other collection, I love how she takes the mundane and elevates it with her whimsy and imagination. Sometimes absurdist literature points out absurdism in real life but it becomes very depressing. It's actually really difficult to maintain a light touch and not turn the whole thing into The Clockwork Orange. For that, I was glad that the stories were so short. I didn't expect the multiple references to western culture though.

I found the stories about anthropomorphised or transformed things delightful. The National Anthem falls in love with humanity and wonders what it would be like to do the things people do. A sweater discarded during a konmari session enjoys its afterlife in paradise. In 'The Lipbalm Lake,' a new pot of lipbalm becomes a lake populated with miniature people enjoying the space. Elbow macaroni floating in soup turns into the bloody rounded knees of baseball players. There's also a universality to some of the more absurd stories, like the mother who is pleased whenever her daughter breaks up or finds a new boyfriend, the man who goes to extreme lengths to be a good father, or the man who pukes into a toilet and tries to figure out which meal that was from.

My favourites:
- 'The Masculine Touch,' a satirical inversion of societal sexism that ridicules the so-called progressive strides made.
- 'The Woman Dies' criticises the way women characters in films exist solely to advance the plot, create shock value with their suffering, or develop the main character who is a man, which alienates women viewers.
- The employment struggles faced by the main character in 'CV' made me think that this should be included in the reading list for a course about the life cycle of Japanese women.

[sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - this was quite an eclectic mix of short stories lol, but I particularly enjoyed the ones about power suits, cats and the stock cube.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

little and fun

[bunny ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 🤍

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Missy (myweereads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"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.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being wildly different, these 52 stories come together to create a delightful, cohesive collection. Matsuda is so talented and her writing is imbued with a distinct humour and creative flair that is truely unique. Barton provides a wonderful translation, and Matsuda’s one-line commentaries are a wonderful accompaniment. I would not hesitate to recommend! 4.5 stars, rounded up.

Favourite stories:
- The Android Whose Name Was Boy
- The Woman Dies
- The Year of No Wild Flowers
- Hawai’i
- The Masculine Touch
- To You, Sleeping in an Armory
- A Father and His Back

[unna · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful collection of short stories however i found myself not even understanding majority of the stories or the meaning behind them??? but some of the stories in here really truly spoke to me tho. so very beautifully written. touched on women issues, sexism and violence against women so it was very touching. just didn’t feel smart enough to understand a lot of the stories sadly….

[marcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of microfiction and short stories. Other than some encounters with Lydia Davis, this is my first time reading microfiction and I'm not a fan. Despite having cool premises, they are too insubstantial to offer anything satisfactory. To make matters worse, the stories that touch on sexism and misogyny are so ham-fisted that I can't help but roll my eyes.

Favorites:
"The Masculine Touch"
"When the Girl Broke Up with Her Boyfriend"
"The Lip Balm Lake"

[Amani · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 !

[Flops · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matsuda Aoko mia regina dello humor femminista

[Sagar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Energetic

[Nadia Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

what a peculiar and delightful collection of short stories.

[Jade Brandão · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estanho, provocativo e feminista (do jeitinho que eu gosto). Bem na pegada de Sayaka Murata, porém não tão bom.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting way of writing and i think it is quite relatable

[Mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

The girls that get it, get it, and the girls that dont, dont.

(I only got about half of it)

(I highlighted a shit tonne though, never done that before)