春のこわいもの

by Mieko Kawakami, 川上未映子

感染症大流行（パンデミック）前夜の東京――〈ギャラ飲み〉志願の女性、ベッドで人生を回顧する老女、深夜の学校へ忍び込む高校生、親友を秘かに裏切りつづけた作家……。東京で6人の男女が体験する甘美きわまる地獄巡り。これがただの悪夢ならば、目をさませば済むことなのに。『夏物語』から二年半、世界中が切望していた新作刊行！

Genres: Audiobook, Short Stories, Fiction, Japan, Japanese Literature, 21st Century, Asian Literature

208 pages, Tankobon Hardcover

First published February 28, 2022

About the author

Mieko Kawakami (川上未映子, born in August 29, 1976) is a Japanese singer and writer from Osaka.

She was awarded the 138th Akutagawa Prize for promising new writers of serious fiction (2007) for her novel Chichi to Ran (乳と卵) (Breasts and Eggs).

Kawakami has released three albums and three singles as a singer.

Reviews

[Nourhan Khaled · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Because we’re always in pain, we know exactly what it means to hurt somebody else.”
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This book is a collection of short stories that explore quiet lives and silent anxieties.
Mieko Kawakami’s writing style feels like a conversation with yourself. With her gentle style, she draws delicate images of human relationships sneaking in the background.
The stories are set in an uncertain time just before COVID, when people were still lost in their routines, unaware that the world was about to change. Yet, the stories aren’t about COVID; they dive into something deeper: loneliness, longing, motherhood, memory, friendship, family, and the deep desire to be understood.
Not every story is equally strong, but some are especially warm and unforgettable.
The overall tone is serene, blue, and softly touches on the buried emotions we often try to ignore.
It wasn’t a bad experience, and definitely won’t be my last book by Kawakami’s.
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“What is dying anyway? … living is really just waiting to die.”

[Jim Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories available on Audible (I can’t see a print edition online) from Japanese writer Mieko Kawakami and all apparently written around the time of the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, as what was then a strange new virus is mentioned in every story.

I snapped up ‘The Ashes of Spring’, having recently devoured two of Kawakami’s most popular novels translated into English (‘All the Lovers in the Night’ and ‘Breasts and Eggs’) . But this uneven collection is not a patch on the novels, with some of the stories having the feel of being written in a rush.

An exception was the longest story - the last one in the collection - ‘Mothers and Daughters’. This was more like the Kawakami I was familiar with. It’s a tale of a close friendship between two young women that goes sour due partly to the malign influence of one of the women’s mothers - a wealthy social climber who sends her beautiful daughter Anna to Tokyo to be an actress (the occupation she herself had once aspired to). The other young woman, Yoshi, a struggling aspiring writer who is also the narrator, comes to resent the beautiful, spoilt but unambitious Anna to the extent that she conspires with the mother to undermine her friend and destroy what’s left of her stalled career as an actress.

The other story I enjoyed also explored the sometimes brutal competition between women. This was a topical story about the intense pressures on young girls in Japan (and elsewhere) through social media influencers to be physically perfect - pressures that lead some of them to totally reshape and sometimes disfigure their faces and bodies with plastic surgery. The title ‘Maybe if You Had a Better Nose’ tells you what to expect from that one.

These riffs on female rivalry, class, and body politics against the background of neoliberal dog-eat-dog capitalism are familiar territory for Kawakami, but I feel her novels - where she has the chance to stretch out - are more effective vehicles for telling stories around those themes

[Sanja_Sanjalica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Kawakami's writing. All the stories have an eerie feel to it, and it's not just because of the beginning of a pandemic. It's just a background and most of the stories could have happened in any time. Very intriguing and showing the gray sides of humanity.

[Myles Gerber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Kawakami’s writing. There’s something so beautiful about it that will have you feeling miserable and torn no matter how different the character’s experiences are from your own. Unfortunately, this is a short story collection, and not every story featured in the collection hits. For me, the real standouts were “Maybe If You Had a Better Nose,” “Blue Ink,” (which wasn’t amazing, but I did enjoy it) and “Mothers and Daughters.” The last one there was easily my favourite of the bunch—it really felt like it could’ve been expanded into a longer tale. The other handful of stories in this collection unfortunately just didn’t hit for me. Also, this collection is only available as an audiobook, no EPUB, PDF or print copy exists (at least in my language). This is a shame because, while I do not mind audiobooks, I find Kawakami’s writing hits a lot harder when I’m reading it rather than listening to it. Still, this is a beautiful collection, albeit probably her weakest work yet. Nonetheless, if you’ve got audible, give it a listen.

[Hannah Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone in this sucks.
So to that end I’m sure the author has been successful - but. No thank you.

[dols · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

everyone should at least listen to mothers and daughters like AT THE VERY LEAST that. mothers and daughters is easily a 4.5, the strongest contender in an otherwise completely acceptable collection.

out of the six short stories here, i would say three are good and the rest are just fine. no flowers has really great prose (no surprise there, out of mieko kawakami’s translators sam bett and david boyd are my favorite and it was david boyd who did this one), and blue ink left me with a dark and sinking feeling (also translated by david boyd).

i think my critique about ashes of spring is maybe the fact that save for like maybe one or two stories, the fact of covid is completely incidental here. i think if the mechanism of covid were supplanted with anything else, it still would have moved the plots forward, which i guess kind of waters down the whole theme of the collection. i get that she wasn’t trying to beat a dead horse, and i also understand that people’s lives can continue despite it, but there was so much more that could have been done with the pandemic narrative, which i found lacking. i remember those two years of limbo being incredibly depressed, so i thought i would have gotten more of that somber feeling from the stories, which some were able to achieve, but the rest kind of just flew over my head.

another thing that was disappointing was that a lot of the stories end really abruptly. it sometimes feels like listening to an incomplete draft, which is why i gave the rating that i did in terms of how the collection met my expectations, i guess. even so, i think i was still generous because when it’s good it’s really good, really memorable. there were a few that i will never forget. it still deserves its flowers for that.

one thing i learned from this is i am really not an audiobook girl.. and one thing you should take from this lengthy nonsense review is to listen to mothers and daughters, blue ink, and no flowers NOW right now those are well worth your time

[Chella · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only story that stood out the most was the last one titled "Mothers and Daughters". The other one that somewhat came close to being a good one was "May be if you had a better Nose". I was sincerely hoping that it would lead somewhere, but it ended quite abruptly. I haven't read the author's other works, so I don't think it's right to judge her writing. One thing that I observed in this collection was that Kawakami really - and I mean REALLY in caps - likes and wants to write stream of consciousness but couldn't really do justice. So her stream of consciousness is more like unintelligible rambling.

[bookiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75
some stories encapsulated my current emotional world, reminding me of my incurable pathetic depressive episodes after and during the covid pandemic

[Inga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure about that pandemic leitmotif running through all the stories, but Blue Ink and Mothers and Daughters were fantastic. Especially the latter — a beautifully toxic trio of women determined to make sure no one else makes it in the world unless she does first.

[Emily Cranford · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Book Tea 🫖 with Jai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Ashes of Spring
Author: Mieko Kawakami
Pages: 250
Genre: literary fiction, coming of age, psychological drama
Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Ashes of Spring is a quiet yet emotionally resonant exploration of youth, identity, and the fragile space between hope and disillusionment. Known for her introspective and often poetic style, Kawakami crafts a narrative that feels both intimate and universal, drawing readers into the internal world of characters navigating change and uncertainty. The novel centers on the emotional landscape of its protagonist as they move through a transitional period marked by loss, self-reflection, and the search for meaning. Rather than relying on a fast-moving plot, Kawakami allows the story to unfold gradually, focusing on moments that might seem small but carry deep emotional weight. Everyday interactions, fleeting thoughts, and subtle shifts in perspective become the driving force of the narrative, creating a contemplative reading experience that rewards patience.

One of the book’s greatest strengths lies in its writing style. Kawakami’s prose is lyrical without being overly ornate, capturing the nuances of feeling with remarkable precision. She has a unique ability to articulate the inexpressible—the quiet anxieties, the lingering regrets, and the faint glimmers of hope that define the human experience. This makes the novel particularly immersive, as readers are invited not just to observe the characters, but to feel alongside them. Themes of isolation and connection are woven throughout the story. The protagonist often struggles to reconcile their inner world with the expectations of those around them, highlighting the tension between individuality and societal pressure. At the same time, the novel suggests that even in moments of loneliness, there is the possibility of understanding and empathy. These themes are handled with subtlety, avoiding heavy-handed conclusions in favor of open-ended reflection.

Pacing is deliberately slow, which may not appeal to readers seeking a plot-driven narrative. However, for those who appreciate character-focused storytelling, this measured approach allows for a deeper emotional payoff. Each scene builds upon the last, gradually revealing the complexities of the protagonist’s journey and the quiet transformations taking place within them. Overall, Ashes of Spring is a thoughtful and beautifully written novel that lingers long after the final page. It is less about what happens and more about how it feels to live through moments of uncertainty and change. Kawakami once again demonstrates her skill in capturing the subtleties of human emotion, making this a compelling read for anyone drawn to introspective and literary fiction.


https://www.tumblr.com/thebookteawithjai

[Martine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you could see smells, I started to wonder, what would they look like? Patches? Streaks in the wind? Maybe they’d float in the air like balls of yarn? Maybe none of the above? That’s what I was thinking about as I rode to school.

The above is a fairly typical poetic observation taken from one of the six short stories that make up Ashes of Spring, an Audible Original penned at the start of the coronavirus pandemic by one of Japan’s most successful authors of the last ten years, Mieko Kawakami, whose novels have garnered rave reviews from several of my friends. The pandemic is mentioned in most of the stories, but isn’t much of a theme in and of itself. Rather, the stories in Ashes of Spring are about the (frequently toxic) relationships between women and girls. They are also about self-image and identity, and about how these are shaped by social media, teenage angst, anxiety, rivalry and sabotage. The quality of the stories is uneven, and none of the stories is spectacular, but I found them interesting enough that I don’t regret listening to them.

The best story in the collection, in my opinion, is the last one, entitled ‘Mothers and Daughters’, which is, as you might have guessed, about a fraught mother-daughter relationship, and also about a rather thought-provoking friendship. There’s a plot twist in this story that is so well executed that it literally had me sit upright and go ‘whaaaaat?’ when it happened. This was the bit that convinced me that Kawakami is indeed the excellent storyteller that my friends keep telling me she is, and that I really should read her much-acclaimed novels. Job well done, Ms Kawakami.

Another story I liked is ‘Blue Ink’, a poignant tale about a panicky moment in a possibly romantic friendship between two secondary school pupils. This story features the one male protagonist in the collection. I think this character’s masculinity surprised the audiobook narrator as much as it did me, as there was never any indication in her voice that this was a male character. Oops!

As I said, there’s nothing earth-shattering in this collection, but it does do a decent job of capturing the female experience in the early 2020s, and serves as an appetite-whetting introduction to Mieko Kawakami’s longer fiction. I’ve added a couple of her novels to my TBR list. To be continued…

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I was going through my audible account in search of something soothing to listen to because i was in a mood for a good long walk and also i didn't want to pick up the book (physically), so i found this audio book by @kawakami_mieko and what a pleasant read it turned out to be.

The book is a collection of short stories set in Japan before the COVID hits. It doesn't specifically talk about the pandemic but the life before that. Since we all have witnessed and survived it, i am sure we could relate to it, the rumours surrounding it, the chaos of what is gonna happen next, the circulation of vague and improper information, about the management of it all. It would suffice to say that even before that life was already at an all time low.

You know that feeling when you're stuck in time and you're trying to get out of the mundane, you're feeling suffocated and you still think that you're going to witness a breakthrough but what happens is the exact opposite, now you're truly stuck in time and in life. The stories in this book felt the same. When you're lonely, you're anxious, you're not feeling it and all of a sudden pandemic hits and now you have mixed feelings about it. Like some of us might feel that nothing has changed it's all the same, some of us start to panic as to what will happen next, what if this is it and we are gonna die. All the chaotic human emotions.

Such are these stories, this book took me back to that period and I could resonate with it. It happened to almost all of us. The psychological impact it had on all of us. I was able to feel all of it because Kawakami's writing style is tenacious, she has the flair for writing human emotions with pure elegance and subtlety.

It's just a 4 hrs read and a good companion for a walk.

[David Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last story is pure gold. So vivid. So ruthlessly honest that it slices with sinister gossip.

I saw the word toxic used to describe the 3 way apparently normal relationship in mothers and daughters and it was so fantastic. 4.5/5 thrilling read

It made me remember why I love this author

The other stories are not the same. Maybe "if you had a better nose was fun"

But the rest exhausted me and made me want to give up on the author. Indulgent meandering spills of words, characters bland for pages and just kinda depressing without true illuminations for me

I was fatigued and found patterns in her writing that made me think to stop reading. Each character seems to talk aloud but to themselves when they are having an intense moment. People are quite nasty. Pages keep on and on and action is limited and insight limited while she paints a blue grey depressed palete all story

But the last story reminded me why I loved her

I think you'll be lying to yourself about enjoying the first 2/3rds of the book and lose interest

You'll love the last 3rd of the book and remember why she's a blockbuster

[Arushi Agrawal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. A quiet mirror held up to the world right before it stopped moving.

This collection captures everyday life in Japan just before the pandemic, moments that now feel heavier in hindsight. Kawakami’s stories linger between tenderness and unease, showing how fragile and unpredictable human connection really is. Her writing, as always, is delicate and perceptive, but here it feels more observational than immersive.

I liked the subtlety, the way ordinary scenes suddenly turn sharp, how people expose both kindness and cruelty in small gestures. But I didn’t feel as emotionally gripped as I did with her other works; it’s quieter, more detached, like watching life through a window. Maybe that’s the point, the distance between who we were and who we became.

A bittersweet, reflective listen, full of moments that ache softly but don’t quite stay long enough.

[Nandini Reddy Dayal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short stories all taking place at the start of the pandemic which have nothing to do with the pandemic. Just regular people and their aspirations, fears, secrets, wishes and dreams.

The hardest part of picking up a Meiko Kawakami book is knowing that she would have found a way to make you connect and deep dive into your own experiences. Her stories are uncomfortable at best and painful at worst. But the brilliance of her writing makes it hard to ignore.

It has been a while since I read "Heaven" and the pain she shows in that book still haunts me. I have had "Breast and Eggs" on my TBR bookshelf for a while but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I know it will hurt and make you introspect that no other book.

[CJ Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first short story collection experience with Kawakami and while these are sorta a mixed bag I feel like the good outweighs the meh by far. The last story about a super unhealthy friendship between the MC (an aspiring author) and her roommate (an aspiring actress) is really well done and toys with the readers emotions and expectations in interesting ways. The first story 青かける青 is kind of stream of consciousness style writing similar to Kawakami’s earlier novels that I thought was also written really well.

[Camila Rebolledo · Rating 5 out of 5]

no tenía idea que esto era un exclusivo de audible, de algo que valga la pena la plata que les doy. son varios cuentos, cada uno muy distinto, me gustaron harto. encontré muy original la idea de hacer cuentos relativos a la pandemia, especialmente a ese periodo inicial donde nadie sabía bien que estaba pasando, aunque en la mayoría de los casos es un telón de fondo y no un punto principal de la trama. cada uno muy original, creo que mi favorito es de la señora que está medio ida en la demencia. muy bueno el trabajo de narración, hace aún más inmersivas las historias.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favourite of Kawakani's. My favourite had to be the end story, I feel like that could have been a beautiful novella or full length novel. The others didn't really hit the spot for me. Also a different translator might have contributed to why the writing style felt a little different. As I say, loved Neko-San's story. Could have done with more from that one. The others were a bit meh. At one point (Maybe the Nose) I felt like I was reading Muratal not bad...but not good.

[Marty Solotki · Rating 3 out of 5]

“‘Remembering is such a pain,’ you think. But the words don’t come to you; more of a feeling. If you could just stop remembering things, then maybe you wouldn’t feel half as blue…”

An interesting collection of stories and poems. Surtsawade Siu was an enjoyable narrator and most of the works in this were well done. I felt the last one was 120% too preachy about the pandemic but you can’t deny it was topical…just not my thing.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt like stream of consciousness stories looking into the diaries of regular people. Their dark thoughts, their irredeemable qualities, and horrible things they did through their lives and them never addressing them. Never seeing them get their just desserts and a pandemic in the background. Some stories were better than others 3.5.

[Trissy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect to enjoy or feel anything much when listening to the book, but I got so frustrated in some places and could easily envision myself in the shoes of the characters, but they're very real, flawed, and very human, and all of this at the beginning of the pandemic as well, it made some parts of the book hit harder.

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

『青かける青』、『花瓶』が個人的にすき。言葉ひとつひとつが優しい。生死について日常の風景から語るスタイルが私はいいなとおもう。恋をした時期は一瞬にも関わらず、将来自分の死が迫っているときにもその恋の後味みたいなのを感じるのかなと考えた。その味が苦いのか、甘いのかは人それぞれか。でも、そう思うと、どちらにせよ自分の人生への影響は強い。そのような影響を与えてくれた彼らに、私は感謝したい。彼がどうか元気で今日という日も幸せに過ごしていますように。

[Tina Raine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me
Enjoyed the stories and I haven’t listened to much set during pandemic time, so it made me reflect on that time.
I thought the feelings of frustration or loss of the complete sense of reality were well-portrayed.

[Elizabeth Bennet · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is normal to not like all stories when you finish reading a story collection. This is a rare exception because I liked them all very much. The narration is very good too but I would have liked these no matter which format I read them. Highly recommended.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 Ooh. Depressing!!

[Jai Oni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enjoyment: ❤️❤️❤️

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

ops everywhere, for all with eyes to see

[Maeve ❄️✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧

[Salem · Rating 2 out of 5]

most of the stories were meh 😕 but wtf waz Blue ink.