All the lovers in the night by Mieko Kawakami

In her latest novel Kawakami picks up on some of the themes of the earlier Heaven, that of misfits, alone, and bullied by the people around them. But this time, it is not teenagers. Fuyuko is in her thirties, a proofreader, living alone in Tokyo, without friends, her hours spent searching for errors in the texts sent by a publisher. But half way through the book, we learn about the traumatic experience that impacted her life as a school girl, leading her to start anew in Tokyo far from her hometown of Nagoya, and with no interest in friends or relationships.

Different examples of female roles are presented: the ambitious business manager, Kyoko, the free-loving independent woman, Hijiri, and the dissatisfied wife and mother, Noriko. Fuyuko has chosen a different life from any of them, but suddenly becoming aware of her reflection in a window as a ‘miserable woman’, she descends into alcoholism and the loneliness is overwhelming.

Into this world steps a kind stranger, a physicist, Mitsutsuka, a person who is willing to spend time with her, talking about the wonders of light and explaining complex scientific concepts. For the first time she is encouraged to actually engage with a book, and to listen to music. It is a tentative offer of friendship, reliability and safety, with him only ever reacting in response to her initiatives.

This is such an intriguing story, written from the viewpoint of a woman who is struggling, very alone, and not sure of what she thinks or how to act. But in the end, it is the values of friendship and acceptance that make a difference. Kawakami’s writing is beautiful and really takes you into the world of Fuyuko, her sensations and experiences. More than anything it evokes a need for kindness and compassion.

This is a novel for mature readers and would be relevant to discussions of consent.

Themes: Rape, Consent, Bullying, Misfits, Loneliness, Women, Feminism.

Helen Eddy