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jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
I kind of have a thing for Japanese fiction, so was excited to read this new collection of short stories from Aoko Matsuda. Where the Wild Ladies Are is a collection inspired by Japanese fairy tales and folklore, but with a definite feminist twist. A large portion of the stories feature ghosts or bizarre events but they are all oh so subtle. These are spooky ghost stories, they are understated and just take the ghosts as an every day occurrence. The women in these stories challenge the cultural gender norms. A number of the stories have a common thread of a theme or a character between them.
I took a slower approach to this book and read a story here or there over the course of a week and a half. As with many short story collections, some of the stories resonated with me more than others, but overall it is a very strong collection that I highly recommend.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
I took a slower approach to this book and read a story here or there over the course of a week and a half. As with many short story collections, some of the stories resonated with me more than others, but overall it is a very strong collection that I highly recommend.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
thecatmouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
love how all the stories intertwined and brought more depths to some characters or ideas
highly appreciated the chapters introductions about the origins of each story (even though some were really brief)
overall a really appreciable read
highly appreciated the chapters introductions about the origins of each story (even though some were really brief)
overall a really appreciable read
kdahlo's review against another edition
5.0
Great book of short stories, each one incorporates elements from Japanese folklore, several of these myths are helpfully summarized in the back of the book. The tone is very 'light', but always with a little bit of a twist or some hidden depth. There are also a handful of recurring characters who we can get a few glimpses of and see them progress. I liked the slice-of-life but there's maybe a ghost or someone can transform into something or there's a giant frog vibe quite a lot. I thought it was a relaxing, stylish and fun book that still made me think and surprised me here and there.
rereader33's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting and engaging short story collection. Matsuda is a phenomenal storyteller, capable of shifting tones and perspectives with each story without losing the audience. The writing is simple yet packs a punch when it needs to, and certain made me feel like I was witnessing everything first hand. Ordinarily, I would review each story in the collection and give my opinions on each one, but there are 17 stories in this collection and unfortunately not all of them left enough of an impression on me to talk about outside of "it was good". In lieu of reviewing all of them, here are the a few of the stories I read that did leave an impact and will briefly discuss:
"Smartening Up"-this was an interesting story that dealt with the more troubling side of female beauty regimens. I loved the discussion on how removing something from the body (in this instance, hair) for cosmetic reasons can do more harm than good. Most importantly, how women specifically are told to do this despite the financial and emotional toll it takes. But the ending was great and seeing the main character focus more on her own happiness rather than her appearance was awesome.
"The Peony Lanterns"-this gets full marks for feeling like I was actually in Shinzaburo's home watching this bizarre sales pitch. Damn, that was entertaining!
"The Jealous Type"-not only did it have the most unpredictable ending, but this is one of the few times where something was written in second person really well. Also, the commentary on how entertainment media romanticize/ normalize jealous behavior in relationships and how dangerous this is to impressionable people *coughTWILIGHTcoughFIFTYSHADESOFGREYcoughAFTERcough* made me smile.
"Enoki"-LOVED the commentary on people comparing the female body to objects either for laughs or to force some meaning/ message on them and how harmful that is to women. Also, massive props for calling out the unnecessary violence and suffering women have had to endure in legends or in real life.
"A Day Off"-really short, but hit home how draining it can be to try to protect women from harassment, stalking, sexual violence because of how often they occur, and how even good people can think of giving up on helping because it feels like these things will never stop. And yet, the ending gives some semblance of hope, which is a nice touch.
Those are my thoughts on the collection and some of the stories. While not every story was a slam dunk, I don't think there's a single one that I disliked. If you're interested in a collection of short stories retelling Japanese folklore with a feminist twist, I highly recommend this collection. If nothing else, it's a fast read that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
"Smartening Up"-this was an interesting story that dealt with the more troubling side of female beauty regimens. I loved the discussion on how removing something from the body (in this instance, hair) for cosmetic reasons can do more harm than good. Most importantly, how women specifically are told to do this despite the financial and emotional toll it takes. But the ending was great and seeing the main character focus more on her own happiness rather than her appearance was awesome.
"The Peony Lanterns"-this gets full marks for feeling like I was actually in Shinzaburo's home watching this bizarre sales pitch. Damn, that was entertaining!
"The Jealous Type"-not only did it have the most unpredictable ending, but this is one of the few times where something was written in second person really well. Also, the commentary on how entertainment media romanticize/ normalize jealous behavior in relationships and how dangerous this is to impressionable people *coughTWILIGHTcoughFIFTYSHADESOFGREYcoughAFTERcough* made me smile.
"Enoki"-LOVED the commentary on people comparing the female body to objects either for laughs or to force some meaning/ message on them and how harmful that is to women. Also, massive props for calling out the unnecessary violence and suffering women have had to endure in legends or in real life.
"A Day Off"-really short, but hit home how draining it can be to try to protect women from harassment, stalking, sexual violence because of how often they occur, and how even good people can think of giving up on helping because it feels like these things will never stop. And yet, the ending gives some semblance of hope, which is a nice touch.
Those are my thoughts on the collection and some of the stories. While not every story was a slam dunk, I don't think there's a single one that I disliked. If you're interested in a collection of short stories retelling Japanese folklore with a feminist twist, I highly recommend this collection. If nothing else, it's a fast read that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
zathuriel's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
pkatrinaanne's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ginadil's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
What I enjoy most is the way that this a collection of short stories that are connected but in a much more passive “oh, this character just happens to touch the lives of another” kind of way.