All The Lovers In The Night

By Mieko Kawakami and David Boyd

From literary sensation and International Booker Prize-shortlisted author Mieko Kawakami, the bestelling author of Breasts and Eggs and Heaven comes All the Lovers in the Night, an extraordinary, deeply moving and insightful story set in contemporary Tokyo.

'A brief, compelling study of alienation and friendship; I binge-read it in one sitting.' - Rebecca F Kuang, author of Babel

Fuyuko Irie is a freelance proofreader in her thirties. Living alone in an overwhelming city and unable to form meaningful relationships, she has little contact with anyone other than her colleague, Hijiri. But a chance encounter with a man named Mitsutsuka awakens something new in her. Through their weekly meetings, Fuyuko starts to see the world in a different light and still, painful memories from her past begin to resurface.

As Fuyuko realizes she exists in a small world of her own making she begins to push at her own boundaries. But will she find the strength to bring down the walls that surround her?

Poetic, modern and shocking, this is an unforgettable novel from Japan’s most exciting writer.

‘Mieko Kawakami is a genius’ - Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times

All the Lovers in the Night is translated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: May 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781509898275

Mieko Kawakami

Mieko Kawakami is the author of the internationally bestselling novel Breasts and Eggs, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and one of TIME’s Best 10 Books of 2020, and the highly-acclaimed Heaven, her second novel to be translated and published in English, which Oprah Daily described as written “with jagged, visceral beauty.” Born in Osaka, Japan, Kawakami made her literary debut as a poet in 2006, and in 2007 published her first novella, My Ego, My Teeth, and the World. Known for their poetic qualities, their insights into the female body, and their preoccupation with ethics and modern society, her books have been translated into over twenty languages. Kawakami’s literary awards include the Akutagawa Prize, the Tanizaki Prize, and the Murasaki Shikibu Prize. She lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Reviews for All The Lovers In The Night

[steve02476 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Puzzling novel about a solitary woman heading into middle age, trying to learn about herself and the world that she never fit into. I’m sure I missed a lot, but liked it anyway.

[tuusannuuska-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This ended up being a pretty luke warm reading experience. The book tells the story of a lonely and depressed woman who works from home, and tries to cope.

I think my main issue was the fact that despite having a lot in common with the main character life style wise, I had surprisingly little in common with her inner world. I felt sympathy for her, but somehow she didn't feel fleshed out enough for me to feel empathy.

I don't know how I'd categorize the story in general, maybe slice of life? Whatever the case may be, the plot held very little appeal for me, and if this book wasn't so short, I more than likely would not have finished it.

I did listen to this on audio, though, so I might have enjoyed it more as a physical read (the narrator's voice for the main character felt somehow child like, which I wan't a fan of).

[randymetcalfe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fuyuko Irie isn’t having the best life. In her early 30s, she lives alone working at home as a freelance proofreader. She has virtually no friends and certainly none that keep in regular contact. Even when she worked in the office of a large publishing house, she found herself isolated and alone. Taking up alcohol hasn’t helped, though her alcoholism seems more of a lifestyle experiment than a real dependency. But a series of mishaps leads to Fuyuko meeting an older man, Mitsutsuka, with whom she shares coffee or tea and just talks. He is as close to a friend as anyone she has ever known. Perhaps he will help her become the person she would like to be. Or…Kawakami’s protagonist is a sad woman both by circumstance and inclination. She struggles accommodating herself to her own feelings, often seeming alien to herself and others. Her work as a proofreader finds her reading for mistakes without actually reading or forming an emotional connection with the texts on which she works. Likewise she engages with people without either understanding or emotional response. Remarkably, Kawakami is able to elicit the reader’s sympathy for this character. It’s difficult not to hope that her life will blossom, yet also hard not to fear that things will get worse and worse. More likely, Fuyuko’s life will not resolve itself one way or the other.This was an interesting read without being immensely gratifying or especially insightful, I think. Or maybe Fuyuko’s sad existence just cuts a little too close to the bone. Nevertheless, for the right person, I would definitely recommend this novel. And I’ll certainly seek out Mieko Kawakami’s next effort.

[ozzer_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An unfortunate judicial ruling forces one to consider the challenges confronting women today. How is it possible that so few, mostly men and devout members of one Christian religion, can dictate how all women manage their own bodies? Mieko Kawakami’s latest novel is particularly apt for these times because she examines how women chose to live and the choices society forces on them.She subtly mocks the “Madonna-Whore dichotomy” that paternalistic societies frequently inflict on women. On the one hand, women should be helpmates, marrying young and nurturing a family while, on the other, they need to evince almost impossible standards of beauty and allure. Kawakami’s protagonist, Fuyuko Irie, is a plain, introverted woman living a bland solitary existence. She comes to realize a genuine urge to connect with others while simultaneously embracing her need for seclusion—all while balancing a successful career, multiple friendships and a budding romance.Fuyoko is a freelance proofreader in her mid-30s who has a stable income and independence. She loves her work, finding things to proof almost everywhere she goes. This is a powerful metaphor for Fuyoko’s solitary lifestyle. Proofreaders, she reveals, are taught to “never connect with the content.” The key word here is “connect,” because Fuyoko has real issues with connection. Clearly, her situation resonates with the claustrophobia we all felt during the pandemic.As an introverted, naïve, and overly compliant person with a suppressed libido—probably the result of a previous sexual assault—Fuyoko relishes her time alone. Indeed, she looks forward to wandering Tokyo’s shopping district at night when she can be alone to embrace the darkness and light. “Why is the night so beautiful?” she wonders, “Why does it shine the way it does?” After seeing her reflection in a store window on one of these jaunts, Fuyoko realizes that she is “the dictionary definition of a miserable person.” She resolves to fix it, yet she needs to fortify herself with copious helpings of beer and sake to face venturing into social situations— “…to let go of my usual self.”At a local culture center, Fuyoko meets Mitsutsuka. He is an older man who claims to be a high school physics teacher. Following rescuing her from an embarrassing drunken incident, they begin to bond at a cafe. He mentors her with discussions ranging from the physics of light to the music of Chopin. This appealing centerpiece to the plot offers Kawakami the opportunity to demonstrate that meaningful relationships are indeed key to finding happiness. Yet the risks they carry are real, most notably a requirement to let down one’s guard. As Fuyoko discovers, this can be quite painful for extreme introverts.Kawakami uses Fuyoko’s female acquaintances to explore the roles other women can play in these dynamics. Hijiri Ishikawa is Fuyoko’s only friend, but this relationship is decidedly one-sided. Hijiri is her polar opposite. She is outspoken, stylish, and calculating. She uses the compliant Fuyoko as a sounding board for her catty gossip and to validate her decidedly modern world view.Kyoko is to be admired as a successful editor for the publishing house that Fuyoko leaves in the first few pages of the book due to mocking from co-workers. Kyoko has a more traditional worldview than Hijiri and does not hide her contempt for her free-wheeling sexual lifestyle.Noriko seems to be Fuyoko’s only acquaintance with what Japanese society views as a fulfilling life (i.e., home, successful husband, and happy children). However, as is so often the case, this turns out to be an illusion.Kawakami’s use of a first-person narrative lends an intimate, introspective and confessional style to the book, which I greatly admire, especially her use of Fuyoko’s memories to deftly flesh out her backstory. However, the lack of a conventional plot structure can be unsettling while nonetheless being quite effective. Kawakami avoids the kind of melodrama that would tempt less skilled writers. She never prescribes, just shows without comment. A happy ending may not be in the cards for Fuyoko, yet Kawakami, by the novel’s end, does hint at a possible satisfying career option for her.

[pomo58 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All the Lovers in the Night, by Mieko Kawakami and translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd, is both the story of one woman's life (to almost 40 years of age) and a case study of extreme introversion and all that entails.This is not a fast-paced book, yet the reader is compelled to keep turning pages. In talking about it with a friend she used the phrase "watching a train wreck in slow motion." I think there is an element of that feeling, but I am hesitant to fully accept that idea because I don't see the inevitable negative in this story that I do in the train wreck. Thanks to the beautiful writing there is that sense of noticing every minute detail while things happen but again, it is the inevitability that stops me from agreeing wholeheartedly with my friend.I tend toward being an introvert and prior to reading this I would have thought that being a freelance proofreader working from home would be ideal for me. It still might be, but I saw here the dangers that come from going beyond introversion and opting for withdrawal from the world.Fuyuko embodies so many traits that will be familiar to most readers, though probably not to the extent they manifest in her. Being unsure how to respond, wondering what someone's words or expressions meant, wanting to largely be unobtrusive going through life. In her, however, these traits become almost disabling. Then, when she vows to change herself, she goes to yet another extreme many of us know, using alcohol to help us relax and open up a little.What I found particularly appealing in this book is the way in which many judgements, which tend to be inherent in any story, are left to the reader to make. Yes, some things are certainly shown in a negative light, but we are also given the rationale behind them. We don't have to condone something in order to understand it. And we can understand doing something even if we would not likely do the same, or to the extreme, that it is done.I see comments about who is or is not a likeable character and I opt for a tad more nuance. Each of these characters are coping with their lives in their own ways. Some interactions make a character unlikeable in that moment, but I think we have all been that unlikeable person for a short time in our lives, or in a specific moment. We have likely regretted it. And I don't think those moments, unless they become frequent, make us completely unlikeable. So I find it disingenuous to expect more of fictional characters than we ourselves can offer.I reread this after a couple days simply because I wanted to both experience some of the prose again and try to better understand Fuyuko. Mainly because better understanding her gives me a chance to better understand myself as well.Highly recommended for readers who don't have to have constant action and who can appreciate that some things that are repeated have a purpose and aren't the result of flawed writing. In other words, active readers who don't mind spending time inside a character's mind.Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.