This was a weird little book. It wasn’t anything like the synopsis said it was.
It is very well written.
This novel didn’t have an ending as such which left me unsatisfied

This was a very short and very wonderful novel about obsession and I absolutely adored it! Told in a very matter of fact style from the point of view of the person observing the titular 'woman in the purple skirt', we see glimpses into this woman's life and begin to understand the nature of obsession through the lens of the obsessed. The prose and translation were great and the characters are all relatable albeit somewhat strange. The plot, such as it is, is very simple - this is more an exploration of one woman's daily interactions rather than a tightly woven thriller. With that being said, there is a building sense of dread throughout and the reader does wonder where things will end up - for me, they ended completely fabulously. Overall, this was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really struggled with this book.

I think I was hoping to find out the stories perspective from the side of the woman in the purple skirt, as the whole book was about her. But she was mysterious and elusive herself, as the story was from the perspective of the woman in the the yellow cardigan.

It took me a by surprise l that it was she that was narrating everything, and not an additional narrator, which made me realise she truly was obsessed / stalking the woman in the purple skirt.

At one point I was convinced that they were the same person, but with a split personality disorder. All the way through, until they were recognised and addressed differently in the workplace.

I don't know if the director was speaking the truth, as we don't know what really happened. I think that he lied to protect himself. But I don't know, and that's frustrating.

I would also have liked to known what happened to the woman in the purple skirt, but as the woman in the yellow cardigan doesn't know, neither do we as readers.

It was well written, and I think that it is a book that many others may enjoy fully. I was captivated by the need to know more, but was dissatisfied because the questions I had remained unanswered.

Loved The Woman in the Purple Skirt! If you're after an easy, quirky read, I couldn't recommend this more.

3.5 stars.
One of my goals for 2022 is to read more translated fiction, so I was very happy to receive an eARC of this from Netgalley.
It was a bizarre book, and not at all what I was expecting. I liked the stalkerish vibes and it felt strangely voyeuristic to me. It's only a short book so it was a quick read!

An enjoyable story that twists to a darker tone towards the end. Glad I picked it up but it's probably not one I'll reach for again.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a fantastic read with incredible depth and characters that stay in your mind for a long time. I would recommend this read for any reader.

This was a strange little book! It's been chilling on my netgalley shelf for a while now and as it's translated from Japanese I thought it would be perfect for January in Japan!

The book follows The Woman in The Purple Skirt from the point of view of The Woman in The Yellow Cardigan, our unreliable narrator.

What starts as observations soon becomes obsession and control and it did have quite an unsettling feeling throughout the novel, I had no idea what was coming towards the end.

Sometimes I feel like Japanese fiction goes a bit over my head but for me one of the themes I felt was how when we see someone, be it on our commute or around town, we create an idea of what they are like in our head, mostly based on their appearance and behaviours in one situation. This may then not always turn out to be the case, people react differently to situations than you expect them to, turn out to be different to what you thought, but of course they would, you only observed one side of them.

I enjoyed this short novel. There were other themes of loneliness, I felt our narrator at times wanted to be friends with The Woman in The Purple Skirt, at times wanted to be her and at times just wanted to be seen by anyone.

I also thought it highlighted social hierarchy in the workplace quite well, again how people make first impressions of you but when you act differently to how they thought, they turn against you. And a strong theme of only getting ahead in the workplace because a higher up male employee takes a shine to you.

Quite a lot of themes in a 200 page book with barely any plot! I guess this is a character/behaviour study, and one I quite enjoyed even if I was left feeling a bit like I wanted more from it!

Firstly, a huge thank you to Faber & Faber and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the unique way that this story was told, by being in the perspective of the observer of The Woman in the Purple Skirt (referred to as The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan) we are put into an interesting position. Through this narrative, Imamura excellently builds two very complex characters, even if we only ever see one of them through the lens of another character. I found myself invested in the lives of both The Woman in the Purple Skirt and The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, as well as concerned for their wellbeing.

The obsessive concern that The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan shows towards The Woman in the Purple Skirt causes an atmosphere of unease to run through the novel, we can't help but question her motives and wonder if there is something more than just the reasons that she gives the reader, or herself, as to why she is trying so hard to 'help' this stranger. As the novel continues I found myself questioning more and more of what we were being shown yet, somehow, Imamura still endeared me to The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan and I still couldn't help but root for her and want the best outcome for both characters.

Although this is a fairly short novel, the pacing is handled very well. We're given enough time to build up into, what could be considered the 'main' plot, to begin to form opinions on both characters. The way that the story progressed felt very natural, these characters felt real especially when we are introduced to a bigger cast and see how the characters all fit into the wider world. It isn't just the pacing of the story that is well handled but the development of the characters which we witness too. Additionally, it isn't just the two 'main' characters that grow through the course of the novella but the supporting characters too.

Overall, this novella is a brilliantly dark, yet light-hearted, thriller which I highly recommend. The mystery surrounding the characters is gripping and something I'm still piecing together now as I just can't stop thinking about it. This is a definite must-read!

I was really looking forward to reading this copy, however the netgalley formatting on my kindle made it unreadable.

I was intrigued by this book from the beginning, with a quirky and mysterious first person narrator who tells the story of ‘The Woman in the Purple Skirt’ (TWITPS)

Both the narrator and TWIPTS are anonymous, and mystery surrounds them…but unlike the narrator TWIPTS is the source of entertainment to local children who mock her. The narrator, who described herself as ‘The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan’ moves through her world unnoticed.

There is so much to read into the character studies of both women…the character development is engaging…and I wish this is where the focus of the novel remained.

My intrigue in the characters from the start did dwindle through the novel, with a plot which became rushed and felt too far-fetched to be believable. I honestly think the plot lost its way, and would’ve been better left in the mundanity, and with the focus on the intrigue created by the characters.

I do appreciate netgalley providing me with an eARC of this book, and for giving me the opportunity to read it. I loved the deadpan style of writing coupled with the individuality of the characters and character development…I just wish the novel was left with more mystery and ambiguity like it held at the beginning, rather than rushing to provide entertainment through a less believable plot.

A highly readable and intriguing novel about workplace politics and obsession. The flat tone was very appealing to me and I found it quite humorous. I feel like this book is saying very interesting and important things about workplace culture. It's a short quick read too, which is a bonus. Overall, this is enjoyable. Thanks to Netaglley and the publishers for the ARC.

Over all I feel like too many things - like for example criticism of (Japanese) society - were put into this novel or meant to be. It didn't work for me, though, because it showed too much. It read at times like a writing class excercise in "if you want to show X in the society - write Y it into a character in a story". So yes, I get the themes and issues being treated, I just think that it is done less elegant than I would like my fiction to be.

The narrator is an unknown at the beginning, it becomes clear who she is later on, but the realization is not coming natural. I was also never sure if the constant inconsistencies are in the writing or whether they are supposed to belong to the obviously unreliable narrator. I got the impression that either the first person narrator aka the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan is maybe mentally impaired or she expects the reader to be. Both seemed unintentional and just a bit clumsy. If it was intented, I can't begin to guess what it would be supposed to mean.

There are instances of symbols, motifs or just things that are introduced, supposedly with meaning, and never come to pass. I might just not have gotten it, but many of these seemed idle to me, not really saying anything, not even hinting at anything and such they left me confused (and not in the way that makes for a good reading experience). For example there was this thing about shampoo, I get the general idea that the narrator was giving the Woman in the Purple Skirt something here, some pretence connection to the "normal" world. Then later this is being referenced back to when the Woman in the Purple Skirt is constanly wearing a seemingly horrible perfume (that smells like rotten bananas?!) - and then it's dropped again. I was lost at that point. I'd be grateful for any explanation here, are rotten bananas a thing with meaning in Japan that I don't know of?

Reading the blurbs certainly makes me feel like I read a different book. I wasn't particularly captivated, didn't get a meditation on loneliness, nor did I feel the eeriness of a strange world. I saw the seams of where this strange Japanese Weird world was supposed to be put together by the author, but honestly not much more than that.
I'll also have to admit that I didn't get the humour that was advertised and that other critics seem to have found. so mayb it just wasn't a good fit for me.

Couldn’t put the book down, it’s strange as not a lot is happening yet you are hooked! A quirky short read, that didn’t disappoint.

It's a curious little novella with an idea behind it that should be boring but ends up being enjoyable. It's a character study of the titular Woman in the Purple Skirt, but also of the narrator who follows her every move and reports back to the reader, practically stalking her.
The Woman the Purple Skirt is a small celebrity in her neighborhood—recognizable by her odd choice of attire and repetitive behavior—and piques the interest of a fellow oddball who makes it her life's mission to facilitate the Woman in the Purple Skirt’s daily life even though the Woman in the Purple Skirt doesn't realize she's being watched or taken care of. On paper, it sounds like a premise of a potential thriller, but the execution is quite slow and something new. In part, it's a story about finding your voice and confidence, but first and foremost, it’s a voyeuristic experience—the reader is watching the life of the Woman in the Purple Skirt along with the narrator.
Not bound by the restrictions of any particular genre, it's unpredictable, in the sense that at no point of the novel there is any hint at were the story might lead. Obviously, the biggest secret of the book is the identity of the narrator and why she's capable of remaining this unnoticeable while overhearing every private conversation with ease, very much like a third person narrator would. The plot along with its twists was character-driven, and even if the final reveal isn't Shyamalan-worthy, it works perfectly well.
All in all, it’s a great read for people looking for something fresh and who think they’ve read it all. Just try this one, it’s something new, for better or for worse.

This book was captivating! I've been really enjoying translated fiction recently and this was a brilliant read. It's a strange book, but it's just so compelling. Perfectly paced and a nice short read.

Imamura's novel had every prospect of being a piece of fiction produced by HItchcock and Highsmith, however it falls short on the execution; the characters are not fleshed out, nor is the story itself actually gripping

This unusual tale of obsession focuses on the relationship between two women and their own personal deteriorations. The tight writing keeps the reader on a knife edge, urging us to read on. An intense and very powerful narrative that I simply could not put down.

Japanese literature never fails to amuse, entertain, befuddle and bemuse me, and this is another one of those books that casts its' spell on me as I was hooked from page one on this mysterious story of one woman stalking another, to the point of obsession. And it throws up so many questions as to the focus of the story - is it a look at the way we function as a society now, where we become obsessed with people we don't know via social media and make assumptions about them without knowing the truth? Instead of focussing on ourselves, our own happiness, our own success... it's just too easy to lose yourself in somebody elses life.

The Woman in the Purple Skirt is a lady who sits on the same bench, eats the same cake - follows the same routine day in day out, talking to nobody, minding her own business - all under the watchful eye of the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan who narrates this story and shares just how obsessive her 'stalking' of this woman becomes. The attention to detail is scary! And she even engineers a way to get Purple skirt lady a job where she works - a way to keep an even closer watch over her.

But as Purple skirt settles into her new job, a new side of her is seen and this begins to unsettle Yellow Cardigan as she watches on - losing herself in someone elses life means she doesn't have o focus on her own, and that isn't looking too hot right now.

I loved the quirkiness of this story and how it starts off feeling quite light and insightful, but soon has a much darker feel and claustrophobic. It touches on obsession,manipulation and how loneliness affects different people - how perceptions can change of people. The tension works so well as you wait to figure out just where this obsession will lead to... a strange but compelling story!

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

This was an unexpectedly quirky and refreshing take on the obsessional friendship trope, a theme I’ve loved ever since watching Single White Female back in the 1990’s. This is the first of the author’s novels to be translated into English from the original Japanese and I was surprised by that, because there was something about the novel and the character of the Woman in a Purple Skirt that would appeal to the British reader. The daily eccentricities of the main character were charming and intriguing, so it was that and my curiosity about the motives of the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan that drew me in to the story. There is also an interesting, melancholic sense of humour that struck me as something British reader would enjoy.

I found myself thinking about the word ‘sonder’ - one I’m using for my own writing at the moment. It’s a German word to describe the realisation that every random passer by has a life as rich and varied as our own. This seems to be what the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan wants to know, the rich complexity of the Woman in the Purple Skirt’s life. The woman always wears a purple skirt, it is this and her daily routine that makes people notice her. As she leaves her apartment every day she is followed and insulted by neighbourhood children, in fact she’s great entertainment for the neighbours who seem equally fascinated by her set routine. Every day she walks to the bakery and buys a single cream cake, takes it to the same park bench and eats it. No one knows who her family are or where she’s from. Her jobs are temporary, she lives alone and doesn’t even attempt to relate to others. She is an enigma, and the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan watches her every move, until she knows her daily movements by heart. Even her appearance is intriguing. From a distance she could pass for a schoolgirl, but up close she has liver spots that belie her age. Her hair is dry, she lives in a small, shabby apartment and is short on money.

There are some characteristics that the two women share, such as living standards and finances. It’s possible that both are lonely and are living from hand to mouth, but what drives the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan to get up and watch her every move? What does she want? Eventually, she lures the Woman in the Purple Skirt to a job with the cleaning agency where she works as a hotel housekeeper. This brings the women into proximity, but instead of a friendship emerging, the Woman in a Purple Skirt falls into an affair with the boss. This is the main difference between the women; the Woman in a Yellow Cardigan only watches, while the Woman in a Purple Skirt actually lives. I felt this distinction very strongly and wondered whether there would be resentment or even anger towards the Woman in a Purple Skirt. This is where the book really ventures into thriller territory as the women meet and we see the dynamics of female power, obsessiveness and that human need to be seen, recognised and even desired. This woman simply wants to be noticed and considered by someone else. Why do people recognise the Woman in the Purple Skirt? What does she have that makes people sit up and take notice? I thought it was wonderful to have two such complex and multi-dimensional female characters, especially where the relationship between them is the focus. There was a peculiar creeping unease built into the narrative. Japan seems to exude ‘otherness’ like nowhere else, a theme explored in the film ‘Lost in Translation’. I lived next to a Japanese Garden for seven years, where English plants and trees were pruned into the shapes of Japanese topiary. Stepping into it from my cottage garden made felt like entering a surreal and alien landscape. That’s a little bit what this book felt like. It was original and refreshing, perfect for if you’re in a reading slump and
a fascinating take on the thriller genre.

Very much in the same slightly unsettling/quirky/offbeat style as, say, Sayaka Murata, this short novel will grip you to the point that you just have to read on to find out what is going on. The fact that it also won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 2019 means that this first available English translation is noteworthy.

The Woman in the Purple Skirt is being watched, and the book is written from the point of view of her 'stalker', The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan. We see how the central character, Mayuko Hiro, is unknowingly helped by her watcher, who leaves out job adverts for her on her favourite bench. She ends up getting a job with the same company, and her watcher gets the same bus as her every day, but Mayuko is completely unaware of her and what is going on. As the book develops, crucial social boundaries are crossed and a darker truth emerges about Mayuko and her relationship with a man. We also start to learn more about the narrator, which slowly adds a different perspective on the events of the novel.

This is an intriguing book, one which will test the reader's sympathies and is not afraid to pull the rug from under you. Like much Japanese fiction it is understated and subtle, and it left me with a slightly uneasy feeling by the end that I hadn't quite grasped all the nuances. Definitely one that I will be going back to re-read. 4.5 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)