Originally published 25 years ago in Japan where it won multiple awards, Dilemmas is a collection of five stories that center around women in difficult situations. Four are told from the perspective of women who are at a crossroads in life and need to make changes or accept a life that isn't what they originally hoped for. Women coming out of divorce, in dead end jobs and all looking to break away from the traditional definition of what it means to be a good productive Japanese woman.

The characters are well developed and the themes feel current, the lack of ubiquitous technology is the only signifier that these aren't contemporaneity stories.

Enjoy isn't quite the right word for this collection. There are too many layers of discomfort to say I enjoyed reading it, but I was moved, and at times I felt seen. Yamamoto does not shy away from the complicated and unsightly moments in a woman's experience. In the translator's note at the end, he speaks to the importance of this work, and I agree. There is a raw realness to the work that is sometimes lacking in much of the fiction about women.

This was a collection of 5 stories of women living in Japan. These women aren't given the credit nor compassion that they are due, and it details their struggles with work and family responsibilities. I never found myself to be particularly engaged in these stories, but I did appreciate the underlying message.

I enjoyed this book. I was especially drawn to the stories of working women in Japan and how their experiences dealing with work politics, family expectations, and the never-ending domestic workload, felt so relatable, no matter where you’re from. The way patriarchy showed up in each story almost made it feel like its own character, which was both powerful and frustrating to read.

I also loved the cultural touches, mentions of manga cafés, love hotels, and other uniquely Japanese details added a lot of color to the stories. My only wish is that we got to see more of the women in their actual workplaces. The focus leaned more toward their personal lives, and I was curious to see more of their professional worlds.

Big thanks to HarperVia for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

These thought-provoking short stories give a peek into the lives of women who are constantly being pressured by society, their jobs, and their families. A beautiful depiction of everyday struggles. I couldn't put this book down.

4 out of 5 stars – Witty, Wry, and Unapologetically Sharp

Fumio Yamamoto’s The Dilemmas of Working Women is a bold, acerbic, and refreshingly honest exploration of womanhood and work in contemporary Japan. Through five short stories, Yamamoto paints intimate portraits of women who reject—or at least question—the conventional metrics of success. These characters are not trying to be likable, and that’s exactly what makes them so compelling.

The standout story for me was “Naked,” where a woman finds an odd serenity in the solitude of crafting stuffed animals after the collapse of her marriage and business. Rather than clawing back toward capitalist validation, she embraces ambiguity, challenging the assumption that productivity equals purpose. “Planarian” is another striking entry, using a post-cancer perspective to deftly confront body image, identity, and existential exhaustion with a mix of humor and melancholy.

Each narrative is laced with a feminist defiance that feels both deeply personal and politically sharp. The writing—deftly translated by Brian Bergstrom—is clean and direct, preserving the deadpan wit and underlying ache of Yamamoto’s voice.

Why four stars instead of five? A couple of the stories felt less focused or slightly uneven in their pacing, and while the anti-capitalist themes are powerful, at times they risked becoming repetitive. That said, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise excellent collection.

This is not a book of grand resolutions or tidy empowerment arcs. Instead, it’s about the quiet, messy rebellions of women living lives that don’t fit neatly into societal molds. The Dilemmas of Working Women is timely, subversive, and deeply human—a must-read for those who appreciate literature that challenges norms with both intellect and irreverence.

I felt this was a relatable book, despite being written from a different culture. When I picked this up I didn't realize it was an English translation of a work that was published in the early 2000s. Once I realized that, some of the stories made a little more sense. It isn't dated perse, but the current phone obsession was absent. Each of the short stories features someone going through something. Some hit better for me, but I think that is going to vary by your own life experiences. This isn't a warm and fuzzy book, but it is one where I felt the author clearly gets the plight of the modern woman and of being functional while living through depression. It took me awhile to get through, but since it is several stories, I wasn't forgetting the story and having to reread.

4.25

This collection was so beautiful and incredibly sad. I loved every story, and the characters’ issues were layered and thought-provoking. I especially liked the first two stories (“Naked” and “Planarian”), but there wasn’t one dud in the bunch, and I will absolutely seek out more of her work. I’m shocked it took 25 years for an English translation to come out. Speaking of that, this is where the book loses points for me: the translation felt very stiff and often strange, and I’ve read enough translated texts to feel like they could have chosen a better translator. It was a man, so that also seemed an odd choice.

This collection of short stories was originally published in Japan in 2000, showing the lives of women that were considered "difficult." The stories follow a woman who has lost her job, a woman recovering from breast cancer, a mother struggling to keep track of her children and herself, and more.

While these stories were originally published in 2000, much of the same feelings still ring true for women today. I found myself surprised I was able to relate so closely to women in another country from 25 years ago. These stories reminded me that you are in control of what you choose to do, no one else.

This is a collection of short stories about Japanese women. To be honest, it wasn’t for me. These women’s lives were mundane. There wasn’t very much interesting about them or their lives. Japanese literature is just not for me.

This collection of short stories was refreshingly unwholesome. All but one of the stories is from the perspective of a woman living in modern day Japan. The last story focuses on a woman but it’s from a man’s point of view.

Each woman feels very human. Making mistakes, being dramatic and messy. Reading this was very entertaining!

Every story was so good I wanted them to keep going but it was a good choice to end them without real resolution. Many of the characters issues are going to take several hundred more pages to solve. Maybe some therapy too…

I liked this but didn’t love it! I think she writes in a very specific voice that I enjoyed but I didn’t feel super connected to some of the stories in the way I usually feel when reading. Some banger sentences but overall I feel pretty ambivalent about this one. I think with a short story collection that is to be expected because some will hit harder than others!!!! Here are my individual reviews:

Naked: 🌟🌟 (spunky and silly divorced woman is unemployed for multiple years and takes to crafting weird little dolls)

The planarian: 🌟🌟🌟 (loved this one about dealing with the stigma of being sick and having that be such a big part of your identity but it makes ppl uncomfy)

Here, which is nowhere: 🌟🌟🌟 (working mother lives a thankless life. Very much about the emotional load women take on)

The dilemmas of working women: 🌟🌟 (didn’t love this, felt like it could’ve gone deeper and just stayed surface level)

A tomorrow full of love: 🌟🌟 (didn’t care for this one, told in the POV of a man who def has some weird savior complex)




Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review xoxoxoxox

1.5 stars

This book is a collection of five stories about women who are shunned or marginalized by modern Japanese society. Here's a quick breakdown of each:
• Story 1: A divorced, unemployed woman – ★★☆☆☆
• Story 2: A woman dealing with the stigma of a past illness – ★☆☆☆☆
• Story 3: A part-time working mother – ★★★☆☆
• Story 4: A young woman torn about marriage – ★☆☆☆☆
• Story 5: A palm reader who rejects societal expectations – ★☆☆☆☆

The third story really hit home for me.
“All I thought about was my children, my husband, my mother, my father-in-law; All I wanted was more money and more sleep.”

I could deeply relate. As someone who juggles work, motherhood, and household responsibilities, that feeling of being overwhelmed is so real. It’s not that I’m unhappy — I am happy with my life — but sometimes it just feels like no one really sees how hard you're trying. That line reminded me of how often I’ve forgotten to express gratitude to my own mother, who probably felt the same way once.
But the book was packaged in a super boring way. The way the stories unfolded just wasn’t my favorite.The pacing and tone didn’t hold my interest, even though I appreciated the messages behind them.
Please, read another dazzling review before deciding , this book just wasn’t for me.

Note : Thank you, HarperVia, for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In these stories, Japanese women grapple with societal and social expectations around their participation in work. They reflect on their identities both with and without work and how they are experienced by those around them based on this status. The stories capture the tediousness and exasperation many of these women feel about work. It's relatable, but perhaps more so if you have some level of knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture too.

This has much of the dark slice of life that I've come to expect from Japanese short story collections and I enjoyed it! It didn't seem to make or break the genre for me though, I can see why it has a following! I'm glad to have read it!

Loved loved loved. This was such a fun yet eye opening book. I’ve really been into translated fiction, so I’m excited this was finally translated into English! Imagine if Severance met Sally Rooney? Lackadaisical, slightly dystopian and dysfunctional but absolutely stunning.

I have such mixed emotions with The Dilemmas of Working Women. While I finished reading the book, quite often I felt as though I wanted to stop reading. Parts would propel to keep reading, but most of it felt stagnant. The stories blended too much in my head, with the exception of the last story since it was told from the perspective of a man. The translation seemed clunky which distracted me (I was reading more to understand the meaning of the sentence rather than focusing on what was taking place in the story). However, I did enjoy that most of the stories were of familiar origins and could likely be told by any number of women. While depressing at times, it was sadly realistic. The struggle for identity as a woman who is or is not married, who does or does not work [fill in any other dichotomy that fits], it seems as though society will not allow women to enjoy any part of their life since they struggle to juggle all aspects. The Dilemma of Working Women resoundingly demonstrates this point. Overall, it was a 3-star read.

*The Dilemmas of Working Women* offers a thoughtful, nuanced examination of the complex challenges faced by women balancing professional ambition with societal expectations and personal responsibilities. Through a blend of personal narratives, cultural critique, and workplace analysis, the book sheds light on the invisible labor, double standards, and emotional toll that working women often endure. While some sections lean heavily on well-trodden ground, the authors’ insight and empathy make this a valuable and validating read for anyone navigating gendered dynamics in the workplace. It’s both a mirror and a call to action, encouraging change from the inside out.

Yamamoto has a really interesting book here. There is some wit and humor while also showing a real reflection of society. I think this book is fun to read but also causes you to think about your place in society especially as a woman. I greatly enjoyed it.

Funny and stern, all at the same time.
Yamamoto creates a canvas for beautiful novel and succeeds in painting the picture. The stories were empowering and hilarious. I would recommend to anyone who loves feminist fiction that’s not too heavy, great for getting out of a reading slump.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed these stories and found myself laughing out loud at times. It was nice to get lost in this collection while in trying times.