The Story of a Single Woman by Uno Chiyo, translated by Rebecca Copeland, a classic first published in 1972 is an ‘I-novel’ (neither strictly autobiographical nor fiction) with a narrator observing and sharing life events/memories of the protagonist Kazue, who’s over 70 yrs old at the book’s start. Though she hails from an affluent family of sake brewers on her father’s side, Kazue knows poverty and hardships, thanks to her wastrel father. Having lost her mother quite soon after her birth, living under her father’s iron fisted control, Kazue’s gentle and understanding stepmother offers some relief. When Kazue’s father dies, he leaves a lacuna in her that fills up gradually with freedom, a freedom to do all that he had forbidden her from.

Kazue takes up jobs to keep the home running, she loves make-up that makes her appealing but fears it for she knows it’s a false veneer. She loves, pines and desires men without wanting to be tied down in marriage which she dismisses as futile. What pushes Kazue to wander, do random jobs, build a new home with a man only to abandon it abruptly, then seek a new place, job and a new partner? Over time, her minor eccentricities grow into a conspicuous streak of madness. Was she tottering down the same path her wayward father had trodden?

In times when loyalty and chastity were mandatory adjectives for womenfolk, Kazue’s promiscuous behaviour, her actions that transcended logic and norms without a care for consequences is unbelievably overwhelming. Her thoughts/ways reminded me a lot of Ammani from T Janakiraman’s novel Wooden Cow, both sensitive and precocious beings affected by childhood events. Uno Chiyo who turned her life into many prize-winning novels was ostracised as a teenager by her village only to be celebrated later as their prodigal daughter. The Story of a Single Woman may give you an unlikeable protagonist but it nudges you to empathise with her. For leading a life without much thought/analysis, Kazue pushes you to think about her long after the book’s over.

I received a free copy of, The Story of a Single Woman, by Chiyo Uno, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an autobiographical account of Japanese author Chiyo Uno's life, spanning her childhood to her mid-thirties, written from the perspective of Kazue, a fictional character in her seventies, reflecting on her life. Kazue is born to a strict father and loving stepmother. Kazue faces life’s challenges head-on, determined to understand the love between man and woman. All this while defying traditional expectations.

Can I just say wow? This book mainly focuses on her relationships, affairs, and encounters. While reading I felt that she drifted from one relationship to another. Along with this, she would just leave her life for a new one, and she would do this without much concern for the impact it would cause. This takes bravery! She faced all the consequences of her decisions with composure!

She truly lived her life, regardless of the societal damage her reputation would take. She did this all during a time when Japanese women were supposed to be submissive and quiet. She embraced who she was and lived life the way she wanted. She is one of the women who has paved the way for modern women to live the life they want. Anyone who’s followed their heart, going against society, or everyone who says otherwise, could truly appreciate this book.

I found this book fascinating. I’ve been interested in Japanese culture for several years, and The Story of a Single Woman offers a perspective on Japan that I haven’t seen or watched before. The story follows Kazue, an elderly woman reflecting on her life from her youth until she reaches 30, set in the early 20th century.

Though this book is fiction, it's based on the author's own early life, written in the style of a fictional character looking back on her past. In a way it felt like the author was reflecting on her own experiences through Kazue. This added more depth to the book and made me appreciate it a lot more. My favourite aspects of the book were learning more about Japan in the early 20th century and Kazue's defiance of societal norms. I gained insight about the expectations placed on women (and families) during this time, such as Kazue’s obeying her father no matter what and her learning and then choosing to live her life on her own terms. Even now her promiscuous lifestyle could be considered controversial with Kazue having relationships with various men without the intention to marry. I always love reading about an unapologetic woman.

The novella’s fast pace made it intriguing, a consequence of this is I wish it was longer. I want to learn more about the culture Kazue lives in and the people around her. There were moments when I wanted to know what happened to people who disappeared from her life. Overall, this book is a great read for anyone interested in Japanese history and culture. I’d recommend it for any Japanophile.

This was such an interesting read! I have never read any works by Uno Chiyo before and the book synopsis intrigued me. This is a semi-autobiographical account of Chiyo’s life from birth to the age of thirty, in which she explores her relationship with men, family, marriage, work, and ultimately herself and her quest for independence. She begins by outlining her childhood and her experiences with her father - an alcoholic gambler who made Chiyo the subject of his whims and fancies. Under his tyranny at home, Chiyo learns the skill of self prevention through pleasing others. As she grows up, she struggles with her sexual awakening and details her life as it takes her through the romantic relationships of four different men. Through it all, she explores her perception of marriage, her approach to life, and her desire to stay connected to her former life in her childhood country home.

This work is a simple and fast paced read. The author shows evidence of her maturity in her semi autobiographical character and her relationships with men and others as well. In all, I appreciated this author’s work, as well as the work of the translator, Rebecca Copeland. Her note at the beginning of the work helped put this story into significant context for me and helped me understand the goal of this work.

My thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for sending me an electronic ARC of this work in exchange for an open and honest review!

I absolutely loved reading this book.

This is a new translation of a book written by Japanese writer Chiyo Uno in 1972. The book starts with an introduction which contextualizes the largely autobiographical novel by giving a helpful overview of her life. This meant that technically I had a good idea of what was going to happen in the book before I started reading it. Though some might think of that as a spoiler, my experience of the book was enhanced by understanding that there is truth at the core of the novel.

In the story, the protagonist describes her youth, being sent to a cousin's house to be married and then leaving that house 10 days later, to travel to Korea and then various locations in Japan. The introduction and sell copy focused quite a bit on the later parts of the book, which include the author's sexual awakening and independence, but I found the earlier sections to be beautiful as well. The book is short--only 160 pages, and not one word was wasted. I felt throughout the book that I understood what was motivating this woman and was fascinated by the way she made choices and moved through the world. This isn't a time in Japan's history I'd learned much about, and it was also helpful to see how she frames the decisions and what mattered to her at the time in the context of when different parts of the story were taking place.

Overall, it's a short read, a jewel box of a book. Do yourself a favor and read it!!

Thank you to Pushkin Press for providing a copy of this book for review consideration.

The Story of a Single Woman is an I-novel originally published in Japan in 1972 and is being rereleased in English by Pushkin Press in April 2025. The I-novel is a type of autofiction that was popular in Japan in the early 20th century. The Story of a Single Woman follows the events of Uno Chiyo's early life as told by the seventy something protagonist Kazue reflecting on her youth.

The story begins with Kazue's childhood with her impulsive and irresponsible father. When Kazue is 13 she is sent to marry her cousin. She leaves her cousin after ten days to care for her dying father and never returns. After this point the story focuses on each of Kazue's relationships and the impacts of the endings of those relationships.

The narrator is quite unemotional and detached, however she is not unkind to her younger self. This narration style might not work for every reader, but I thought it was really effective. We aren't seeing Kazue's life in the moment, but rather her memories of these events that have been dulled and softened over the decades. The handful of scenes where she does show stronger reactions stand out more as pivotal moments in her young life.

Kazue is from a small town in Japan.
She reflects on her life as a mature woman later.
Pros: 1920s Japan, and the later reflection, some descriptions, Kazue’s family trauma as a complex component, her independence
Cons: Many aspects. I did not find the above well executed or well interwoven into a curious narrative.
I found it tedious.

This was exactly what I expected it to be -- it didn't blow me away nor did it succumb to any expectations I had of it. It was a really interesting look into a different culture and time and the things Chiyo Uno experienced as a woman in 1920s Japan. Most importantly, I think, is the ability to bring books like this into the limelight so that these sort of cultural differences can be read today, so far removed from their original context, but still the true musings of an individual who, despite having no connection to its readers, can still find common ground.

This book follows the story of Kazue and her romantic entanglements as she breaks the mold and follows her own path.

I found the pacing slow, but that actually really leant itself to the narrative. It was tender and introspective, honest and raw. It’s semi-autobiographical and whilst the writer never covered or sugar coated any of her memories, there was also no blame or judgement for any of the choices she made.

I found I had to keep reminding myself of the time and place to remember how truly avant-garde and shocking this story really is.

this will be long, bare with me i just have many thoughts and questions after reading this.

The Story of a Single Woman by Chiyo Uno is a third-person japanese classic set in the early 20th century. it follows Kazue, the daughter of a younger son in a wealthy family who shirked his duties. at 13, she’s sent to live with her aunt to marry her cousin, a union that dissolves when she simply doesn’t return home after her father’s funeral. from there, the novel delves into her romantic entanglements, her disinterest in those who pursue her, and her fleeting feelings for those she does love.

the story reflects the societal norms of the time, including arranged marriages, the stigma of divorce for women, and sexism in professional and personal relationships. Kazue our protagonist faces judgment for her romance with a male colleague, while he escapes unscathed. as Kazue takes ownership of her past without regret, learning about herself and the world through her mistakes. her romantic relationships aren’t exactly inspiring, it’s hard not to root for her eventual happiness. with themes of independence, self-discovery, and inevitable choices, this novel is a rich, nuanced exploration of gender and societal expectations.

trigger warnings: depictions of sexual assault and period-accurate racism. i would recommend it to readers who appreciate introspective, character-driven stories by women authors. i enjoyed the story, it just made me full of rage.

thank you Pushkin Press. 4.5 for an amazing classic novel

While the premise of this book was interesting, I found the execution underwhelming. The writing was okay, there were some beautiful lines but most of it was hard to get through. Kazue’s story was interesting but I wish there was more focus on certain aspects, like her relationships and early childhood. The semi autobiographical nature was a fun addition, but I just wish there was more emotion throughout.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Story of a Single Woman by Chiyo Uno is a third person-POV Japanese I-novel classic. Kazue is the daughter of the younger son of a wealthy family who has run away from his responsibilities. When she’s thirteen, she’s sent to live with her aunt to marry her cousin and essentially divorces her husband shortly after by not returning home. From there, the narration explores her romantic relationships and how she is less interested in those who want her and her fleeting feelings towards those she did love.

The novel is set in the early twentieth century and holds a lot of the values of the time, including a marriage essentially being established when a young woman, or girl in this case, is sent to live with her spouse and they are declared to be married without a formal ceremony. Divorce was a crime at the time for women, yet Kazue divorces her husband sort of by default simply by not going back home after her father’s funeral. In many ways, Kazue was lucky that it was not a bigger deal and her aunt and ex-husband let the matter go. There is also period accurate sexism, such as Kazue being dismissed when she forms a romantic relationship with a male colleague, but there are not really any consequences for him.

Pacing-wise, this is on the slower end and is more reflective in tone. The narrator is taking ownership of her past and her actions, but she also takes a stance that the story she is telling is inevitable because it has already happened. She can’t change the past nor does it seem like she really wants to. From her mistakes, she learned a lot about herself and her needs and how the world works. I cannot say I was rooting for any of her romantic relationships, but I was rooting for her eventually finding happiness.

Content warning for depictions of sexual assault and period accurate racism

I would recommend this to fans of autofiction looking for something similar from Japanese literary traditions and readers looking for a Japanese classic from a female author exploring the early twentieth century

After finishing The Story of a Single Woman by Chiyo Uno, the first words that come to mind are: Wow! What an experience. Reading this, I often found myself feeling as though I were sitting beside Kazue through every pivotal moment in her life—like being a friend quietly watching her navigate the highs and lows.

I went through an amalgamation of emotions with Kazue: admiration, sadness, worry, disappointment, curiosity...the kind of feelings you have about real people in your life that you care about. Something about the way this book is written just feels so, so real. I think that's what makes it feel so special—it was beautifully written, and experiencing life through her eyes was genuinely moving.

I loved that Kazue changed over the course of the story. She grew and adapted, her experiences shaping who she would become...while the essence of who she was at her core never wavered. It felt very true to life, and there were many moments in the book where I myself felt connected to Kazue, relating to some of the things she felt and did. There were moments where I'd wondered if I was missing deeper symbolism or themes, but I think that just makes it worth a second read. I have no doubt I'll pick up on things I missed the first time.

This book left a mark on me—it’s the kind of story that sticks with you, quietly shaping the way you see things even after you’ve turned the last page. If you’ve ever felt lost or like you’re trying to find your way, this is definitely a book worth reading.

Really good prose and lightweight story. I enjoyed the pace and relaxing atmosphere as well as the somewhat delicate tenderness that flooded through the pages.