awesome set of microfiction. my definite favorite was Victoria's Secret, a short discussion of what it's like for someone to question their gender identity, but so many of them were great! 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Love this one. It's funny in non conventional way. My only complain is some stories were too short to even speculate but I had fun with this one! Recommended!

The Woman Dies Book by Aoko Matsuda 🦈🙃🗣️ - These are my personal reviews.

Rating 4/5😌:
For a collection of short stories, I really enjoyed these. I feel as if the themes that were being brought to life were equally balanced with comedic relief as much as sincerity!

Overall Feelings:
Even translated to english, the point was made evident. Each story carries an individual theme, although each one is somehow tied back to the act of femininity and how that in itself is dangerous. I teared up with the first short story and very quickly realized the point. I enjoyed this read.

The Woman Dies is set to release September 2, 2025! 🤩

The Woman Dies by Aoko Matsuda is one of the most unique and arresting collections I’ve read in a long time. It’s not quite fiction, not quite essay, more like a series of sharp, vivid fragments that cut through genre altogether.

Some pieces made me laugh out loud. Others hit me in the gut. A few felt like being slapped, sudden, precise, and unfiltered. Matsuda moves between tones with ease: absurdity, rage, tenderness, grief. But what binds it all is her unapologetically feminist voice. She doesn’t explain. She just states, and the effect is both disarming and strangely exhilarating.

This isn’t a book with a clear arc or takeaway, and that’s part of its power. It felt more like a visceral experience than a traditional reading one. I didn’t analyze these pieces, I felt them. The anger is there, quiet. The grief is present, not sentimental. The clarity cuts, never comforts.

It’s not for everyone. Some readers will connect instantly. Others won’t. But that tension, between what lands and what eludes, is what made this book stay with me.

A bold, genre-bending, emotionally intelligent work. Highly recommended for readers who crave honesty, form-breaking structure, and prose that isn’t afraid to provoke.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europa Editions for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This just wasn’t for me. The translation seems really well done, but while I understand what these stories were attempting to do, the majority just didn’t land for me and I kept waiting to it to end

‘The Woman Dies’ is a collection of 52 short stories and whilst feminism is a prevailing theme, the collection spans multiple genres so you’re never quite sure what you’re getting next. I originally read this as I loved ‘Where the Wild Ladies Are’ and was looking forward to another short story collection from Matsuda (and another Polly Barton translation) and whilst ‘The Woman Dies’ did not disappoint; it isn’t as much as a cohesive collection so something to keep in mind. The shift from androids to Bond girls to cats to yoghurts can be a little jarring but it mostly works- especially when you read the one-line commentaries before delving into each story. These commentaries really added to this collection for me- they were tinged with humour (Matsuda, girl, I absolutely see why you regret writing ‘Cage in a Cage’ but I’d glad that you did) and made the whole reading experience much more personal, whilst also helping to contextualise some of the more abstract stories.

Whilst some of the stories definitely deliver on the commentary of sexism promised by the book’s description- the titular ‘The Woman Dies’ provides a sharp critique of the disposability of women in media and ‘The Masculine Touch’ offers a scathing but witty take on the absolute absurdity of the standards by which women are judged- I found the most enjoyment in the more whimsical and the weirder stories. ‘English Composition No. 1’ asks what exactly is a power suit, ‘Hawai’i’ follows the journey of an inanimate object that no longer sparks joy as it retires to paradise and ‘Baseball Player Soup’ likens macaroni to men’s thighs with a macabre twist. The highlight for me however was ‘This Precious Opportunity’ because whilst it might be absurd to some, that one small change would also absolutely ruin my day and I felt validated reading that story. A special mention also has to go out to ‘A Magic Spell’, its simplicity is beautiful, and I too hope to never lose the wonder in everyday life.

Thank you to Europa Editions and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

I read a week ago but I forgot to review (✌🏼 sorry!)

Okay so......this book is strange. Like truly, beautifully, unsettlingly strange. But it’s the kind of strange that gets under your skin haha not just because it’s surreal, but because it’s right. It says the quiet parts out loud, and then it says them again, but through a mirror, in a dream, with dry humor and ghostly precision. And somehow, it all works.

The author doesn’t ease you in. She just throws you into these sharp little worlds where reality bends, language twists, and nothing is quite what it seems but everything feels painfully familiar. You’ll be reading about something totally bizarre like a woman who becomes part of a movie, an object with feelings and then realize, “Wait… this is about us. This is about me.” I was cackling the whole time because I live for dry humor.

And that’s the magic of it.

This book talks about some very real things as well as sexism, violence against women, performative grief, what society expects of us, how we’re flattened into symbols but it never does it in a way that feels preachy or heavy-handed. What I loved most is that every story feels like a quiet rebellion? They’re weird, but they’re also honest. And honestly? The way she points out how used we are to women dying in media as plot devices, as shock value, as afterthoughts had me audibly whispering, “Wow.” Like yes, I’ve always felt that discomfort, but the author gave it a shape. She gave it language.

Let me just say that this novel isn’t for readers who need everything neat and easy. But if you like stories that mess with form, challenge how we see gender and violence, and aren’t afraid to get weird in the name of truth? Read this. You’ll leave a little shaken. A little smarter. And maybe, like me, a little angry in a necessary kind of way cause you know the truth hurts.

4.5 💓⭐️✨
Thank you Europa Editions for my personal copy I loved it!

A short stories collection of varying lengths. One fun little bit is that there is a part where the author describes the inspiration to the different stories which I really enjoyed. I like to see the process behind writing things.

This was a mediocre short story collection centered on feminist themes. Most of the stories either didn't hit the mark or overexplained themselves and therefore rendered the story uninteresting. A few of them were pretty solid though!

you can never fully rate a short story collection because some stories are a hit while others might miss, it's the same with this one, however i really liked the writing style and will read more by the author.

It was very good, I enjoyed all the stories in the book as well as the characters and the writing style. I will have to get a physical copy once it’s released. Can’t wait to share with friends!

Huge thanks to Europa Editions and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. First published in December 2016, the translation of The Woman Dies comes out September 2025.

Originally drawn by the cover and the title (the subtleties of which are painfully obvious even without opening the book), I quickly fell in love. It's the kind of book that makes me wish I spoke all the languages of the world so I could read anything anytime. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Polly Barton for translating, and I can't wait to read your translation of Butter as well!

The book is a collection of short stories, some more fleshed out, others the length of a sentence. Each of them feels like a magnifying glass shining on issues that women face, overall tying together in a refreshing perspective on feminism. Some of these little stories are so absurd, but so relatable at the same time - there is You Are Not What You Eat (which singlehandedly fixed my relationship with food), Toshiba Mellow #20 18-Watt (which had me scream-laughing), The Start of the Weekend (which paints a hilarious picture of what financial anxiety feels like).

The stories above are a few of my favorites in terms of simplicity and humor, but there are a few that dig a little deeper, are a bit more serious, but just as impactful (I Hate The Girls That You Like, The Woman Dies, The Masculine Touch). They are of course just as delightful to get through, and though the themes are more serious, the absurdist vibe persists.

Overall, this book is the epitome of "if you know you know" and "for the girls". Lovely quick read, stories that will stick with you for a while! Can't wait to get the physical book when it comes out 🤍

This is a fantastic, surreal, fun, otherworldly, (yet sometimes also relatable) book of short stories.

Reading this almost made me feel like I was dropped randomly into other people's journal entries. I loved that some stories fit together by making small references to each other, while others were standalone. The stories were all short enough to read several in once sitting and were divided up nicely between longer stories and super short stories. The beginning of the book contained a lot of stories that were a bit lighter and sillier, then the stories got a bit heavier as the book went on. The book is considered a feminist novel but I felt like that was overstating it - I liked that I was reading stories about misogyny and feminist issues (sometimes flipped on their heads) without feeling like I was being beaten over the head with the rhetoric that I'm already on board with.

I honestly wasn't sure what to think about this book when I first started, but I ended up enjoying it immensely. I can't wait to buy this book for a friend who I know would love it for it's weirdness, just like I did.

Thank you, NetGalley and Eurpoa Editions for the eARC!

A very interesting read! I wish I had looked at the notes towards the end of the book before reading, because the context they provide is very helpful in understanding what is happening in the stories.

Nonetheless, the stories brought about interesting perspectives about things like sex, what feminism looks like, and the culture of Japanese people. “Boy” being the first story was a true attention grabber, and it was such a unique concept that I remained hooked for the rest of the book. Little context is needed to read these stories as individuals, but again, the notes at the end might be helpful to read before diving in to understand what it is you’re walking into.

This is a series of very short stories (some are less than a page). As with any collection, some are more engaging than others, but DNF'ed around 54% as I was really struggling. Some ratings for the stories I made it through:
Whose name was Boy 3/5
Bond 3.5/5
Starry night 4/5
English composition no. 1 2.5/5
I hate the girls that you like 4/5
Money 2.5/5
You are not what you eat 2/5
My secret thrill 2/5
God must be stupid 3/5
Thoughts on balthus's the street the national anthem gets bad 3/5
The sky blue hand 1.5/5
This precious opportunity 4/5
The woman dies 3.5/5
How to transform from a punk into a girl-next-door
How to transform from a girl-next-door into a bad girl Victoria's secret 3.5/5
The year of no wild flowers 2/5
Murder in the cat cafe 3/5
We can't do it! 1/5
Toshiba mellow #20 18-watt hawai'i 2/5
The purest woman in the kingdom 3/5

Thank you to Europa Editions for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on 9/2/25.

I really enjoyed this short story collection. Some stories are better than others, but I really appreciated the variety and the imagination that shines throughout.

I will say, I think the ebook file I had was corrupted and/or not formatted corretly, which made some sections really difficult to read. But this is definitely something I was buy and read when published!

First of all, I love the cover. It does a great job of conveying the odd, uncanny, and fascinating stories within. It’s always hard to rate story collections because of course I liked some more than other. But overall the collection was really good and cohesive. I enjoyed the social commentaries laced throughout and how unique the writing style felt for each story. I think the titular story was my favorite.

4.5 stars. This collection of subversive, impactful, and powerful feminist stories is a must read. It succeeds where a lot of translated literature can fall short. You never feel like you are missing some kind of cultural context here and the women in the stories are frightenly relatable. Very well done.

It’s hard to summarize Aoko Matsuda’s collection of stories in The Woman Dies. Some are only the length of a poem while some weave a complex narrative. Some are clearly related through themes and characters while some leave you wondering (not in a bad way) what they’re doing here. But they are all bite-sized morsels of brilliance that are both funny and thought-provoking.

Much like the story taken from Forrest Gump’s famous quote, “Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates,” you never know what you’re going to get from each of Matsuda’s stories. In one is the perspective of a resident of Van Gogh’s painting (“Starry Night”), in another the pressures of life come out as vomit (“You Are Not What You Eat”), and in another the pain of an unrequited crush is told from the perspective of the national anthem and its feelings for one who refuses to sing it (“The National Anthem Gets It Bad”). Some stories contain reversals, such as “We Can’t Do It!” (rather than Rosie the Riveter’s proclamation “We can do it”) and a story about “The Masculine Touch.” Some stories ask questions, such as, “What if the doodles we fill our margins with came to life?” (“Braids”) and, “What would it look like if we could literally dissect misogyny?” (“Dissecting Misogyny”). Some stories recount imaginative interactions with daily objects, such as yogurt lids and pots of lip balm, as well as meditations on pop culture, from Dr. Spencer Reid to Bette Davis, from Tinkerbell to Bond women.

Overall, I found these stories delightful. I would recommend reading this book on paper (rather than an e-reader) so that you can flip between the stories and the author’s one-line commentaries at the back with greater ease.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europa Editions for my ARC!

The Woman Dies is a genre-defying marvel that pushes the boundaries of storytelling with wit, boldness, and an uncanny sense of play. Aoko Matsuda delivers a collection that is as cerebral as it is emotionally resonant. It examines themes like sexism, societal numbness to violence against women, and the eeriness of our relationship with technology, all through a wonderfully weird and bitingly clever lens.

What sets Matsuda apart is her ability to tackle serious, often painful subjects with a deadpan humor and surrealist flair that disarms even as it confronts. These stories are laced with the unexpected: objects that narrate, language that morphs meaning mid-sentence, and women who refuse to die quietly—on screen or otherwise. Every piece feels like stepping into a different world, or rather, into this world seen from an entirely new, unsettling angle.

There’s a powerful rhythm to Matsuda’s writing: restrained, then suddenly fevered; detached, then sharply intimate. Her feminist critiques are not shouted, but etched with quiet precision and poetic absurdity, making them all the more potent. You’ll laugh, but the laughter might catch in your throat.

Reading The Woman Dies feels like wandering through a dreamscape built by someone who understands how deeply reality can wound—and how language, humor, and invention can fight back.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.