Cover Image: A Perfect Day to be Alone

A Perfect Day to be Alone

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I really enjoyed how this was split into sections by season so we got to experience a year (plus a season) through Chizu's life. There's not a lot of action in this book which is fine by me but I can see why people would be bored by this. I loved the last season that we saw of Chizu's life.

The reason for the 3 stars is that Chizu was really unlikeable, and not in the 'i-hate-you-but-also-I-am-obsessed-with-you' way that I'm usually a big fan of. Part of the narrative revolves around Chizu's belief that she is a bad person and I can see how she grows as the narrative progresses but I just don't like her.

The length really worked in this books favour because I am pretty sure I would have DNF'd if it had been longer.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

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Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC.

I have no feelings for this book. I didn't connect tot anything in it unfortunately. Might be someone else's taste, and for someone who just wants a lowkey book that's harmless I might recommend it. But honestly - this book wasn't really about anything and the protagonist was a little boring...

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A charming tale of a lost young woman trying to make it in modern-day Tokyo, and the grumpy-yet-loveable older woman she lodges with. Chizu has decided to move to Tokyo, and with her mother getting a job in China she moves in with Ginko, a friend or distant relative of the family who has taken in many girls in the past as they start a new life. Chizu is in a relationship, but that soon ends, and she finds part-time work as a hostess and then at a kiosk in the local train station. She starts a new relationship, and slowly becomes aware that the strongest relationship she knows is the one between her landlady and her beau, a quiet but settled connection that Chizu watches and admires.

Over the course of a year Chizu's life changes, with new jobs and new relationships. It is a coming-of-age tale of finding meaning and purpose in life, and about moving on when the time comes. By the end, Chizu has moved out and is more confident, freer in her new life.

It's a simple tale, but beautifully written and heartfelt. I really enjoyed it. 4.5 stars, happily rounded up to 5.

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

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This is about a woman in her twenties moving in with her 71-year-old eccentric distant relative after her mum goes to China, and follows them as they get to know each other. I love books about very different characters coming together, which is what drew me towards this one. It’s a beautifully translated novel, which has a brilliant sense of place, with everything feeling so vivid and real.

However, the characters were where this fell flat for me. I wanted to love this so much but I found Chizu unlikeable and didn’t feel like we got to know much about her. The moments where Chizu got to know Ginko, who was lovely by the way, were tarnished by Chizu’s personality. Everything seemed to move too fast without leaving any space for characters or relationships to develop, which was such a shame!

Atmospheric, melancholic, but ultimately I wanted more.

*I received a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

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Japanese literature tends to be hit and miss for me, but I'm happy to say this little peek at Japanese slacker culture won me over. Short enough to be consumed in a single day, if that's your thing, or conveniently structured by the seasons of a year if you want to linger longer.

When her mother announces she is emigrating to China for work, 20yo Chizu decides to stay behind in Japan, but move to Tokyo for the first time. In Spring, arrangements are made for her to move into the spare room of an elderly, widowed, distant relative named Ginko, whom Chizu had never met before.

"The walls of my room were lined with cat photos, set in fancy frames just below the ceiling. They started on the left as you went in, continued above the window on the far side of the room and extended halfway down the right-hand wall." (Page 1 - OK Nanae Aoyama, you got me!)

These pictures turn out to be the 'Cherokees', Ginko's departed cats whose individual names are no longer remembered, but who were loved nevertheless. Chizu seems to take this and many of Ginko's other quirks in her stride, although she can at times be cruel in attitude and in what she says to the elderly lady. But soon enough, they are getting along and Chizu feels settled enough to add a second part-time job at a nearby train station to her first as a hostess.

As the year passes, both women are in relationships, and the elderly couple often invite Chizu along on their dinner dates. Chizu doesn't exactly reciprocate, but she does bring her boyfriend home for meals with them often enough to warrant his own set of chopsticks. But as the relationship fades, Chizu's insecurities lead to withdrawal and the need to make some big decisions about her life.

By the following Spring, Chizu's transformation is well underway.

In some ways this story reminded me of Melanie Cheng's book, Room for a Stranger, although this time we are looking at it from the younger lodger's point of view. But in Aoyama's book, I felt the connection between the two housemates was more tender and very close to becoming a genuine friendship. I'm happy to recommend this quiet, melancholic coming of age story.

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Nanae Aoyama’s prize-winning novel’s a bittersweet blend of slice-of-life and coming-of-age story. It’s narrated by Chizu who’s just turned 20 - not much younger than Aoyama when this originally appeared in 2007. Chizu’s lived alone with her mother since early childhood but now her mother’s taken a teaching job in China. Instead of going with her, Chizu opts to move to Tokyo to stay with older relative Ginko, someone she’s never met. Suddenly thrown together, the two women are at very different stages in life. Ginko’s in her seventies, residing with her cats in a one-storey house in the Tokyo suburbs, for Chizu she’s a source of fascination and occasional irritation. Like many Japanese novels, Aoyama’s book unfolds over the course of a year from spring to spring, following Chizu in her efforts to define herself: to work out who she wants to be and how she wants to live. There are no major plot developments, Aoyama’s emphasis is more on character and mood, as Chizu forms a tentative bond with Ginko, drifting between bad relationships and equally dead-end jobs.

Aoyama’s clearly invested in representing women on the margins of Japanese society, her central character Chizu provides an opening for an oblique exploration of Japan’s so-called “freeters” (フリーター, furītā), a group of younger people not in education or full-time employment. Instead, they seem somehow rootless, engaged in low-status, temp work. Most often women, "freeters" like Chizu are frequently represented as a social problem, misfits who’ve failed, or refused, to achieve the status of adult in Japanese society: seemingly without aspirations; lack of money makes them less likely to live independently, marry or produce children; a potential economic burden because they don’t contribute to pensions or have health insurance.

Aoyama’s sympathetic but refreshingly unsentimental portrait of Chizu raises additional issues relating to femininity and cultural expectations. Chizu’s clearly uncomfortable in her own skin, she longs for meaningful relationships yet holds herself apart from everyone around her. Prickly and frustrated, Chizu exists in a state of muted rebellion, she supposedly despises those who appear settled and “normal” but secretly envies their apparent certainty. She expresses her yearning for intimacy by stealing small objects from people around her, reminders of loss and/or symbols of what might have been. She carefully scrutinises older women like her mother and Ginko in an attempt to work out what futures are possible. Although at times some of Aoyama’s creative choices, such as placing Ginko’s house next to a train station to suggest transition and fleeting connection, felt a little obvious. They also prefigured Aoyama’s ultimate refusal to provide a neat or lasting resolution to Chizu’s predicament. Displaying the influence of writers like Banana Yoshimoto and Françoise Sagan, Aoyama’s acutely-observed piece rewards close reading. I particularly enjoyed and admired Aoyama’s controlled combination of the direct and the lyrical, the copious, atmospheric depictions of light, colour and sensation. Although I would’ve loved to see some scenes that presented things from Ginko’s perspective. Translated by Jesse Kirkwood.

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A Perfect Day to be Alone is a very charming novella, perfectly carving out its quiet coming of age tale.

Our main character, Chizu, moves in with a distant older relative, Ginko, after her mother moves to China. She has no interest in going to university, has an unsatisfactory relationship, and feels a bit aimless. Ginko has housed many young people in the past, in her little Tokoyo based home, and is no stranger to stray twenty-somethings.

We watch as the months pass by, as Chizu tries to carve out her place in the world, communicates with her aging house mate, and takes on a variety of jobs.

It’s short, quaint, and inviting. It really swept me away to this little Japanese house situated behind a train station. The depth of the setting truly shines in this book - it’s written, and translated, so well. I could picture everything so perfectly, it was almost a shock to lift my head away from the page to realise I wasn’t curled up by the kotatsu, with Chizu and Ginko, myself.

Even though Chizu can be quite short and abrupt, it didn’t take away from the charm, instead solidifying the reality of how it feels when you’re feeling quite lost in life and unsure of everything. It’s highly introspective, and we truly get an understanding of how she’s feeling throughout this time in her life.

It’s a pleasant, if slightly unconventional, slice of life, and the perfect book to pick up if you’re after a little literary escape.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.

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A contemplative and somewhat melancholy short novel moving through the seasons and telling the story of a 20-year-old Chizu moving in with a 71-year-old Ginko (and her cats) in Tokyo. Chizu’s observations are often pessimistic and even cruel, but her experiences of moving from home to a new city, falling in and out of relationships, and finding her small place in the adult world are very relatable. The translation from Japanese was done very well, retaining the beauty in the writing. The strange fondness that grows between Chitzu and Ginko was moving and overall a wonderful little read.

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This is a very interesting and captivating short book which I enjoyed reading very much.
It’s a nice pallet cleanser in between fast, high action thrillers and cheese romance novels.
The slow pace and the uncluttered sentences create a gentle story about a young woman entering adulthood.

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If you want a cute and wholesome literary fiction you should read this! It was sweet and short but definitely worth reading.

The writing in this was so beautiful and elegant and really made you feel for the main character. It delves into a lot of family relationships and dynamics which I liked and really makes you think and reflect on your own life.

Give it a go if this sounds like it’s for you, but it’s definitely an acquired taste.

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#aperfectdaytobealone by #nanaeaoyama translated by #jessekirkwood out 9th May in the UK. Thanks to @netgalley #netgalley for this #arc

A short and beautifully written story, if you liked #conveniencestorewoman by @sayaka_murata_, this is of a similar dry and to the point narrative. That said, this book is really moving and rich in terms of detail.

I don't want to add the synopsis or say much more, I would just invite you to read it, you will love it. I hope we have more translations from this author ASAP, she is super talented! As is the translator!

#honnomushi100 #reading #japanesefiction #japaneseliterature #japanesetranslatedfiction #books #books2022 #translatedfiction #translatedgems #japaneseauthor #translatedjapaneseliterature #booksfromjapan #japaneselit #JAPANESEAUTHORS #translatedjapaneseliterature

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Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an arc to this book. This was absolutely a must-read for me, based on the title and the cover purely, and I'm happy to report that I loved it. 5 stars on GR, closer to a 4.5 or 4.75 in reality.

The prose in this book is just so well crafted, and despite her eccentricities and awkwardness, often coming across as a downright bitch, our main character Chizu I found to be very relatable and understandable. She's clearly in her early 20s trying to figure out many things about herself and place in life, but the relationship with her distant relative Ginko, their dynamics, and the charming exchanges they have form the true heart of this tale.

While I enjoyed Chizu and her relationship with Ginko, the best parts of the book to me were the explorations of Chizu's frayed relationship with her mother, as well as her takes on past and current relationships with partners as well as people in larger society. Between that and the truly stellar writing, I loved this book a lot.

I could see why people would not enjoy this book, but I often felt that the text here was warm, quiet, inviting, and exceedingly beautiful. If you enjoy pure vibes in a literary fiction then I think this could work for you as well.

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A brief glimpse into the world of a Japanese woman in her early 20s moving to Tokyo to live with an elderly distant relative, trying to place herself in life, and define what she actually means. The story is an intimate view of relationships between mother and daughter, a young woman and her elderly landlord, two elderly people in a languid affair, people in their 20s looking for affection, and, perhaps the most important relationship of all, that between the protagonist and herself.

The story spans a bit over a year, and sees our protagonist mature through a series of events and relationships that gradually help her realise the futility of the search she felt she had to be on, and start accepting who she is and who is not. There is really no complex meta-plot, emotive scenes, or thought provoking dialogues. It's indeed all about scenes from daily life.

Overall, I am lukewarm towards it. It was a nice experience (also due to its brevity, which kept it from being boring), and an interesting window into the nihilism that can sometimes overwhelm young people, especially, apparently, in contemporary Japan. There is a pervasive sense of loneliness and dejection that dominates the story, and it is worth reading to understand people who find themselves in these circumstances. That being said, I found the premise to be underexplored, and the story to be rather bland. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's like drinking room temperature tea - you know it would taste better if it were hot and freshly brewed.

I might recommend it to those looking to better understand Gen Z and Gen A, especially in Japan. That being said, there just isn't enough here to warrant spending the time.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me early access to this book in return for an honest review.

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I quite enjoyed this book. The main character Chizu is in her early twenties. She is sent to live with an aged, distant relative, Ginko, in Tokyo after her mother moves to China for work.

Told from a a first person perspective, the writing brings out Chizu's quirky personality traits: she is an oddball trying to navigate life without much motivation. Her conversations and interactions with Ginko are interesting and add development to both characters. They spend time together through the varying seasons of a year.

A Perfect Day to Be Alone is one of those slice of life books that will keep you invested.

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My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my free digital ARC! Japanese literature almost always hits the spot for me, so I was disappointed that this one left me underwhelmed. It’s a short book, almost a novella, spanning four seasons and chronicling 20-year-old Chizu’s move to Tokyo from a small town. She moves in with a distant family friend, 70-year-old Ginko, and the pair strike up an uneasy alliance. Chizu is a difficult character to root for. I’m usually all in for a character bumbling through their twenties, not knowing what it is they want or even who they are yet, but lord she was tough to like. She was often unnecessarily rude to Ginko as well, like hello this lady is letting you live in her house for a pittance?! Not particularly memorable I’m afraid, though the translation by Jesse Kirkwood was smooth as butter.

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I picked up this book based on its title. It's so intriguing before you even read the first sentence!

This is a quirky fast read that explores the relationship between Chizu (aged twenty) and Ginko (aged seventy-one) when they live together
after Chizu's mother moves to China to work. Chizu is not always likeable particularly in relation to her behaviour towards Ginko, and her tolerance for the older woman's eccentricities. Yet I found this interesting as it demonstrated how easily older people and their experiences can be dismissed but in some ways Chizu's behaviours and spitefulness were triggered by a realisation that Ginko seemed to be having a better life than she was. It explores themes of loneliness and trying to find your place in the world and navigating love and disappointment.

I found it a melancholic read and was quite disappointed when it came to end. I'd like to have continued on the journey with both characters to find out if Chizu found some purpose and meaning and if she reconnected with Ginko in the future.

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3.5 / 5 stars

A short, yet somewhat relatable story of a 20 year old woman who moves to the city and witnesses life unfolding before her. This takes place across a year in Japan, with the book divided into four seasonal sections; Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

I quite enjoyed this! I found it a little slow to start, but when summer rolled around I was engaged. The translation was great, however I did spot a grammatical error at one point (just my eagle eye for this stuff!). This was a super quick read, only about 150 pages, and I would recommend this if you need a short pick-me-up book or are trying to get out of a reading slump. This is a little gem of a book, and if I ever come across a physical copy, I will be purchasing.

Also the title? Love it.

I just wanted to share one of my favourite segments I read;

" I'd have liked to stay young, to lead a quiet life sheltered from all the drama of the world. But it seemed that wasn't an option. I was braced for my fair share of hardship. I wanted to try being an ordinary person, living an ordinary life. I wanted to become as thick-skinned as possible, to turn myself into someone who could survive anything.
I didn't know what dreams I was supposed to have for the future, or what people meant when they talked about meeting the love of their life. But those were the kind of things I found myself vaguely longing for. "

HELLOOOOO??? I absolutely love this. So very relatable.

thank you to Quercus Books & NetGalley for the arc, appreciated as always! All opinions are my own :)

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Chizu and Ginko have a special relationship, and as Chizu becomes an adult Ginko gets older and somehow the two lives seem to resemble each other despite the 50-year difference between the two women. A sparse language devoid of any drive, where even the feelings are muffled despite the fact that at times the characters themselves speak of passion, difficult to perceive though. A story set in contemporary Japan that presents us with two female characters with all their fragility and loneliness.

Chizu e Ginko hanno una relazione speciale e, mentre Chizu diventa grande Ginko diventa vecchia ed in qualche modo le due vite sembrano assomigliarsi nonostante i 50 anni di differenza tra le due donne. Un linguaggio scarno e privo di qualsiasi pulsione, anche i sentimenti sono ovattati nonostante a volte gli stessi personaggi parlino di passione, difficile da percepire peró. Una storia ambientata nel Giappone contemporaneo che ci propone due personaggi femminili con tutta la loro fragilità e la loro solitudine.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

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A nice translated fiction which brings the story of why old and young can work in harmony. The importance of not being tossed to the side just based on age. A nice short read for those in a slump and looking for the story of self discovery

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Even though is a short book, it felt too long. Lots of negativity too. Ginko's character was very nice, in comparison with Chizu who I couldn't stand throughout this story. Also, the story in itself didn't sa anything to me, to be honest. Translation is really good, though!

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