'Witty, wise and thought-provoking' Cecelia Ahern
'Crackles and pops with humour, empathy and intelligence' Lisa Owens, author of Not Working
'So brilliantly written' Roxy Dunn, author of As Young as This
'[Will] rattle your heart and brain' Dakota Johnson

Izumi needs to get a job.
Haruka needs to stop talking about how she once had cancer.
Katō needs to get through a shift at the convenience store without being harassed.
Mito needs to break up with her boyfriend - or marry him.
Sumie just needs somewhere to live.

"An audacious five-story collection populated by women bluntly eschewing expectations ... Yamamoto's empathic characters - even a quarter-century after their debut - remain timeless figures of strength and resilience" - Shelf Awareness

"This award-winning best-seller captures the modern woman in a dark, unflinching portrait" - Booklist

"Funny, at times self-deprecating, and unafraid to lean into the darkness, Fumio Yamamoto's masterpiece is sure to find resonance with readers today" - Chicago Review of Books

"Now offered in translation for the first time, this collection featuring women navigating societal expectations (and their small rebellions) is a classic. The author brings complexity, emotion, and a delicate touch to extremely relatable characters." - Boston Globe