ALL THE LOVERS IN THE NIGHT
by Mieko Kawakami
A QUICK BOOK REVIEW
The novel tackles themes of loneliness and alienation in the life of quiet and timid Fuyuko Irie. It is more of a character study than a plot-driven novel. Because plot-wise, nothing much happens in this slow paced novel, but the focus was mostly on the main character and her desolate inner world.
The characters are believable and relatable, and eventually Fuyuko grows out of her despair and heart-wrenching loneliness into an aloneness that she handles pretty well. The prose is easy to read with vivid descriptions and beauty embedded within its lines.
It might not be for every one if you don’t enjoy reading between the lines to learn how a person is feeling, as it’s a character-driven, show don’t tell type of book: paints a picture of the world the character is living in (the weather, the smell, the textures, etc..) to induce the feelings of the main character.
“I felt the unread pages dwindling in my grip until I finally turned the last page and shut the book. The sound was far louder than it should have been, or at least it seemed that way. The following day, once I had finished work and spent a little time drinking and doing nothing, I climbed into bed only to realize that I had no way to occupy myself, which gave rise to an unspeakable loneliness, although I had no idea what it was that made me feel so lonely.”
Trigger warnings: sexual assault and substance abuse.
