A review by maecaitlin
All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami

reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Interesting exploration of trauma and recovery. I found Fuyoka’s late-bloomer development to be a great depiction of life after a traumatic event.
As a result, her finding a gentle love in Mitsutsuka feels tender and sweet.


Kawakami’s writing is blunt and sometimes misses the mark for my taste. I particularly enjoyed the motif of a solo walk every Christmas Eve/Fuyoka’s Birthday, yet I wish there was more of a fleshed-out exploration of what this means to the character. However, I am mindful of and unsure if some meaning is lost in translation.

I feel Kawakami’s characters will live in my head for a long while as they feel very close to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.
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