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

reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

But I asked myself: Haven’t you always done your best with whatever you were up against? Haven’t you given it your all whatever came your way? Unfortunately, no. That’s not how things had been for me. I had faked it the whole way. In all those years of doing whatever I was told to do, I had convinced myself that I was doing something consequential, in order to make excused for myself, as I was doing right now, and perpetually dismissed the fact that I’d done nothing with my life, nothing. I was so scared of failing, of being hurt, that I chose nothing. I did nothing. 

This excerpt is a good representation of what the book is about. It's a reflective insight into the life of a loner going through the motions. We learn about Fuyuko, the narrator/main character, through her interactions with people. She's kind of a blank slate and we really only know what she's like through how her acquaintances respond to her. It seems like the other characters only like her because her "emptiness" makes her a good sounding board for their frustrations...at least, until they don't have anything more to share:
I have no idea what you're thinking...I guess maybe you aren't thinking at all. It's like there's nothing in there. Just being around you really pisses me off.

It's not all one-sided either. Because of Fuyuko's lack of sense of self, she mirrors those who stick around long enough in an attempt to absorb bits and pieces to form a personality she thinks she should have. Because she thinks those parts are good, she believes it would also look good on her until someone confronts her. And it's like the mirror shatters. In the end, it still takes other people's words or actions directly about her to compel her to reflect on herself.

Not much happens in terms of a plot or a story, but I still think it's a well-written reflection on this type of person that does exist in the real world.
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