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

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

All the Lovers in the Night is a frigid yet powerful novel that delves into loneliness, connection, and self-discovery, but it also describes work and the close connection of friendship and love, as well as a thought-provoking perspective on social and gendered expectations. The main character, Fuyuko Irie, is easily relatable, and Kawakami does an excellent job at conveying her emotions through the story. The novel moves at a bit slow-ish to medium pace, which may not appeal to everyone, but it allows you to really immerse yourself in the plot. If you appreciate stories that focus on characters and emotions, this one is absolutely worth reading. I wish Kawakami had developed and examined the characters further, but I enjoyed her writing approach of contrasting them, as with Fuyuko and Hijiri. It's a story that sticks with you and makes you wonder long after you've finished reading (endings tend to do this to me). 
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