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The Woman in the Purple Skirt
The Woman in the Purple Skirt: A Novel | Natsuko Imamura
18 posts | 17 read | 25 to read
Disquieting and wryly funny, The Woman in the Purple Skirt is a taut and compelling depiction of loneliness and obsession. --Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train A bestselling, prizewinning novel by one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers, for fans of Convenience Store Woman, the novels of Ottessa Moshfegh, and the movies Parasite and Rear Window I think what I'm trying to say is that I've been wanting to become friends with the Woman in the Purple Skirt for a very long time... Almost every afternoon, the Woman in the Purple Skirt sits on the same park bench, where she eats a cream bun while the local children make a game of trying to get her attention. Unbeknownst to her, she is being watched--by the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who is always perched just out of sight, monitoring which buses she takes, what she eats, whom she speaks to. From a distance, the Woman in the Purple Skirt looks like a schoolgirl, but there are age spots on her face, and her hair is dry and stiff. She is single, she lives in a small apartment, and she is short on money--just like the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who lures her to a job as a housekeeper at a hotel, where she too is a housekeeper. Soon, the Woman in the Purple Skirt is having an affair with the boss and all eyes are on her. But no one knows or cares about the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan. That's the difference between her and the Woman in the Purple Skirt. Studiously deadpan and chillingly voyeuristic, The Woman in the Purple Skirt explores envy, loneliness, power dynamics, and the vulnerability of unmarried women in a taut, suspenseful narrative about the sometimes desperate desire to be seen.
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review
Night_Reader
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Pickpick

4/5 🌟

This is a strange little novel about a woman obsessed with another woman in a purple skirt. We learn about the woman in the purple skirt through the eyes of our narrator, who stalks and manipulates her from afar. Although not much happens, the author does a great job creating intrigue, suspicion, and questions in the reader's mind. It's an unsettling and interesting read. The audiobook is fantastic.

sarahbarnes I love Japanese fiction and haven‘t heard of this one - stacking! 2d
18 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TheEllieMo
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

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VRM1975
Mehso-so

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RaeLovesToRead
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Mehso-so

What the actual Dickens did I just read?

This is a short book about a woman in a yellow cardigan & her obsessive interest in the titular woman in the purple skirt. Through her eyes, I found myself becoming drawn in & fascinated by the mundane minutiae of her life.

I'm not sure there was a wider point... commentary on how women are treated & treat each other? Commentary on menial labour?

No idea. It was weird. I think I liked it? Maybe?

⭐⭐⭐

Soubhiville Thanks for your review, I‘ve been wondering how this was. 🙂 2y
RaeLovesToRead @Soubhiville I've read the book and I'm STILL wondering how this is 😅😅 Weird, but kind of compelling. Can understand why someone would love it, but can also understand why someone might be completely bemused by it 🤣 2y
55 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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RaeLovesToRead
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Book and a brew! Matcha latte 🍵
The book is unusual so far... not sure what to make of it!
Waiting for my friend, so we can go grab some sushi 🍣

erzascarletbookgasm I love matcha and I love sushi! Enjoy! 2y
Buchbeeg What a gorgeous latte! 2y
Chelsea.Poole Lovely matcha 🍵 2y
See All 7 Comments
mabell What a pretty drink! 2y
slategreyskies This book looks good! Stacked!! 2y
RaeLovesToRead @erzascarletbookgasm @Buchbeeg @Chelsea.Poole @mabell 200 degrees in Nottingham does the best drinks 😊💕 2y
RaeLovesToRead @slategreyskies It's an odd one so far! Im reserving judgement... review to surely follow! 😄 2y
59 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Hanna-B

Can‘t wait for this one. Japanese fiction is sone of my favourite writing

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ReadingEnvy
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Pickpick

The narrator has noticed the woman in the purple skirt around the neighborhood, from her weekly cream bun in the park to the cafe she uses to look at job ads. At first it seems harmless and then less so, because nobody notices The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan.

This is an award-winning novel in Japan, was originally published in 2019, and the English language version was translated by Lucy North.

56 likes2 stack adds
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shadowspeak17
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Happy new year! 😄
My last book of 2021 was The Woman in the Purple Skirt, and my first one of 2022 will be We Begin at the End for #NewYearWhoDis.
#lastfirst

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charl08
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I think they missed an opportunity for a purple outfit on the cover...

55 likes1 stack add
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

I thought this was funny and quirky but it's also a little bit creepy because the narrator (who refers to herself as the woman in the yellow cardigan) is basically stalking the woman in the purple skirt.

#BookSpinBingo square 8
@TheAromaofBooks

Cathythoughts Sounds interesting.. stacked 👍🏻 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
42 likes1 stack add2 comments
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squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

#ToB

The woman in the yellow cardigan is watching the woman in the purple skirt…why?

This started off quirky-weird (like Convenience Store Woman) and I wanted to know more. The last third was just weird-weird and I‘m not sure what the aim of the book was. I think it‘s about obsession but it left me rather unsatisfied and it wouldn‘t make my shortlist.

Still a pick - just. I‘d give it a go though @Jee_HookedOnBookz - you might love it!

squirrelbrain I also tried this one today but it‘s about a degenerative nerve disease which hits a bit too close to home for me. I knew before I started and thought I‘d be Ok but bailed after 30 minutes of audio. I think others will like it though. 3y
Ruthiella Weird like humor can be tricky, right? But still a pick so I‘ll check it out. Maybe it‘ll turn out to be my kind of weird!🤪 3y
squirrelbrain It‘s really short too @Ruthiella so worth a go, I think! 3y
See All 7 Comments
BarbaraBB I enjoyed this one a lot. So Japanese! 3y
Cinfhen It‘s available on #Scribd but I have to wait until my new month starts on December 4 3y
Jee_HookedOnBookz Ok :) Thank you for the tag! I'll check it out. Waiting for the price to drop 😅 3y
85 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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BarbaraBB
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#BookReport 40/21

I read four books this week. All completely different. The Rooney and The Leavers felt a bit as a letdown, the two others I really enjoyed.

Megabooks I‘ve read all four, and we agree on the best two! 💜 3y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Like we do in your book report 👯‍♀️ 3y
TrishB Just read your review of Bewilderment and I think it‘s the first one that makes me want to read it. 3y
See All 10 Comments
BarbaraBB @TrishB I feel flattered but am not as good with words as most people here so I am not sure my review is trustworthy! 3y
TrishB I love your reviews! We all review very differently and that‘s the great part of it. 3y
BarbaraBB @TrishB ❤️ 3y
Cinfhen Interesting that you didn‘t like the Rooney… 3y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen i didn‘t much care for it 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y
Cinfhen Have you liked her other books ?? 3y
BarbaraBB I loved Conversation and was underwhelmed by Normal People too so I guess she‘s not really for me even though I do enjoy her books while reading them. They are just very forgettable for me. You did like this one most, right? @Cinfhen (edited) 3y
71 likes1 stack add10 comments
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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

The woman in the purple skirt is continuously being watched and followed by the woman in the yellow cardigan, the narrator of this quirky Japanese novel. In a light tone of voice this is really a dark novel about loneliness.

Picture: Marseille, France

squirrelbrain Gorgeous pic! ❤️ 3y
Megabooks I can see this being a great vacation read. I‘m glad you enjoyed it! Lovely photo!! 3y
LeahBergen You‘re killing me again with the beautiful travel pics! 3y
batsy What a photo! 😍 3y
66 likes4 comments
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Clwojick
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Pickpick

Although the stalker element in this book gave it some mystery, I wouldn‘t really call it suspenseful or thrilling. However, I did still really enjoy it! This was a short audiobook, so I‘m adding another 2hrs to my Readathon points for #teamslaughter!


#Scarathlon2021 #TeamSlaughter #Screamathon #littenlisten #Bfc21 #bookspinbingo #spookoweenreadathon

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this quirky Japanese thriller with serious Mr. Ripley vibes.

The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan is obsessed with The Woman in the Purple Skirt. Yellow Cardigan goes from observing Purple Skirt to finding deeper and deeper ways to entwine their lives.

While there isn‘t that intensity and fear that you find in the typical American thriller, this fast read still had me turning the pages.

KarenUK Love that cover 😍 3y
Cinfhen Almost downloaded this one off of scribd this morning, instead I chose 3y
See All 13 Comments
Megabooks @KarenUK it is very pretty!! 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen thanks re: my shelves!! 😘 Light Perpetual sounds interesting, but I think Purple Skirt is more up my alley. 🤔 3y
Cinfhen It‘s on the #ManBooker21Longlist otherwise I would have probably skipped it 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen ahhh yes!! I‘m not doing that this year. The list didn‘t really leap out at me like last year‘s. 🤷🏻‍♀️ that award hits me that way some years, and I generally don‘t force the issue. We‘ll see what I do with the National Book Award and Tournament of Books. 🤔 3y
BarbaraBB Great review. I‘ve stacked, sounds like my kind of book! 3y
erzascarletbookgasm Interesting cover! Already stacked this! 3y
rabbitprincess Ooh I love Japanese mysteries and thrillers! This one looks good. 3y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I think you‘d like it. 👍🏻 3y
Megabooks @erzascarletbookgasm It is a fantastic cover! 🤩 3y
Megabooks @rabbitprincess it is good! Great combination of a slow burn/fast pace with that signature Japanese style. 3y
107 likes5 stack adds13 comments
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PNWBookseller85
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Pickpick

A quick and quirky read. Reminded me a bit of Convenience Store Woman. It‘s fast-paced and odd and suspenseful. A novel of obsession.

Tamra The blurb is enticing - stacked! 3y
66 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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TracyReadsBooks
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Gorgeous evening for some reading outside. Just me, a gentle breeze, the setting sun, and a new book…