Natsuko Imamura

"A bestselling, prizewinning novel of obsession and psychological intrigue about two enigmatic unmarried women, one of whom manipulates the other from afar, by one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers"--

A Novel

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

A surprising and moving novella about a misunderstood neurodivergent girl from one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers, the author of The Woman in the Purple Skirt A sensitive and tender depiction of belonging and neurodivergence, perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman and the off-kilter novels of Ottessa Moshfegh Other people don’t seem to understand Amiko. Whether eating curry rice with her hands at school or peeking through the sliding doors at her mother’s calligraphy class, her curious, exuberant nature mostly meets with confusion. When her mother falls into a depression and her brother begins spending all his time with a motorcycle gang, Amiko is left increasingly alone to navigate a world where she doesn’t quite fit. Subtle, tender and moving, This is Amiko shows us life through the eyes of a unique, irrepressible, neurodivergent young character. Praise for The Woman in the Purple Skirt: “[It] will keep you firmly in its grip.” — Oyinkan Braithwaite, bestselling author of My Sister, the Serial Killer “The love child of Eugene Ionesco and Patricia Highsmith.” — Kelly Link, bestselling author of Get in Trouble “A taut and compelling depiction of loneliness.” — Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

This is Amiko, Do You Copy?

Sayaka Murata (Afterword)

Lucy North (Translator)

Asa: The Girl Who Turned into a Pair of Chopsticks

Woman in the Purple Skirt

Mor Etekli Kadin

Kobieta w Fioletowej Spódnicy

Hoshi no ko

Cô gái mặc váy tím

La donna dalla gonna viola

La mujer de la falda violeta

“A taut and compelling depiction of loneliness and obsession.” --Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train “[It] will keep you firmly in its grip.” --Oyinkan Braithwaite, bestselling author of My Sister, the Serial Killer “The love child of Eugene Ionesco and Patricia Highsmith.” --Kelly Link, bestselling author of Get in Trouble A bestselling, prizewinning novel by one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers, for fans of Convenience Store Woman, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, 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, and with the off-kilter appeal of the novels of Ottessa Moshfegh, 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.

A surprising and moving novella about a misunderstood young girl from one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers, the author of The Woman in the Purple Skirt A sensitive and tender depiction of belonging and neurodivergence, perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman and the off-kilter novels of Ottessa Moshfegh Other people don’t seem to understand Amiko. Whether eating curry rice with her hands at school or peeking through the sliding doors at her mother’s calligraphy class, her curious, exuberant nature mostly meets with confusion. When her mother falls into a depression and her brother begins spending all his time with a motorcycle gang, Amiko is left increasingly alone to navigate a world where she doesn’t quite fit. Subtle, tender and moving, This is Amiko shows us life through the eyes of a unique, irrepressible, neurodivergent young character. Praise for The Woman in the Purple Skirt: “[It] will keep you firmly in its grip.” — Oyinkan Braithwaite, bestselling author of My Sister, the Serial Killer “The love child of Eugene Ionesco and Patricia Highsmith.” — Kelly Link, bestselling author of Get in Trouble “A taut and compelling depiction of loneliness.” — Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

This is Amiko

  Cartea unei obsesii tulburătoare, într-un crescendo dramatic, ce capătă treptat tonurile unui roman de suspans, desfășurându-se într-o spirală de sentimente nerostite, de singurătate, de angoasa a două femei captive între dorința de a fi vizibile și nevoia de a fi iubite. Un roman cu doze mari de umor, explorând vulnerabilitatea și dificultatea de a-ți găsi un loc într-o lume în care ești perceput ca diferit.

  Personajul căruia i se spune „Femeia cu fustă violet“ este de vârstă incertă, se dă în vânt după brioșele cu cremă de lapte, nu are prieteni și a schimbat o mulțime de slujbe. Probabil că datorită fustei violet, care a ajuns să-i definească identitatea, urmează mereu aceeași rutină. Când iese din casă, vecinii sunt cu ochii pe ea, iar copiii din parc o urmăresc, dornici s-o atragă în jocurile lor. Femeia cu fustă violet are un unic mare talent – să se strecoare lin prin mulțime fără să se atingă de nimeni și fără să se lase doborâtă de nici un trecător. Același talent este pus în valoare și în modul în care știe să navigheze prin viața cotidiană. Și tocmai atunci când oamenii cred că au reușit să-i înțeleagă și să-i anticipeze orice mișcare, un eveniment ieșit din comun rupe sfera predictibilului.

Natsuko Imamura

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