Where the wild ladies are

BY matsuda aoko / TRanslated from japanese BY polly barton

Shortlisted, Ray Bradbury Prize for science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction

Winner, English PEN Translates Award

Witty, inventive, and profound, Where the Wild Ladies Are is a contemporary feminist retelling of traditional ghost stories by one of Japan’s most exciting writers.

In a company run by the mysterious Mr Tei, strange things are afoot – incense sticks lead to a surprise encounter; a young man reflects on his mother’s death; a foxlike woman finally finds her true calling. As female ghosts appear in unexpected guises, their gently humorous encounters with unsuspecting humans lead to deeper questions about emancipation and recent changes in Japanese women’s lives.

The second story of the collection, "Smartening Up" is available to read in Granta.

PRAISE

“Delightfully uncanny” – New York Times

“Funny, beautiful, surreal and relatable, this is a phenomenal book.” – The Guardian

“In Where the Wild Ladies Are, Aoko Matsuda has taken traditional stories and infused them with an unhinged feminist energy that feels subversive, sly, and nothing short of revelatory.” – Refinery 29

“(S)mart and formally inventive (…) Beauty, jealousy and women’s place in Japanese society are all explored in stories which are funny, strange and intriguing.” – Tatler

“A translator herself, Matsuda knows how to play with language, infusing her narrators with memorable idiosyncrasies. While each chapter is its own contained short story, some interlink. The result is a reimagining of traditional tales as part of a broader narrative about women and power.” – TIME

“With this collection, Matsuda subverts the typical male-dominated workplace to look the chauvinism of contemporary Japanese society right in the eye. And her gaze is burning.” – Hyperallergic

“Matsuda creates compelling variations on a theme, a kind of literary jazz that makes for moments of quiet delight when this collection is at its best.” – Words Without Borders

“Upending gender and racial stereotypes one angry, hilarious ghost at a time, Where the Wild Ladies Are is a brilliant exploration of contemporary Japanese society. As unputdownable and chilling as the works of Shirley Jackson and as darkly funny and deadpan as the films of Yorgos Lanthimos. A spooky, subversive must-read.” – Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti

“In 2020, taking a collection of traditional Japanese ghost stories and crafting them into often humorous yet painfully relevant tales is a move of pure genius by Aoko Matsuda. (…) Witty, biting, and poignant, Matsuda’s collection is a pleasantly haunting surprise.” – Jessica Esa, Metropolis

“This was an amazing read. A troupe of women are sent in from another world in order to help relieve the angst of the people in this world.” – Hiroko Kitamura, Hon no zasshi sha

“Turning one’s back on despair and instead channelling all one’s energy into living as one’s true self is what gives one the strength to take on spectral form. This is a call to power to live with sufficient conviction to become ghosts.” – Akiko Ohtake, Asahi shimbun

“An enjoyable and satisfying read, coming out of a sense of discomfort and unease around gender inequality. This is a short story collection where classic works from rakugo and kabuki are developed in the author’s unique style.” – Asayo Takii, Nami

Named a ‘best book of the year so far‘ by Tatler

Named a ‘best books of the year so far 2020‘ by BBC Culture

One of TIME’s Best Books of 2020

MORE INFORMATION

• ISBNs: 978-1-911284-38-3 (print) /  (ebook)

• Publication date: 13 February 2020

• Extent: 284 pp

• Format: B-format paperback (198mm × 127mm)

• Rights held: World English (excl. North America)