**"Two Intriguing Works"**

Milk by Tamaki Daido is a captivating piece. It likely explores the various aspects and significance of milk in different contexts. Perhaps it delves into the cultural, nutritional, or emotional associations that milk holds. The title alone piques our curiosity, making us eager to discover what the author has to say about this seemingly ordinary yet essential substance.

Inside by Rio Shimamoto is another interesting work. The word "inside" implies a deeper exploration, a look within something or someone. It could be about the inner thoughts, emotions, or hidden aspects of a particular subject. Maybe the author takes us on a journey into the interior of a place, a relationship, or even the human psyche. With this title, there is a sense of mystery and anticipation, as we wonder what lies beneath the surface and what revelations the story will bring.

These two works, Milk by Tamaki Daido and Inside by Rio Shimamoto, offer unique perspectives and invite us to engage with their respective themes. Whether it's the exploration of milk or the journey into the inside, they both have the potential to captivate and启发 our minds.

I firmly believe that Gina is going to take great pleasure in this. It is truly interesting material - women penning about sex, love, death, and all that captivating and enticing stuff. They do so in that semi-detached manner which a significant number of Japanese authors tend to employ.

This unique style of writing adds an extra layer of allure and mystery to the topics being explored. It allows the readers to engage with the content on a deeper level, while also maintaining a certain distance that makes it all the more fascinating.

Gina, with her curious and open-minded nature, is bound to be drawn in by this exploration of the human experience through the lens of sex, love, and death. She will likely find herself immersed in the vivid descriptions and thought-provoking insights that these female authors have to offer.

It will be an exciting journey for her as she delves into this world of Japanese literature and discovers the hidden gems within.

Although the short stories were initially published in Japanese, the compilation was only ever published in English.

The authors of these short stories are an interesting and diverse group. They include Amy Yamada, Chiya Fujino, Shungiku Uchida, Tamaki Daido, Rio Shimamoto, Yuzuki Muroi, Junko Hasegawa, and Nobuko Takagi. Each author brings their own unique style and perspective to the table.

As with any compilation of short stories, some were better than others. This is to be expected, as different readers will have different tastes. However, the overall quality of the stories was quite high. The best part of reading this compilation was that it introduced me to some amazing writers whose books I am just itching to read. Yamada, in particular, stood out to me, and I can't wait to explore more of her work.

I would highly recommend this compilation to anyone who enjoys reading short stories, especially those who are interested in Japanese literature. It offers a great introduction to some talented writers and provides a glimpse into the rich and diverse world of Japanese fiction.

This book was so damn

edgy. It really stood out with its unique style and content. I couldn't help but wonder

why Japan has to be so cool. They seem to always come up with these amazing and innovative things.

It's kind of annoying, to be honest. I mean, why can't other countries be as cool as Japan?

Maybe it's their culture, or their way of thinking. But whatever it is, it's definitely something that catches your attention.

This book is a prime example of that. It's full of interesting ideas and concepts that you just don't see in other books.

It makes me want to learn more about Japan and their culture. Who knows, maybe I'll discover something even cooler.

Overall, this book was a great read, even if it did make me a little jealous of Japan's coolness.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking for something different and exciting.

"Japanese Women Writing about Japanese Women", this introduction brings me more expectations for the diversity and richness in both writing style and content. It is agreed that each story has a different background, but if it is said that all eight stories are written by one person, perhaps I would not be too surprised. Most of the stories mention sex to some extent - just note that and I don't find it too bothersome.

One interesting thing: the short story "Dream" by Yuzuki Muroi has an English title "Piss" :)) I'm very curious about the Japanese title. This is also the saddest story. After reading it, I'm stunned and in a trance. Miyuki mistakes the dream of her lover for her own dream and regards the fetish of the old man as a kind of recognition and salvation. The bitterness and the suppressed loneliness finally burst out together with the birthday gift - a warm comfort, although I don't know how long it will last in such a life.

I understand the story "The Shadow of the Phalaenopsis" as being about the wife's unease, but I'm sure I can never relate to it, so I just think about that sick girl. Sick from an early age, spending days and months in the hospital with the only caregiver being the treating doctor, it's easy to understand that that man becomes a source of comfort for her.

"... she said she didn't want to die without ever being held in someone's arms."
"Last year, on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, at noon, he still asked if that was enough for her, and inserted his fingers into the small gap under her soft pubic hair. His fingers had been trimmed very short."

This passage is written from the perspective of the doctor, so there must be some natural flavor, but if I were him, maybe I would do the same.

The story "The Party" doesn't read like Amy Yamada at all (sorry if this is a wrong perception, because the last time I read Yamada was ten years ago...). The idea is very interesting, but the writing style makes the reading a bit cumbersome.

The book is composed of eight captivating stories. After reading a few dozen pages, it dawned on me that I had borrowed it from the library on a previous occasion. Since my recollection of the details was rather hazy, I decided to embark on a reread.

I had a particular penchant for the story that centered around an overbearing woman who was极度渴望 friendship. Another tale, which revolved around a magical plant inhabited by a deceased woman, also managed to capture my interest.

However, one story was extremely sexually explicit, bordering on exploitive and abusive. I feel compelled to issue a fair warning. It was quite intense. Nonetheless, it was still a good story in its own right.

Upon reflection, at least six of the stories incorporated rather graphic depictions of sex. I would like to believe that women are interested in more than just that aspect.

The remaining stories were just average, with the exception of one. I ultimately ended up skimming through this one as I found it idiotic and dull.

So, all in all, my personal reactions to the book can be described as a mixed bag.

This collection of short stories penned by female Japanese writers offered a truly enjoyable reading experience. Among them, "The Unfertilized Egg" and "Inside" were my absolute favorites.

However, it should be noted that one particular story, let's call it (P***), contained very explicit sexual content. In fact, I would even go so far as to label it as pornographic. It was quite a departure from the other stories in the collection.

Nonetheless, I must admit that the author did seem to have a deeper message or something to convey. It wasn't just mindless porn for the sake of it. There was perhaps an underlying exploration of certain themes or emotions that added a layer of complexity to the otherwise raunchy narrative.

Overall, despite the presence of this one rather graphic story, the collection as a whole was still worth reading for the other精彩的 tales it had to offer.

Thought these were very good.

The only stories I didn't feel worked so well were the one with the taxi driver (Shungiku Uchida's 'My Son's Lips') and the one from the point of view of the Desire of a woman who is in unrequited love with some dude in her office ('Fiesta' by Amy Yamada). Desire, it seems, often hangs out with Obsession and has quarrels with Reason. It's that sort of complex and perhaps a bit overdone dynamic.

The others were good, though. They were either straightforward, or not in a way that was interestingly different. The language was slangy and unsentimental, which I quite liked. I used to think that my difficulty in getting into Haruki Murakami's works was because I couldn't really connect with literature in translation, at least not modern literature. But now I think it's just that I don't have a personal affinity for Haruki Murakami. Maybe it's his style, or the themes he explores, but for some reason, his writing just doesn't resonate with me.

Overall, the stories were "alright".

Some I liked better than others. For example, "Inside" and "Her Room" had certain elements that appealed to me. They perhaps had more engaging plots or deeper characterizations.

On the other hand, some I liked less, such as "Fiesta" and "The Unfertilized Egg". Maybe these didn't quite capture my interest in the same way or had aspects that felt less developed.

The overall enjoyment was so-so. However, my main problem lies with the actual collection as a whole.

Especially, the aims that it has seem to fall flat for the most part. It claims to be a depiction of "Japanese women by Japanese women", but I didn't think it was diverse enough in that regard. There could have been a wider range of experiences, voices, and perspectives represented to truly fulfill that aim.

Perhaps more effort could have been put into including a greater variety of stories that would have painted a more comprehensive and accurate picture of Japanese women.

These are absurd stories without a beginning or an end. The language, moreover, is completely different from that of Japanese literature: it is more Western. The only stories that can be defined as such are "Piss", "Fiesta" and "The Shadow of the Orchid".....also a bit "The Son's Lips" although the plot is absurd. It is a book that I would not recommend to anyone.

It seems that the author has taken a rather unconventional approach in this collection of stories. The lack of a proper structure makes it difficult for the reader to follow and engage with the narratives. The Western influence on the language might be off-putting for those who are more accustomed to the elegance and subtlety of Japanese literature. While some of the stories have certain elements that could potentially be interesting, the overall absurdity and lack of coherence make this book a less than desirable read. It is perhaps best suited for those who are looking for something truly unique and experimental, but for the average reader, it may not offer much in terms of entertainment or literary value.

Good.

I have a particular fondness for Nobuko Takagi's The Shadow of the Orchid. It truly captured my imagination and left a lasting impression.

As a result, I am now on a quest to discover some of her other novels. I have already placed orders for a few, eagerly anticipating their arrival.

However, so far, I have been unable to find Embracing the Light. This has been a bit of a disappointment, as I have heard great things about this particular work.

Nonetheless, I remain hopeful that I will eventually come across it and be able to add it to my collection of Nobuko Takagi's novels.

I am excited to explore more of her literary creations and see what other wonderful stories she has to offer.

Why are they so emotionally detached?

Is feeling that inaccessible?

I really can't relate with them.

It seems as if there is an invisible barrier that prevents me from truly understanding their emotions.

Maybe it's because they have built up walls over time to protect themselves.

Or perhaps they simply have a different way of expressing their feelings.

Nevertheless, despite this emotional detachment, they are written quite nicely.

Their words flow smoothly and the descriptions are vivid.

It's almost as if their writing is a mask, hiding the true emotions that lie beneath the surface.

But even so, I can't help but be intrigued by their work and wonder what lies behind their seemingly cold exterior.

Maybe one day, I'll be able to break through that barrier and truly connect with them on an emotional level.