Where the Wild Ladies Are

 

Where the Wild Ladies Are / Aoka Matsuda
trans. from the Japanese by Polly Barton
NY: Soft Skull Press, c2020.
288 p.

I just finished this collection of stories in nearly one go. I couldn't stop reading! These stories are all inspired by/influence by Japanese folklore; it doesn't matter if you know any of the originals though, since there is a note at the end of the book that explains where each story came from, and gives a brief sketch of the original. 

What I appreciated here was that these aren't just modernized retellings, they are reworkings, told with wit and a feminist voice. The stories are linked -- each one involves women whose feminine aspects are more powerful and appreciated now that they are ghosts. Especially by Mr. Tei, who runs a mysterious company that recruits a lot of these ghosts for various roles in his business. 

The ghosts range from salesladies to castle protectors to babysitters, and much more. I found this very entertaining and just had to keep reading the next story -- just one more -- until the book was done before I knew it. The concept of Mr. Tei's business isn't really explained, but it's quirky and charming and ties a lot of the storytelling together. I love the idea that all these female ghosts, whether recent or ancient, are finally being their full selves - learning new skills and tricks, beating men at volleyball, turning comfortably into monsters, working in IT, oh it's all so practical and mundane and brilliant. 

The opening story in which a young woman is trying to remove all her body hair to be more attractive to an ex, and is scolded by a ghostly aunt, is perfection, and it was a good start to a great read. I can't rave about this one enough. Each of the stories is precise and a delight to read, and when I was done I just wanted to be able to read them all over again for the first time. 

Highly recommended for its bright, lively tone, clever construction, and wonderful women who feature throughout.