DownloadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2024

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

A tale of observation, obsession, and unexpected connections

Natsuko Imamura author Lucy North translator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Faber & Faber

Published:19th May '22

Should be back in stock very soon

The Woman in the Purple Skirt cover

A mysterious observer tracks the life of a woman in a purple skirt, leading to unexpected connections and revelations in The Woman in the Purple Skirt.

In The Woman in the Purple Skirt, a mysterious figure watches the titular character with an unsettling intensity. This observer meticulously tracks her every move, from the buses she boards to the meals she consumes and the people she interacts with. However, this is not a simple case of obsession; the motivations behind this surveillance are complex and layered, creating a sense of intrigue that drives the narrative forward.

The story unfolds with a clever blend of dark humor and psychological tension, drawing readers into the lives of two women whose fates are intricately linked. As the observer's presence looms large, the reader is invited to question the nature of observation and the boundaries between admiration and obsession. The dynamics between the women reveal deeper themes of loneliness, desire, and the search for connection in a world that often feels isolating.

Ultimately, The Woman in the Purple Skirt explores the consequences of being watched and the lengths to which individuals will go to understand one another. With its bewildering plot and rich character development, the book presents a thought-provoking examination of human relationships and the unseen forces that shape them.

'Very powerful . . . Meticulous and extremely precise . . . Reading this book made me feel like I was in an unstable and strange world.' - Sayaka Murata

'A breathless novel that depicts with sly humor the strange relationship between two women in contemporary Japan. You too will be obsessed with the Woman in the Purple Skirt and held in suspense until the last page.' - Leila Slimani

'Imamura definitely has a rare talent for depicting people who are a little out of the ordinary. . . . By the time I got to the end, a powerful sense of the narrator's loneliness forcing its way through the madness gripped my heart.' - Yoko Ogawa

'Reading this novel, you can really hear Natsuko Imamura's unique voice, which comes across quite unsparingly and beautifully.' - Hiromi Kawakami

'Imamura offers her reader crisp, refreshing prose. The Woman in the Purple Skirt will keep you firmly in its grips with its persistent, disquieting, matter-of-fact style.' - Oyinkan Braithwaite

'A chilling tale of envy and vulnerability. Clear space on your reading list now.' - Vogue

'A voyeuristic thriller . . . This study in fascination, translated from Japanese, is as unusual as it is alluring.' - Elle

'Delightfully disturbing . . . Imamura does weird singularly well, and keeps the suspense taut throughout the novel, always teasing an answer to the questions: Why this woman? What makes her so special? What makes any of us worth watching at all?' - Refinery 29

'Disquieting and wryly funny, The Woman in the Purple Skirt is a taut and compelling depiction of loneliness and obsession.' - Paula Hawkins








ISBN: 9780571364688

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 13mm

Weight: 189g

224 pages

Main