The classic Japanese bestseller published in English for the very first time - a darkly funny and relatable book portraying the lives of five women

'Witty, wise and thought-provoking' Cecelia Ahern

'Crackles and pops with humour, empathy and intelligence' Lisa Owens, author of Not Working

'So brilliantly written that I kept trying to memorise sentences in order to repeat them to people later' Roxy Dunn, author of As Young as This

Izumi needs to get a job.

Haruka needs to stop talking about how she once had cancer.

Kato needs to get through a shift at the convenience store without being harassed.

Mito needs to break up with her boyfriend - or marry him.

Sumie just needs somewhere to live.

In this classic Japanese bestseller, published in English twenty-five years after it took Japan by storm, the lives of five ordinary women are depicted with irresistible humour and searing emotional insight.