The sincerity of Meiko Kawakami — she writes about the state of humanity, the peculiarity of being a woman in the present times with such precision, casting a keen but non judgmental glance on what it actually feels like to be a woman in the 21st century. The book elevates the conversation from beyond the immediate, banal and obvious to a considered evaluation of how we reached here. The women in this book are not easily attached. They do not get sentimental about very many things. A sense of unfazed cadence dictates their everyday life, even a measure of levity.

Natsu is unconcerned about most immediate things in her life — from her job which is to write the one book, to her friends, to her sister. She lacks ambition in most spheres, is not motivated and suffers from a touch of constant melancholy. Romance doesn't matter to her. Sex doesn't entertain her. Her sister's life and whereabouts bother her. She is constantly in the know of what is happening to her sister and her niece and is also emotionally invested in their lives. She is even mildly piqued by the love life of her niece. Memories from her childhood, thoughts about her mother, and recollections about her grandmother are the stuff she is aware about and cares to think about. She wants to make it as a writer, but there too she lacks a proper motivation and drive. It is through her career as a writer that she meets most of the friends in her life.