Fuyuko Irie is a single woman in her mid-thirties. She works from home as a freelance copy editor and has little contact with the outside world other than her editor, an outgoing woman with a very different demeanor. One day staring at her reflection, Fuyuko realizes her lack of enthusiasm in life and finally decides to make a change. As her past resurfaces, Fuyuko's behavior slips further away from her intended path while she comes to terms with her past and present relationships.

All the Lovers in the Night is a thought-provoking story about loneliness and connections through the eyes of Fuyuko, an emotionally detached narrator. Hence, the novel assumes a distant voice that never lets the readers get close to Fuyoko. I especially appreciate the themes about the burden of career women who do not crave a "traditional path" of having a partner or children. Kawakami brilliantly juxtaposes Fuyuko & her editor vs their female colleagues to drive home the conflicts between the two vastly different career goals.

All the Lovers in the Night is a marvellous read that will have the readers ruminating about intimacy, loneliness, and our connections to those around us.