#aoko matsuda

[funeral]

The woman dies. She dies to provide a plot twist. She dies to develop the narrative. She dies for cathartic effect. She dies because no one could think of what else to do with her. Dies because there weren’t any better story ideas around. Dies because her death was the very best idea that anyone could come up with ... And so, the woman dies. The woman dies so the man can be sad about it. The woman dies so the man can suffer. She dies to give him a destiny. Dies so he can fall to the dark side. Dies so he can lament her death. As he stands there, brimming with grief, brimming with life, the woman lies there in silence. The woman dies for him. We watch it happen. We read about it happening. We come to know it well.

Aoko Matsuda, The Woman Dies

[invisible-pink-toast]

“The woman dies.

She dies to provide a plot twist. She dies to develop the narrative. She dies for cathartic effect. She dies because no one could think of what else to do with her. Dies because there weren’t any better story ideas around. Dies because her death was the very best idea that anyone could come up with.

‘I’ve got it! Let’s kill her off!’

‘Yes! Her death will solve everything!’

‘Okay! Let’s hit the pub!’

And so, the woman dies. The woman dies so the man can be sad about it. The woman dies so the man can suffer. She dies to give him a destiny. Dies so he can fall to the dark side. Dies so he can lament her death. As he stands there, brimming with grief, brimming with life, the woman lies there in silence. The woman dies for him. We watch it happen. We read about it happening. We come to know it well.”

- The Woman Dies by Aoko Matsuda (translated by Polly Barton)

[smokefalls]

Those who see others as monsters don’t notice that those monsters are looking back at them in turn.

Aoko Matsuda, "My Superpower" from Where the Wild Ladies Are (translated by Polly Barton)

[tinynavajoreads]

Currently Reading: Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Masters, translated by Polly Barton

Grabbed this from my work library before we closed for the winter break and I'm liking it so far! A series of short stories that are kind of based on Japanese folklore and yokai. It's lovely to see how these can be interpreted and interesting to read a little bit of backstory of the original tale the short story is based off of.

[sleekervae]

The Woman Dies, Aoko Matsuda

[spearmintyy]

Review on The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola

I read this in a collection along with My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. For some inexplicable reason, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts was printed first in that collection; if you take anything away from my review, please let it be that The Palm-Wine Drinkard should definitely be read first!

Rating: ★★

Tutuola's writing style definitely takes some getting used to, but part of this book's charm is how utterly unique it is. From the narrative structure (or, maybe, lack thereof) to use of language, this book stands apart from any other I've read. The story's introduction actually helped me a lot with understanding the style's eccentricities (for example, the sometimes tiring use of repetition) as an adaption of the medium of "folk operas". It also provided really useful context for Amos Tutuola's personal relationship with both Christianity and Yoruba tradition, which added a lot of depth to the dynamic of those two beliefs in this story.

My personal favorite vignette was the tale of the Complete Gentleman; I'm a sucker for wordplay and unexpected twists. And in general, the myths and folklore never ceased to surprise and intrigue me throughout. Though, honestly, my favorite part of this book was the introduction.

Recommendations:

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola. I know it's a bit cheap to recommend a book by the same author, but, in all honesty, if you loved The Palm-Wine Drinkard there is no better follow up. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts continues in the same world, and is in many ways a heightening of the Palm-Wine Drinkard. A deeper dive into Yoruba folklore, an even more experimental narrative structure, and even more stylistic prose style. To be totally honest, this one was a bit too stylistic and experimental for me, but if that's what you like, this is the book for you.

Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda. If an interest in folklore was what drew you to My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (as it did me), I recommend this compilation of short, modern retellings of Japanese folklore stories. The writing is compelling and accessible, and the translation by Polly Barton maintains a lot of voice and character.

[mothermedusa]

In The Shadow of the Moon/The Cursed/Vengeance

The Woman Dies, Aoko Matsuda

[dirtyriver]

By Aoko Matsuda, translated by Polly Barton.

Full text here.

the woman dies.

[high-on-passiflora]

Era como se pedrinhas fossem se acumulando dentro do meu corpo.

Onde Vivem as Monstras (Aoko Matsuda)

[theteatreegirl]

“Gosh, thought Kuzuha as she darted forward, how tedious human life was! The way she’d become used to continually paring down her strength-all that time she’d been betraying herself!”

-Aoko Matsuda,

‘Where the Wild Ladies Are’

[cyellolemon]

Dcmk doodle dump!!! :))

[123passwort]

One of my alltime favorite poems. Sadly it fits on almost any TV Show or movie... and to often on real life too

As he stands there, brimming with grief, brimming with life, the woman lies there in silence. The woman dies for him. We watch it happen. We read about it happening. We come to know it well. 

— The Woman Dies, Aoko Matsuda

[smokefalls]

Then, her expression suddenly serious, she took my slender hands in hers, pink nails and all. ‘Let’s become monsters together,’ she said, looking straight into my eyes.

Aoko Matsuda, "Smartening Up" from Where the Wild Ladies Are (translated by Polly Barton)

[fergus-cousland]

we all know i love veilguard and will fight to the death to defend its honour however. i will be forever cranky that everything about mythal essentially boiled down to being there to give solas a pep talk at the end and she didn't get to be a character with her own motivation and her own story. "The woman dies so the man can be sad about it. The woman dies so the man can suffer. She dies to give him a destiny. Dies so he can fall to the dark side. Dies so he can lament her death. As he stands there, brimming with grief, brimming with life, the woman lies there in silence. The woman dies for him. We watch it happen. We read about it happening. We come to know it well.”

[moonlightkitsune]

What kinds of perverts does Kaito have to deal with? Is it just while crossdressing? Does it happen in his civilian life or just as Kid? I'm sure he can handle himself mostly but does Jii have means of dealing with them? Or Aoko, Akako and Hakuba? How would Zero and Matsuda protect him?

Just the usual ones women have to deal with when he's in disguise... and others that fell for him when he was performing magic.

KID has his own set of fans that take it too far, I bet, but he usually avoids them.

Jii deals with the ones he's caught harassing his Young Master, but Kaito doesn’t tell him much. Doesn’t want him to worry.

Aoko doesn't notice unless it's obvious... Hakuba discreetly defends Kaito, and Akako uses magic to get them off Kaito's back.

Zero and Matsuda would beat them up, no questions asked.

[inbeautiful-trauma]

@emiliosandozsequence

THERE IS SOMETHING FEMALE ABOUT BEING DEAD. -> padmé amidala + doomed by the narrative

1. soliloquy of cassandra ┆ working for the knife, mitski ┆ 2. alexander mcqueen ┆ mcqueen is dead. long live mcqueen., brenda shaughnessy ┆ giulia farnese, borgia ┆ 3. me and my husband, mitski ┆ 4. a letter to h.g. west, rebecca west c.1913 ┆ 5. moon song, phoebe bridgers ┆ sigillum, roberto ferri c.2013 ┆ 6. aeschylus, the orestia ┆ 7. lisa k. perdigao ┆ studija za mrtvu stražu, bela čikoš sesija c.1896 ┆ 8. the woman dies, aoko matsuda for granta magazine