daphnelee
I read widely and I would love to meet ofhers who have similarly catholic habits.
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daphnelee created a list
Dead White Women
Dead white women authors are my ‘guilty’ pleasure. That is, I used to feel guilty about loving them when they were all I read. Then one year (sometime in the early 2000s), I made it a point to read only Asian and African fiction. I taught myself to appreciate books from these two continents and now I read Asian and African authors as much as I do white ones. Nevertheless, these are my favourite fiction and non-fiction books by DWM. The list will grow (I’ve read a lot of DWM).
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daphnelee is interested in reading...
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Axie Oh
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There are great titles on this list and there are lots more to read. Please dont think Japanese fiction is all quirky and/or whimsical and/or surreal. Unfortunately, that is the style that Western publishing houses tend to choose to translate. in fact, the styles and content vary greatly and there is something to suit most tastes. It's just that some titles are less hyped. If anyone wishes for a list of my personal favourites, feel free to ask.
Happy reading!
8daphnelee created a list
My Desert Island Books
If I had to limit myself to just one box of books … ‘But how big is this box?’ I hear you ask. Good question! What’s a reasonable size for a ‘forever library’ that you had to be satisfied with and never add to? These books have stood the test of time for me and many of them reveal something new with each read. They are comfort reads but many also challenge my thinking and present perspectives that are provoking and interesting but not necessarily what I will ever subscribe to.
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daphnelee created a list
My Favourite Translated Japanese Fiction
I can’t read Japanese fiction in their original language, only translated so I guess aim at the mercy of translators and their interpretation of these works.
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daphnelee commented on a post
Hello all! I'm really excited to be here with you all as your Quest Host. Please read the following!🌸
Info I know Lit Fic can be subjective so I have used the term here and the Quest definition as a guideline, as opposed to a definitive, in order to try and convey that unique feeling these books evoke. Some of these books may straddle the literary boundary, working a bit like a gateway for this Quest, but they contain enough prompting content to meet the definition. As a volunteer, I wanted a space for other passionate readers and interested friends of Japanese Lit to converge, discuss and celebrate. It is natural that not every Author and Book will be to your taste (or mine!) so as the host I hope the variety provided under this Quest definition gives you room as the reader to research and select books while achieving badges. This is a starting point for this Quest and I can't wait to see it grow and develop with your support!
Translated Availability Some of the less popular books in this Quest may not be available in other languages outside of English and Japanese (yet).
Translated Japanese Lit Fic vs English Japanese Lit Fic Currently this Quest includes only translated Japanese Lit Fic. Authors like Ruth Ozeki and Kazuo Ishiguro's novels are originally written in English and because of that, they were not included in the initial launch books. This is still under consideration.
Our Badge This badge is designed to look like a stylised award seal/sticker you'd see in Japan! Think of a Hanamaru or gold star but for adults. The Kanji inside can be interpreted as 'Reader' or 'Bookworm' 💮
Recommendations & Consideration Shelf For now, please list recommendations on this welcome post here. I have a public shelf where books under consideration for addition to the Quest will be housed until further notice. Please note that addition to the shelf does not guarantee the book will be added to the Quest. I may not be able to respond to every single recommendation but know I appreciate it greatly!
Updated Feb 20th 2026
88Post from the Japanese Literary Fiction forum
There are great titles on this list and there are lots more to read. Please dont think Japanese fiction is all quirky and/or whimsical and/or surreal. Unfortunately, that is the style that Western publishing houses tend to choose to translate. in fact, the styles and content vary greatly and there is something to suit most tastes. It's just that some titles are less hyped. If anyone wishes for a list of my personal favourites, feel free to ask.
Happy reading!
8daphnelee joined a quest
Japanese Literary Fiction 🇯🇵👤💭
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From the provocative and challenging to the emotional and quiet, Japanese literary fiction tends to be nuanced, introspective, and minimalistic. These books contain layered cultural commentary and may lean on psychological, surreal, or fantastical elements to convey their message.
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