[2] Kirkus Reviews called the book "perfect for readers looking for stories that will leave a sweet taste in their mouths without sacrificing depth or intelligence" while lauding Yoshimoto's prose rendered by Yoneda.

[3] In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called the collection "resonant" and "a gem", lauding how Yoshimoto made her short stories "memorable by showing how the women set themselves free from misfortune via friendship and resilience.

"[4] The New York Times wrote "This is a supremely hopeful book, one that feels important because it shows that happiness, while not always easy, is still a subject worthy of art.

[6] The Spectator called Yoshimoto "the supreme poet of solitude" but also lauded her ability to write "the epiphanies, and cake, and chicken with rice, but most of all the tiny kindnesses from other human beings that make life worth persevering with.

Based on the short story "Dead-End Memories", the movie follows a woman, Yumi, who traveled from South Korea to Nagoya, Japan to see her long-distance fiancé, only to witness his act of infidelity.