India, April 4 -- Many high-functioning women suffer from imposter syndrome. Women, specifically, suffer from this because patriarchy has made us believe that no matter how successful and bright we are, at work or at home, we will never be good enough. This leaves the individual feeling lonelier than ever and results in a downward spiral of self-doubt and hesitation that's then viewed as peculiar.

This uneasy feeling is at the crux of Hooked, bestselling Japanese author Asako Yuzuki's second novel to be translated into English, and it is shared almost equally by its two female protagonists, Eriko and Shoko.

Big city girl Eriko is a smart, independent executive, who works for a renowned food manufacturing firm in Tokyo. An expert in the ...