Reviews

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

Only show reviews with written explanations

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

"I couldn't become the Mona Lisa. I was after all, a hunchback monster." Page 85.

Wow. This was nothing like what I expected.

This short novel follows Shaka a disabled woman who lives online, studying, she tweets into the void and writes eroctic fiction.

While this novel is only just over 100 pages it manages to pack in a deep and cutting look at disability, bodily autonomy, the privilege of money and health and sex. It didn't pull any punches with sexual descriptions or the grossness of sex, it was extremely blunt and in parts funny. Part of me wishes it was longer.
That ending took me by surprise and took a turn I did not see coming (lol).

I'm so intrigued what Saou Ichikawa does next.

Fabulous translation by Polly Barton too.

Content Warnings

chazerb's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jukietoss's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is an absolute banger: an unflinching look at disability, power, class, and bodily autonomy. I love disability representation that doesn't sanitize, glamorize, or minimize--and this novella absolutely looks it in the face via the main character, Shaka, and doesn't let us turn away. But while Shaka's disability plays a major role in her daily life, it in no way sums her up. The differences between her online presence, her studious pursuits, and her physical life combine to create a picture of a whole and complex person. Her wealth brings privilege and, with it, mess as she plays with power dynamics within the group home she owns and in which she resides. She's messy! She has needs and curiosities! And this story manages to be so twisty despite its brevity. Pick it up for the disability rep, think about it forever after for how it refuses simplicity.

emmavardy2's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Interesting topic and premise.
Lots to think about.
Informative around sex and disability.
Short and easy to read.
Good but didn't love it. Found hard to really get immersed in story.

cat_herine's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

paulie616's review against another edition

Go to review page

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

rose_purdy's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

casskrug's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

this is definitely best read in one sitting - the ending made me go WAIT WHAT! this is a wry look at disability and class and reproductive rights, and i don’t think i’ve ever read anything like it. i appreciate what ichikawa was able to do in so few pages, and the way she was able to balance humor with the very real struggles of the narrator. asking a lot of big questions that i’d love to see explored more deeply. i’ve read one other book translated by polly barton and i think she does a great job stylistically!

thank you to hogarth for sending me an ARC of this book!

indiareadsalot's review

Go to review page

informative fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

bisexualbookshelf's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! This book will be released in the US on March 18th, 2025 by Hogarth Press.

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa is a poignant and darkly humorous exploration of disability, autonomy, and the complexities of living in a body that doesn’t conform to “normal” standards. Through the eyes of the narrator, Shaka, the story unfolds in the confines of a group home she owns after inheriting it from her deceased parents. Shaka suffers from myotubular myopathy, a degenerative muscle disorder that leaves her physically and socially isolated, relying on a ventilator to breathe and mobility aids to navigate her life. This novella is an unflinching portrayal of Shaka’s frustration with a world that continuously infantilizes her, expecting nothing from her because of her disability and gender.

Ichikawa’s writing is a blend of biting wit and deep emotional insight. The humor is self-deprecating, often sharp and cynical as Shaka observes the absurdity of her existence. The prose is introspective, never shying away from the raw truths of Shaka’s situation. She yearns for experiences that so many others take for granted—like the simple act of reading a book without pain—yet struggles against the physical limitations her body imposes. Her longing for normalcy evolves into an obsession with reproductive autonomy, particularly the choice to experience an abortion. This fixation serves as a lens through which the book delves into the intersections of disability and reproductive justice, forcing us to confront the often-overlooked realities of disabled people’s rights over their own bodies.

At its heart, Hunchback is a meditation on identity and autonomy. Shaka’s internal battle is one of dignity—how to maintain it in a world that expects you to be less than human, a body that isn’t meant to be sexual, capable, or independent. The narrative questions what it means to truly have a choice when the world has already decided that your body is incapable of making its own decisions. Through Shaka’s voice, Ichikawa gives us a character who is defiant and vulnerable in equal measure, desperate to reclaim agency over a life that constantly denies her that power. It's a powerful, necessary book, one that demands we reconsider how we view disability and autonomy in a society that often relegates the disabled to the margins.

📖 Recommended For: Fans of introspective literary fiction, disability justice narratives, and darkly humorous, character-driven stories; readers interested in the intersections of gender, disability, and reproductive justice; those who appreciate sharp, self-aware protagonists and biting commentary on social norms.

🔑 Key Themes: Autonomy and Agency, Disability and Isolation, Reproductive Justice, Gender and Disability, Identity and Dignity.

Content Warnings

More...