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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
A book with a lot to unpack. I picked this up after coming across at a Barnes and Noble and being smitten with the title and the cover. Haruki Murakami's blurb on the back aided in my desire to dive in (although he has received a lot of criticism as of late he was a dear love of mine many moons ago and do value his endorsements).
This novel stands as an examination of womanhood, the expectations of others upon them and the internal dialogue constantly at play in a woman's mind against the stereotypes imposed. The book is essentially split into two sections separated by 8 years, the first mostly exploring the female body through a story involving one of our main characters, Makiko (who happens to be the older sister of our other primary character, Natsuko) and her desire to conform to western beauty standards. She is seeking out breast augmentation and also lightening of her areola. Natsuko is the voice of concern in this story pushing Makiko to really justify the need for this. Makiko's daughter's opinion is captured in journal form during this time and I greatly appreciated the vantage of a young woman on this narrative partnered alongside the view of our primary characters who happen to be in their 30s and 40s.
Our second segment which is cast 8 years later mostly highlights Natsuko, staring at her 40s, childless and without a romantic partner (there are reasons for this that the novel explores which are worth leaving out for spoiler purpose). I didn't particularly love this segment as much largely due to the fact that there was far more dialogue but it was spectacularly delivered, none the less. In the end we meet Natsuko rekindling some of the conversation she had many years before, at a different twilight in her life and the author is superb and rehashing the prior arguments through a new, more mature lens.
Overall, this was a really great read with a perspective I myself do not employ, being an American male, and it was written in such an eloquent way that it's relate-ability was paramount to other novels that have read which try to explore the same topics. I think this is a great book for men to read who are seeking to understand the pressures imposed upon females.
This novel stands as an examination of womanhood, the expectations of others upon them and the internal dialogue constantly at play in a woman's mind against the stereotypes imposed. The book is essentially split into two sections separated by 8 years, the first mostly exploring the female body through a story involving one of our main characters, Makiko (who happens to be the older sister of our other primary character, Natsuko) and her desire to conform to western beauty standards. She is seeking out breast augmentation and also lightening of her areola. Natsuko is the voice of concern in this story pushing Makiko to really justify the need for this. Makiko's daughter's opinion is captured in journal form during this time and I greatly appreciated the vantage of a young woman on this narrative partnered alongside the view of our primary characters who happen to be in their 30s and 40s.
Our second segment which is cast 8 years later mostly highlights Natsuko, staring at her 40s, childless and without a romantic partner (there are reasons for this that the novel explores which are worth leaving out for spoiler purpose). I didn't particularly love this segment as much largely due to the fact that there was far more dialogue but it was spectacularly delivered, none the less. In the end we meet Natsuko rekindling some of the conversation she had many years before, at a different twilight in her life and the author is superb and rehashing the prior arguments through a new, more mature lens.
Overall, this was a really great read with a perspective I myself do not employ, being an American male, and it was written in such an eloquent way that it's relate-ability was paramount to other novels that have read which try to explore the same topics. I think this is a great book for men to read who are seeking to understand the pressures imposed upon females.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book clearly portrays the multifaceted pain of womanhood. From the struggles of working-class women and societal expectations of domesticity, to the anxieties surrounding body image and the pressure to conform to beauty standards, the book explores the existential questions of female identity and womanhood. It really raised the questions, "Why am I here?", 'What is the purpose of my existence?", "What was I made for?"
It also painfully narrated experiences unique to women, raising difficult questions: In the aftermath of assault, where does a woman turn? How does society's equation of love and intimacy with heterosexual sex affect women who are unable or unwilling? How do women who don't fit the mold of heterosexual relationships navigate societal expectations? Does refusing motherhood diminish a woman's existence? Does our worth as women hinge on motherhood? Can we redefine motherhood on our own terms, for example, only need a man for his sperm in order for a woman to get pregnant? Can one be a "good" mother while raising a child independently, devoid of any support from a father figure? Is womanhood defined solely by our biology - by our breasts and eggs? Or does this definition makes us even stronger as a being?
This book is a must-read. 💯
It also painfully narrated experiences unique to women, raising difficult questions: In the aftermath of assault, where does a woman turn? How does society's equation of love and intimacy with heterosexual sex affect women who are unable or unwilling? How do women who don't fit the mold of heterosexual relationships navigate societal expectations? Does refusing motherhood diminish a woman's existence? Does our worth as women hinge on motherhood? Can we redefine motherhood on our own terms, for example, only need a man for his sperm in order for a woman to get pregnant? Can one be a "good" mother while raising a child independently, devoid of any support from a father figure? Is womanhood defined solely by our biology - by our breasts and eggs? Or does this definition makes us even stronger as a being?
This book is a must-read. 💯
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brilliantly written. The first book, the original short story, is so powerful and quite different to what I’ve read before. The novel itself had striking arguments about IVF and motherhood. The characters were all so convincing and felt so real. I disliked the dream sequences.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Sexual content
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced