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yasmin_raev's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage
strrygo's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
the loneliness the bursts of violent anger that sizzle out into nothing the feeling of drifting along with it all no idea who u r bc of how completely detached n emotionally isolated u've become! why is she me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexism
americattt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
"I'm so alone. I'm sorry―this has nothing to do with how hard things are for you, Hosono. But I'm always so alone. I guess I should be used to it by now. That's the way it is from the moment we come into this world, but I'm still not used to it―how alone we all are."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexism
Minor: Miscarriage
shakakan's review
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Sexism
zarlynsnook's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? N/A
5.0
a fast read,humorous,clever, and at some point,lighthearted.
shibata is an empowering character. i keep agreeing on her decisions and her internal monologues about the things happening around her.
for someone who has experienced workplace sexism, she is is very relatable. i would like to applaud her for her wisdom and her eagerness to fight her battle. what she did might seem absurd but if i was in her position, i wouldn't last a day in her work place knowing that it reeks of toxic masculinity !
5⭐ for this book for being entertaining and comforting
💜
shibata is an empowering character. i keep agreeing on her decisions and her internal monologues about the things happening around her.
for someone who has experienced workplace sexism, she is is very relatable. i would like to applaud her for her wisdom and her eagerness to fight her battle. what she did might seem absurd but if i was in her position, i wouldn't last a day in her work place knowing that it reeks of toxic masculinity !
5⭐ for this book for being entertaining and comforting
💜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Sexism
graceesford's review
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Sexism
snowwhitehatesapples's review
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
When you live in a deeply patriarchal society with misogyny ingrained in just about everything, how long will it take before you get sick of it? If you, a female, are to do all the menial tasks that everyone else is capable of doing but don’t because they’re roles ‘females should do instead’?
Shibata is an office worker who often works overtime because she doesn’t have enough time during work hours to complete her actual job. It’s easy to think this is probably because she’s an inefficient worker or just someone who others can bully into doing their jobs for them, but the actual cause is the time-consuming menial tasks the men in her department leave to her. Cleaning the microwave, making coffee, clearing up after meetings, answering the phone, passing out samples — all easy, largely no-brainer jobs that anyone could do, except the men don’t because those are ‘the jobs of women’. As a result, they benefit from her making their time in the office much smoother while Shibata becomes increasingly resentful and angry.
The last straw for Shibata is when her section head singles her out to clean the dirty cups in the meeting room. Dirty cups that have been left sitting there for hours, stuffed with disgusting cigarette butts and not to mention, some of those cups still have coffee in them! So, what does Shibata too? She decides to pull off the mother (pun intended) of all deceptions by pretending to be pregnant.
Almost at once, those menial tasks are relegated and divided among her colleagues. Shibata can leave work earlier, allowing her to take care of herself better because now she can cook her meals, exercise, indulge in entertainment and more. Though with the added freedom also comes with the added awareness of how lonely she is because while she was slaving away, her friends have their own families and even the strangers she passes by are surrounded by others.
As we read on, we realise that Shibata may not have been as mentally strong or well as she may have appeared to be when she decided to fake her pregnancy. Fantasy and reality become increasingly blurred, fueled by Shibata’s desire to be treated better, to ensure that her lie won’t be found out, and the loneliness she tries to keep at bay with the fake child in her tummy. It’s saddening, especially when the understanding of how her situation is similar to the actual realities of those facing modern-day alienation, stressors and loneliness dawns upon us. Moreover, considering how common karoshi (overwork death) is in Japan, Shibata’s fake pregnancy wasn’t just a way to get back at the men who treated her poorly, but an escape before things could potentially spiral in a worse direction.
That said, whether you read this book from a feminist perspective, with the tang ping movement in mind, or any other lens applicable to the social commentary here, Diary of a Void remains an engrossing, defiant and clever read. No words are wasted and the scenes will leave you wondering about potential hidden meanings.
When you live in a deeply patriarchal society with misogyny ingrained in just about everything, how long will it take before you get sick of it? If you, a female, are to do all the menial tasks that everyone else is capable of doing but don’t because they’re roles ‘females should do instead’?
Shibata is an office worker who often works overtime because she doesn’t have enough time during work hours to complete her actual job. It’s easy to think this is probably because she’s an inefficient worker or just someone who others can bully into doing their jobs for them, but the actual cause is the time-consuming menial tasks the men in her department leave to her. Cleaning the microwave, making coffee, clearing up after meetings, answering the phone, passing out samples — all easy, largely no-brainer jobs that anyone could do, except the men don’t because those are ‘the jobs of women’. As a result, they benefit from her making their time in the office much smoother while Shibata becomes increasingly resentful and angry.
The last straw for Shibata is when her section head singles her out to clean the dirty cups in the meeting room. Dirty cups that have been left sitting there for hours, stuffed with disgusting cigarette butts and not to mention, some of those cups still have coffee in them! So, what does Shibata too? She decides to pull off the mother (pun intended) of all deceptions by pretending to be pregnant.
Almost at once, those menial tasks are relegated and divided among her colleagues. Shibata can leave work earlier, allowing her to take care of herself better because now she can cook her meals, exercise, indulge in entertainment and more. Though with the added freedom also comes with the added awareness of how lonely she is because while she was slaving away, her friends have their own families and even the strangers she passes by are surrounded by others.
As we read on, we realise that Shibata may not have been as mentally strong or well as she may have appeared to be when she decided to fake her pregnancy. Fantasy and reality become increasingly blurred, fueled by Shibata’s desire to be treated better, to ensure that her lie won’t be found out, and the loneliness she tries to keep at bay with the fake child in her tummy. It’s saddening, especially when the understanding of how her situation is similar to the actual realities of those facing modern-day alienation, stressors and loneliness dawns upon us. Moreover, considering how common karoshi (overwork death) is in Japan, Shibata’s fake pregnancy wasn’t just a way to get back at the men who treated her poorly, but an escape before things could potentially spiral in a worse direction.
That said, whether you read this book from a feminist perspective, with the tang ping movement in mind, or any other lens applicable to the social commentary here, Diary of a Void remains an engrossing, defiant and clever read. No words are wasted and the scenes will leave you wondering about potential hidden meanings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dysphoria
Minor: Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexism
hello_lovely13's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
Those that have issues with EDs should avoid because there is lots of talk of excessive exercise. Possible additional trigger warning for mental illness becauseserendipitysbooks's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
3.5
I finished reading Diary of a Void this morning and I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about it. The premise was certainly intriguing - one day at work Shibata announces she can’t clear away the coffee cups in the meeting room because she is pregnant and the smell of coffee makes her nauseous. Except she is not pregnant. The beginning and end of the book included lots of pertinent remarks and examples of sexist workplace practices where female staff are expected to do things like pour tea, tidy up after other staff, distribute the mail on top of their actual duties, simply because they are women. However, I got a bit lost in the middle where Shibata seemed to get taken in by her own fake pregnancy and carried it over to her personal life. But then certain things made no sense. I mean you can pad your clothing to trick your office mates but you can’t really fool an ultrasound. So was she just imagining the whole thing? I truly don’t know. Obviously I still struggle with surrealism in my reading life! For me this books was at its best when its commentary on workplace culture, the experiences of pregnant women, and the expectations on mothers was clearly based in the real world. It was interesting that being perceived as pregnant gave Shibata permission to leave work “early” (actually on time), and to look after herself by eating well and exercising. Sad that it was only because she was responsible for growing another life that these things became permissible when they are basic rights which should be available to everyone. The name she chose for her son was so clever and I really liked the ending both for Shibata’s subversive behaviour and for the clues that she was on the path to a more fulfilling professional and personal life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
edgaranjapoe's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, and Medical content