A review by _honeydelarose
Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi

dark funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Imagine getting fed up with the way you are treated at your workplace that you impulsively feign a pregnancy just so you can get out of the situation? Talk about fighting office toxicity in a whole new level! Being the only woman in her office, Shibata has to do the menial tasks like making coffee for the head and visitors, cleaning up after everyone and delivering mails (all this on top of her actual, main tasks). The responsibility falls on her shoulders because it is assumed to be hers simply due to her gender. Drown in the underpaid and stupefying treatment, she comes up with this spontaneous lie to free herself, even if only temporarily.

Over the course of the novel, our MC carries the lie to term, enjoying her ‘pregnancy’ where she is allowed to go home early, get to cook herself good food (something she didn’t get to do before) also, be excused from the menial tasks that was left to her previously. She even goes all the way to keep up the pretence by keeping a pregnancy tracker, signing up for a class dedicated to expecting mothers as well as managing her lifestyle and diet that suits to a pregnant mother. All of this, told in a nonchalant way, feels exhilarating but also heart-aching at the same time. 

A social commentary, “Diary of a Void” reflects on women solitude, womanhood and the prohibitive roles that they are expected to do as a result of being a female. This definitely strikes a chord with me and i believe a lot of other women too. The premise itself is already irresistible for me and despite its theme of feminism, it is actually a simple read as everything doesn’t feel too forced or pretentious. The only complaint i might have is the surface-level characters which i wish us readers would get to see more about her.

4.5 🌟