davidaguilarrodriguez 's review for:

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

3.0

funny sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Read for Women in Translation Month (August, 2025)

A short, funny, slightly weird book with sharp ideas about ableism and the oddity of human desire. The humor was hit-or-miss for me, but it carried a strong, distinctive voice.

The narrator stood out as witty and engaging, even if the brevity kept me from attaching too deeply to any character. Style-wise, it’s spare but provocative, with humor as its strongest tool. My lasting impression is of a book I’d recommend under the right circumstances — especially if someone is looking for stories that question how we read bodies and desires.

This was my second-favorite book about a hunchback I read this year.