A quirky fascinating novel ,a story of the daily life of a disabled person. a huge hit in Japan the author is herself disabled ,not the easiest read but one I can not stop thinking about #netgalley #hogarthbooks

This short but busy book depicts the restrictions and desires of the life of Shaka, a middle-aged Japanese woman with congenital myotubular myopathy living in a care home. Unfortunately, I felt like it tried to do too much–to be both mundane and scandalous, and also to criticize Japan’s attitudes towards people with disabilities–and the result was a clunky story that didn’t quite pull off its attempt to win over my reader’s heart.

HUNCHBACK excels when it meticulously depicts the challenges of Shaka’s daily routines. From sitting up, to holding a book, to using her suction machine to clean out the mucus that accumulates in her lungs and esophagus so that she doesn’t choke to death, Ichikawa’s descriptions give life to ideas I had gleaned from Alice Wong’s Disability Visibility.

HUNCHBACK effectively explores Shaka’s inability to fulfill her sexual desires, in a way that is reminiscent of the chapter on disability and asexuality in Angela Chen’s Ace. With few outlets available to her, Shaka voices her most shameful yet ordinary desires (“I wish I could be a prostitute; “I wish I could get pregnant and then have an abortion”) through her freelance writing assignments and pseudonymous Twitter accounts. Though there are consequences for her doing so, Shaka’s struggles highlight the way in which society completely ignores the sexuality of disabled people and illustrates, via certain secondary characters, the way in which their potential to be sexually desired is totally dismissed.

This story could have packed a punch, à la Sayaka Murata, had it just stuck to the above two storylines. Unfortunately, it is when HUNCHBACK clumsily tries to add in heavy-handed commentary on society’s dismissal of disabled people that it lost me. Odd, really, since social commentary is typically one of my favorite parts of any book. But it was done so clunkily here that it didn’t work for me. HUNCHBACK weaves back and forth between depictions of Shaka’s daily life, and her (imaginary?) writings/musings, often suddenly and without warning, leaving me feeling whiplash and confusion about the passage of time. Add to that sometimes paragraphs-long, decontextualized rants about society’s lack of understanding of and empathy for disabled people, during which I wasn’t sure if it was Shaka or Ichikawa speaking, and I was never fully immersed in the story.

Lastly, I could have forgiven all of that had the book stuck its ending. But the choice to end it in the ambiguous way that it did lost me further.

HUNCHBACK isn’t bad; I think my expectations were just too high. If you’re newer to conversations about disability rights, perhaps Shaka’s will story will hit you harder than it did me. Unfortunately, its narrative choices made for a rather scattered and clumsy story that missed its mark for me.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review. I loved the premise and cover, which drew me to requesting a copy. While I feel parts of this were translated in tone really well, some parts seemed to fall flat for me. This could just be the author’s style, but points of this just didn’t work. However, some of the narrative felt well stated and even lyrical in nature. The discussion on the chronic illness and disabled reality of living was so real. I loved reading the author’s thoughts on physical books and how able bodied people do not realize what privilege they have when it comes to reading as a pastime. The sexual aspects of this book took me by surprise and I did not enjoy them at all. This may have been a point the author was trying to get across, and possibly a cultural difference. The casual and vulgar nature of these portions of the book really pulled me out of the story. It made the book feel like two different stories, and maybe it was. I feel this may have unfortunately been lost in translation. The ending really wrapped up quickly, and flew right over my head. This could have been a bit more drawn out in my opinion. Will being looking forward to reading more work by this author! 3.75 stars.

If you saw this on my tbr for Japanuary, no you didn't. I don't know why I make tbrs. I rarely follow them. I'd say hold me accountable, but my Taurus ass hates that.

I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting from this one, but I think I loved it. Translated Japanese literature is always hit or miss for me, and while the general complaint is that it feels cold, I get it. Or, I get this.

Shaka, and the author, are disabled. You know I love an own voices story. But don't feel bad for Shaka. She has a lot of things going on in that head of hers. The first 9% was wild. The 78% mark was wild. It's sexual. It's weird. I don't want to spoil it. Maybe go in blind. Sometimes that's best.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth

This short novel packs a punch in that it addresses disability in Japan in a candid way. It's not trying to be polite or pretty, and this can be jarring when considering the context that this is a Japanese novel by a Japanese author. Its brash tone seems more familiar to a Western reader as it shows the frustrations and desires of Shaka, the disabled woman at the center of the story. Shaka is privileged, in that her parents left her with a hefty inheritance that means she never needs to worry about being able to afford the essentials like shelter and food. She has access to the mobility aids and ventilators that help her in her daily life, and also has aides that come in to assist with bathing, cooking, and other tasks. She fills her day taking online courses and copywriting though she doesn't need the income. She makes astute observations about the society around her and the ways in which she is denied the ability to engage in seemingly mundane activities. I liked reading her take because it was a brief glimpse into a person's experience with disability in Japan. Some of Shaka's viewpoints sounded familiar in that they are more universal, but she also touched on aspects that were unique to Japan, and that was new to me. I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author.

Nothing has left me this kind of speechless before... I finished this a few days ago but still don't think I've figured out all that I want to say. Especially because this is something I'm certain I'll think about for the rest of my life.

Absolutely incredible, vulnerable, hilarious, challenging, SO friggin sharp.
From the very first line, I was determined to ignore all responsibilities and finish in one sitting. When I tell you I COULD NOT put it down, I mean I brought my kindle with me so I could read at the gas station while my car was filling up.

Saou Ichikawa challenged what I thought I knew (no exaggeration there), taught me a LOT I didn't already know (and may not have ever learned otherwise), and made me laugh out loud enough times I lost count. More than 3 though, otherwise I would have remembered to use "a few". That's a lot for a book w 112 pages.
I will 110% be getting a trophy copy the second I can get it in my hands IRL. Like, I'd stand in line for this.

I've never read anything this powerful around disability, and that's saying a lot because I've read How To Tell When We Will Die by Johanna Hedva. Anyone else who has read HTTWWWD knows that it's pretty radical (in a good way).

If you need me, I'll be seeking out everything Saou Ichikawa has written that's been translated to English so far. The second I saw Polly Barton's name I should have already known this would be a knockout, though. There's been nothing of hers I didn't immediately fall in love with.

{Thank you bunches to Saou Ichikawa, Polly Barton, NetGalley, Random House as a whole, and Hogarth specifically for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}

(Will be waiting to post my full review until closer to pub day, but links below are what will be shown as my review in the meantime)

I am not sure what to think about this one overall. I really liked the main character's desire to just be a "normal" girl and going after that. However, during her intimate session her life was put at risk and there wasn't any mention about how her partner in the session ran away. He made it seem like it was her fault. This may have just been my preference on wanting to call people out of their wrong doings. The ending was also bit confusing as to if it was a fictional story or real life. I had to read the transition to it a few times to make sure I wasn't missing anything. A little more editing could have gone into it as it seemed a bit disjointed at times.

Super weird book but not necessarily in the way that I like. I honestly wanted a lot more of this book! I thought with it being longer it would have a lot more to give

Thank you to net galley for my free copy in exchange for my honest review! I was really looking forward to this book since I am also disabled, however the book fell flat for me. There was too much sex talk and too much COVID talk. I also wish there was more of a story/plot. However, I did really enjoy the main character's inner dialogue since I felt it was so relatable (especially to my situation) and it was nice to read a book where the main character has a disability.

4.5 ⭐️ A very raw account of a Japanese woman with a rare disability who resides in a group care facility.

I appreciated the author’s candor when it came to describing day to day life with the type of disability the main character (and the author) suffer from. This is not an easy read, it will make you uncomfortable, might even gross you out, but I felt it helped get the author’s message across: How society dismisses the sexual desires of those suffering with a disability.

I was not expecting that ending.

Loved!

I'm a big fan of short novella-style books and this one hits quick and hard! Shaka has a congenital muscle disorder that has curved her spine and stunted her muscle development to the point that she has to use a ventilator to breathe. Despite her physical condition, which keeps her in a group home, her mind is expansive, sharp, and curious. Her first-person perspective throughout the novel is unflinching and straightforward - from the descriptions of her daily struggles to breathe and move around her apartment to her insights about society. The ending was sharp and I enjoyed how it twists/skews things at the end. The straightforward voices throughout are propulsive and the mix of story-within-a-story narratives gives complexity. I really enjoyed this fast, engaging read!

Disabled bodies can do what abled bodies can. This quirky novella celebrates disabilities and comments on the potential for people with disabilities to live out their lives fully

4.5

Wow, this was hard to put down. I appreciate how the author really kept the reader on her toes; I often felt off-kilter in a way that made me want to figure out exactly what the author wanted me to know. I was also completely engrossed in the MC’s discussion of her daily struggles, things that most people take for granted. I was shocked by the ending’s turn of events, which made me want to start the book over again from the very beginning. I’m going to be thinking about its layers and nuances, as well as its more blatant commentary, for a long time. I only wish it were longer! I could have kept on reading Shaka’s story.

I would say that this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025, and it did not disappoint. This is definitely a strange read. It follows Shaka, a disabled woman in Japan, living with a degenerative muscle disorder called myotubular myopathy, which causes her to live in a group home. She spends her days studying, and also tweeting the provocative thoughts that cross her mind that she can’t voice. One of her male carers eventually reveals that he has read her tweets, and they make an arrangement. I didn’t expect this to have as much erotica as it did, but it didn’t necessarily take away from the book. This book is about Shaka and her thoughts as a disabled woman living in ableist Japan. I would say that the plot takes a backseat to her inner monologue, and I liked that aspect of it, honestly. I really enjoyed this book. It was weird, and eye opening, and I loved seeing Shaka’s thoughts. 4.5 rounded up. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hogarth for the Advanced Reader’s ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This novella follows Shaka, a wealthy woman with a degenerative disease. She lives a sheltered life confined to her care home. However, the internet expands her world. She's getting her second degree online, she has a job writing erotica, AND she uses Twitter like its her diary -- revealing her innermost thoughts and dark fantasies.

One day she discovers that one of the caretakers has seen her tweets. They strike up a bargain. Things do not go as planned.

This book is short!! I do feel like the second half could have been fleshed out a little bit longer -- the end happens a little too quickly and I would have liked to raise the stakes for Shaka a lot more.

This book is refreshing, frank, and provocative. It is not for everyone but it might just tickle the fancy of Ottessa Moshfegh's more adventurous fans.

A very strange, but thought provoking novella. A quick read into the life of a disabled person in Japan. Very engaging.

a bit scattered in my opinion, but might be the flurry of other reads that have been more plotty. the concepts of this book are really interesting!

A brisk, and very surprising debut! I finished it in one sitting. Hilarious, but also a little heart-breaking.

Everyone should read this.

Thanks to the publisher for the e-galley!

A quirky novella by a writer who, in many ways, resembles her protagonist. It tells the intimate story of a woman with significant physical limitations who can write with authenticity about a sex club she's never visited. You'll be perplexed at times and rewarded by the end

Hm I didn’t love this until I got to the very end. Loved the end. Think it was the perfect length to get me invested slightly in the characters. What a full circle ending.