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Hunchback
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
13 posts | 12 read | 14 to read
A bombshell bestseller in Japan, a defiant, darkly funny debut novel about a young woman in a care home seeking autonomy and the full possibilities of her life"not only a major achievement in disability literature but great literature period" (Johanna Hedva) "Uproariously funny, unflinching, and merciless."Mariana Enriquez, author of Our Share of Night Unforgettable.Sayaka Murata, author of Convenience Store Woman "A sly whirlwind of madness and brilliance."Weike Wang, author of Chemistry Born with a congenital muscle disorder, Shaka spends her days in her room in a care home outside Tokyo, relying on an electric wheelchair to get around and a ventilator to breathe. But if Shakas physical life is limited, her quick, mischievous mind has no boundaries: She takes e-learning courses on her iPad, publishes explicit fantasies on websites, and anonymously troll-tweets to see if anyone is paying attention (In another life, Id like to work as a high-class prostitute). One day, she tweets into the void an offer of an enormous sum of money for a sperm donor. To Shakas surprise, her new nurse accepts the dare, unleashing a series of events that will forever change Shakas sense of herself as a woman in the world. Hunchback has shaken Japanese literary culture with its skillful depiction of the physical body and its unrepentant humor. Winner of the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, its a feminist story about the dignity of an individual who insists on her right to make choices for herself, no matter the consequences. Formally creative and refreshingly unsentimental, Hunchback depicts the joy, anger, and desires of a woman demanding autonomy in a world that doesnt aways always grant it to people like her. Full of wit, bite, and heart, this unforgettable novel reminds us all of the full potential of our lives, regardless of the limitations we experience.
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sarahbarnes
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

A quick read that doesn‘t hold back any punches. I liked the unapologetic nature of the narrative - it throws you right into the story and then spits you back out at the end, and doesn‘t wait for you to catch up. It ends as abruptly as it begins and I wanted it to go on longer. But I liked this one from the Booker Intl. longlist a lot.

Suet624 My library hasn‘t caught up yet to my need for this book. 😊 5d
Mimi28 I have it out from the library right now but I haven‘t read it yet. I will now, lol. 5d
Graywacke Great review Sarah. I read that thinking, yeah! 🙂 5d
See All 10 Comments
BarbaraBB Yes well said. And I keep thinking about the narrator somehow, maybe because we spent such a short time with her 5d
Lesliereadsalot Find a picture of the author. 4d
sarahbarnes Thanks @Graywacke! It was quite the reading experience! 4d
sarahbarnes @Suet624 argh! Hopefully soon! 4d
sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB I am having the same experience. 4d
sarahbarnes @Mimi28 I hope you enjoy it! 4d
sarahbarnes @Lesliereadsalot I like that she‘s writing from her lived experience. 4d
41 likes10 comments
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Graywacke
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

I read this today. Took 2 hours. My 6th from the International #Booker longlist. It‘s highly regarded.

A heavily disabled woman, with a muscular disorder, dependent on helpers and a ventilator, writes pornographic romances under a pen-name. This is about her looking at her life, and ableist biases, even on book reading, and at her own desires. Unsettling and provoking.
#IB2025

BarbaraBB I was very impressed by this book and am sorry it didn‘t make the shortlist 5d
sarahbarnes I liked this one too and read it quickly. Agree with @BarbaraBB that I wish it had made the shortlist. 5d
Graywacke @BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes i try not to get too worked up on the shortlist and winner. 🙂 But this book was worthy of the shortlist. So was Solenoid. 5d
49 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Night_Reader
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Mehso-so

This was a provocative and thought-provoking novel about a woman living with a congenital muscular disorder. Just as I was getting into the story, it ended—abruptly. And honestly, I have no idea what the ending was about. I‘m not quite sure how to rate this book.

Suet624 Bummer. 7d
Night_Reader @Suet624 I wish the story had gone further. 😐 I recommend borrowing from the library, don't buy it. 7d
sarahbarnes Just read this one and I agree, I wanted it to continue. It ended abruptly. 5d
14 likes3 comments
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BookishTrish
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

A virgin with a disability that keeps her indoors has a filthy inner life and strong resentment of able bodied folks. The narrative voice is so unrelenting and strong that I couldn‘t put it down. I‘m not sure what to do with the ending though. Are you? #manbookerinternational

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Lesliereadsalot
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

This is one peculiar book, clocking in at only 90 pages. Through the eyes of the narrator, we learn about the life of severely disabled Shaka, her fantasies, her dreams. She‘s so resentful of able-bodied people, especially when it comes to reading a book which she has so much trouble with. A soft pick for me, I doubt I‘ll be thinking about this again.

Amor4Libros I liked this one, too! 😊 2w
BarbaraBB I unexpectedly keep thinking of this book and the author‘s face 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w
Lesliereadsalot You know, I keep thinking about the author‘s face too. Glad you mentioned that as I thought it was just me. 🩷 @BarbaraBB (edited) 2w
See All 6 Comments
Lesliereadsalot Such a strange little book! But with a big message 🩷 @Amor4Libros 2w
sarahbarnes Picking this one up at the library today! 2w
Lesliereadsalot Will be interested in what you think of this one. Take a look at the author too, @sarahbarnes 2w
23 likes6 comments
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Mattsbookaday
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

Hunchback, by Saou Ichikawa (2023, transl. 2025)

Premise: A woman living with myotubular myopathy navigates complex social and parasocial relationships.

Review: This novella is without a doubt one of the most unique and shocking books I‘ve ever read. Cont.

Mattsbookaday It challenges the reader on important but underdiscussed themes of ableism, power, consent, resentment, and the many ways we construct our identities in real life and online. This will not be for everyone, but I thought it was genius. At a slim 110 pages and moving at a brisk pace, there is little to lose and a lot to gain from giving it a try. I will note as a PSA that this has an ambiguous ending, so if that bothers you, be warned! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3w
BarbaraBB Great review 🤍 3w
TieDyeDude My wife @wildalaskabibliophile just picked this up from our local bookstore! 3w
6 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Flaneurette
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

Finished this a few days ago...“Being able to see; being able to hold a book; being able to turn its pages; being able to maintain a reading posture; being able to go to a bookshop to buy a book-I loathed the exclusionary machismo of book culture that demanded that its participants meet these five criteria of able-bodiedness. I loathed, too, the ignorant arrogance of all those self-professed book-lovers so oblivious to their privilege.”

sarahbarnes Looking forward to this one. 4w
BarbaraBB I keep thinking of it. 4w
30 likes2 comments
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BarbaraBB
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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#WeeklyFavorites

The Hunchback is still lingering in my mind. That‘s why it has to be this week‘s favorite book!
March‘s favorite is Wild Dark Shore.

sarahbarnes Great week! 1mo
Suet624 Screenshot! 1mo
Cathythoughts Great! Can‘t wait to read Wild Dark Shore ❤️ 4w
Read4life A great month!! 💙📚💙 4w
58 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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BarbaraBB
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

This is a novella about an disabled woman who can‘t go outside the home she lives in. She connects with the world by writing erotica and tweeting obscene things.
Ichikawa describes what it means to live with a severe handicap in an in-your-face way. You can‘t look away. Extreme and graphic, so well done. Yet I am in need of an explanation of the ending. #InternationalBooker25

Chelsea.Poole I just checked this out but the cover is very different than your edition. (edited) 1mo
squirrelbrain Great review! 1mo
Lesliereadsalot I have this one on hold at the library. Will give you my thoughts soon! 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Deblovestoread On my list for the weekend. Great review! 1mo
Cathythoughts Great review and pic ❤️ 1mo
Lesliereadsalot I think that was just her fantasy at the end, like a dream sequence. Just my guess 🩷 2w
81 likes1 stack add6 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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#WeeklyForecast 13/25

It‘s all about the #WP25 and the #InternationalBooker25 these days. I am reading The Dream Hotel (WP). Next will be the tagged (IB). The Persians is WP again, as is Nesting that I am listening to.

squirrelbrain I‘m hoping to start The Persians this week….. 1mo
AmyG Curious what you think of The Dream Hotel. 1mo
sarahbarnes So looking forward to Hunchback! 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures Hunchback looks so good! I have 4 more #WP25 books than onto Booker and that one is top of my list. Hope you enjoy it! 1mo
Lesliereadsalot I‘m next for Hunchback at my library! The Dream Hoel looks good too. (edited) 1mo
60 likes5 comments
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Hooked_on_books
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

I was very taken aback by how this book starts, but I‘m glad I continued, as it is part of the exploration of the lived reality of a severely disabled woman confined to a group home. It doesn‘t shy away from what she has to contend with daily while also showing her as a whole person with the same needs and desires as anyone. A tiny book that packs a punch.

BarbaraBB My next read! 1mo
sarahbarnes Looking forward to this one! 1mo
59 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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RaeLovesToRead
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

If you want an uplifting story with positive representation RUN FOR THE HILLS.

This is a powerful and subversive piece of writing that provokes and challenges the reader to examine the ableism around them.

It explores the realities of living with a severe physical disability and the ramifications on sex, self esteem and fulfillment.

I'm not sure why Enriquez described it as 'uproariously funny'. Stunning nonetheless.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BarbaraBB Great review. 1mo
Liz_M 😂 “run...“ 1mo
Deblovestoread Great review! Waiting for my libraries copy to arrive as I‘m first on the hold list. 1mo
RaeLovesToRead @BarbaraBB @Liz_M @Deblovestoread Thanks 😊 If you want to hear my further thoughts (with SPOILERS) I discussed it on my channel https://youtu.be/83O6fTUidYU?feature=shared 1mo
66 likes4 comments
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Amor4Libros
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
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Pickpick

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

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. Ending was unexpected.

Loved!

4.5 ⭐️ #arc

US Pub Date: 3/18/25

Lesliereadsalot This sounds so good! Happiest new year! 4mo
Lesliereadsalot Already requested this at my library! 4mo
Amor4Libros @Lesliereadsalot Happy new year! This book is so good and super short! 🤗 4mo
43 likes1 stack add3 comments