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Hunchback
Hunchback: A Novel | Saou Ichikawa
4 posts | 3 read | 1 reading | 6 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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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….. 2d
AmyG Curious what you think of The Dream Hotel. 2d
sarahbarnes So looking forward to Hunchback! 2d
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! 2d
Lesliereadsalot I‘m next for Hunchback at my library! The Dream Hoel looks good too. (edited) 2d
54 likes5 comments
review
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! 3d
sarahbarnes Looking forward to this one! 2d
56 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
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. 7d
Liz_M 😂 “run...“ 6d
Deblovestoread Great review! Waiting for my libraries copy to arrive as I‘m first on the hold list. 6d
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 5d
64 likes4 comments
review
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! 3mo
Lesliereadsalot Already requested this at my library! 3mo
Amor4Libros @Lesliereadsalot Happy new year! This book is so good and super short! 🤗 3mo
43 likes1 stack add3 comments