As the only woman in her office,Ms Shibata is expected to do all the menial tasks. One day she announces that she can't clear away her coworkers'dirty cups - because she's pregnant and the smell nauseates her. The only thing is... Ms Shibata is not pregnant.
Pregnant Ms Shibata doesn't have to serve coffee to anyone. Pregnant Ms Shibata isn't forced to work overtime. Pregnant Ms Shibata can rest,watch TV,take long baths,and even join an aerobics class for expectant mothers. But she has a nine-month ruse to keep up. Before long,it becomes all-absorbing,and with the help of towel-stuffed shirts and a diary app that tracks every stage of her'pregnancy',the boundary between her lie and her life begins to dissolve.
Diary of a Void will keep you turning the pages to see just how far Ms Shibata will go.
Translated from the Japanese by David Boyd and Lucy North.
Publisher: Vintage PublishingISBN: 9781529114812Number of pages: 224Weight: 160 gDimensions: 196 x 128 x 20 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'(Diary of a Void's) subversive premise makes it one of the most intriguing new novels of the summer.'-Independent
'Some premises prove so irresistible that they become crutches,excusing a colorless execution. That's not the case here... Diary of a Void advances one of the most passionate cases I've ever read for female interiority,for women's creative pulse and rich inner life.'-The New Yorker
'Few novels live up to their promise of revelatory social commentary. But a particularly good one can still tempt even the most cynical of readers... Yagi has a light touch for the endless ironies made possible by her premise. There is humor,but also the realization that the alienation of pregnancy and motherhood is no reprieve from the oppressive office culture that inspires Shibata's experiment.'- Lauren Oyler,New York Times Book Review
'The premise... is so elegant,it's one of those ideas that feels wonderfully familiar...the tension grows along with the comedic details...Diary of a Void starts as stylish satire about the societal luxuries afforded to pregnant woman,a cri de coeur for those who have yet to make such practical use of their wombs. But it becomes something even more profound. Always expect the unexpected when you're not expecting.'- Sloane Crosley,Departures
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