A review by vigil
Breasts and Eggs, by Mieko Kawakami

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I think this is a book i'll have to buy a physical copy of to return to later, because there is so much being said about how society views women, parenthood, class, and most of it is left up the interpretation of the reader, that i think it can easily fly over the head. that fact especially was one i appreciated about this book. kawakami gives several different points of view (particularly in book two, my favorite, though book one is the most tightly plotted) that contrast each other, taking natsuko and the reader on a rollercoaster together. it is deeply immersive and atmospheric, so that when natsu feels like she's meandering, the reader feels it from the book too, which can be a positive or a detraction for someone. the pacing is very slow, and different between the first and second halves of the book (the breasts portion, was originally a seperate novella) and the change can feel rather abrupt. there is no big climax in this book, it is far too introspective and philosophical for that, instead letting protagonists come to quiet decisions framed very plainly. 

this would normally be a five star book, but during book one (the breasts portion), there is a long scene of our protagonist being transphobic towards another woman in the spa. i'm not sure whether or not this had a connection to the overall themes of the book, or was simply just added in, because it's not fully explained by the narrative during or after the event, it just happens and it moves on. i believe i read something about this having translation issues, which could be the cause of this or other things. 
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