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A review by darbo
Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An incredible, insightful, and essential novel that needs to be talked about more.
This is the first Kawakami novel that I have ever read, but author Mieko Kawakami has truly created something incredible and stunning. She talks about aspects of the female body that many of us tend to ignore/have never even heard of, asks ethical questions, and lets us have many insights into what it means to be female in a modern society.
The blurb of this novel only tells half the story. The book is split into two halves but we follow Natsuko Natsume, the main character, in both of them as she discovers and explores herself, her body, and the female role in society, often holding onto patriarchal expectations as she does so, thinking that that is what is considered normal.
Throughout the novel, however, both she and you discover that this is not the case and gradually begin to change your views, as she does. The main plot point is artificial insemination, as Natsuko struggles with the rather philosophical question of what it means to truly know someone and what it means to bring a new life into this world. Along the way she meets many fascinating and unique individuals, causing her to think about and adapt to different viewpoints, as she wrestles with the thought of wanting her own child.
At some point in the novel, everything starts to unravel and it seems as though Natusko is spiraling out of control, into this deep, dark void that nobody can pull her out of. In short, it feels like she is depressed, and on the verge of taking her own life, which really reflects in the writing style as it becomes more sluggish, and Natsuko's actions and the events surrounding her become more mundane and repetitive. It all seems hopeless and you really root for her and for things to become better. However, the author really leaves you hoping until the very end, so hang in there!
To me, Breasts and Eggs is a sensational feminist novel that deserves way more recognition than it already has and we all need to read it and talk about it.
This is the first Kawakami novel that I have ever read, but author Mieko Kawakami has truly created something incredible and stunning. She talks about aspects of the female body that many of us tend to ignore/have never even heard of, asks ethical questions, and lets us have many insights into what it means to be female in a modern society.
The blurb of this novel only tells half the story. The book is split into two halves but we follow Natsuko Natsume, the main character, in both of them as she discovers and explores herself, her body, and the female role in society, often holding onto patriarchal expectations as she does so, thinking that that is what is considered normal.
Throughout the novel, however, both she and you discover that this is not the case and gradually begin to change your views, as she does. The main plot point is artificial insemination, as Natsuko struggles with the rather philosophical question of what it means to truly know someone and what it means to bring a new life into this world. Along the way she meets many fascinating and unique individuals, causing her to think about and adapt to different viewpoints, as she wrestles with the thought of wanting her own child.
To me, Breasts and Eggs is a sensational feminist novel that deserves way more recognition than it already has and we all need to read it and talk about it.