Diary of a Void: A hilarious, feminist read from the new star of Japanese fiction

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Discover this prizewinning, thrillingly subversive new novel that's perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman and Breasts and Eggs.

'One of the most intriguing new novels of the summer,' Independent

For the sake of women everywhere, Ms Shibata is going to pull off the mother of all deceptions...

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

'Darkly funny and surprisingly tender.' Kirsty Logan, author of Things We Say in the Dark

Reviews

If you're in the mood for a matter-of-fact and incredibly thought-provoking read, you'll love Yagi's writing. * Stylist *
[Diary of a Void's] subversive premise makes it one of the most intriguing new novels of the summer. * Independent, *Summer Reads of 2022* *
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 *
Delightful . . . Yagi's focus is on how acting pregnant reshapes Shibata's relationship to herself... Yet the book never idealizes pregnancy...We see the difficulty of being a woman with or without a child, and Yagi emphasizes how society makes both roles harder... If you've ever wanted to bite back at a nosy boss, a rude co-worker, an unfair assignment, or the endless list of shoulds we face, then maybe you'll find something to enjoy in Shibata's audacity too. -- Rowan Hisayo Buchanan * The Atlantic *

Author Bio

Emi Yagi was born in 1988, and is currently a corporate employee and an editor. Diary of a Void is her first novel, and it won the 36th Dazai Osamu Prize, awarded annually to debut writers.