Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Diario de un vacío by Emi Yagi

17 reviews

killertomes's review against another edition

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informative mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

It's a translated Japanese fiction about a woman working in an office with all male employees and expected to do all the meanile tasks but one day announces she can't clean away all the dirty cups because she's infact pregnant and finds the smell of cigarette butt's and coffee nauseating. But we know otherwise she's not pregnant and she has to keep up her appreances as a mother to be. 

This novel is about the expectations and demands made of women. 

It brings to light the differences women are treated and how if you're pregnant that you may get treated more kindly than if you weren't.
I noticed that once pregnant, you become everyone's interest with prying questions, and your wellbeing is theirs to have commentary on or judge. 
Shibata gave herself quite the commitment to keep up too but also embraced it and started taking care of herself more and recovering her body from the burn out she was subdued too.
As the story unfolds the pregnancy starts to feel more like reality than fake but as she made herself believe she has more value as a women by being a mother. Is a women's worth lessened if she's not intending to bear children. 
I noticed a lot of empty cores and voids within the book in relation to Shibatas body, are we as women seen as empty cores? made and waiting to be useful. 
Responsibilities in the workplace should've been shared all along, not left to the women to just get on with
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kurumipanda's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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dev921's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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annaonthepage's review against another edition

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Triggering content.
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lambclown's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
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philosopher_kj's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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azalya01's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I thought this book was a very beautiful exploration of loneliness and discontent, and how human connection is a lot more precious than we may realize in our day-to-day lives. I found the slow and detailed narration of this story to be comforting and it endeared me quite a lot to the main character. I felt myself resonating with her feelings, and I appreciated the expression of her complex heartache framed in such relatable moments in time. I'm glad I read this book, and recommend it highly.
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preezilla's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What an unhinged, slice of life novel? This was my first Japanese novel, and I really enjoyed it.
I was on the edge of my seat for the last chunk since the firsy ultrasound when the dr showed her her baby?! I also love that there’s no solid answer on whether she was pregnant or lying to the reader or in the journal 🤷🏽‍♂️
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marlzipan's review against another edition

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funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Feminist protest can take all kinds of forms - Diary of a Void is an unusual yet highly effective take from Japanese author Emi Yagi. We follow Shibata-san, a fed-up, worn-out office worker as she (accidentally) attempts the ultimate workplace heist - faking a pregnancy. This is a darkly funny, poignantly relatable and thought-provoking book, tackling themes of loneliness, work-life balance and gender norms in modern Japan. It was so refreshing to see a woman’s voice like this in translation. 
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littlebrittofthis's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Diary Of A Void pulled me in with an interesting perspective on being a woman in Japanese society and it does not disappoint as we see how society still creates certain spaces for women. A slice of life book trapped in the slightly absurd. Emi Yagi creates a fascinating story of a woman who via faking a pregnancy gets out of doing the jobs in the office that have been handed to her, starting with the coffee cup cleaning in the meeting room. Interestingly these roles seem to be only given to women.

Like many contemporary books translated from Japanese, Emi Yagi’s Diary of a Void is also a quietly political novel. Diary of a Void addresses the systematic inequalities of Japan’s economy not just based on gender, but also on age, class, and race.

The characterization and thought process as the baby is ‘created’ is fascinating and intense, and incredibly well written as we see how the gaze shifts as she progresses through the pregnancy but also how she connects to people as she keeps up the lie. I expected so many things and they didn’t happen but I think that’s kinda why you stay gripped by this book until the very last page.
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