Breasts and Eggs
Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami, published by Europa Editions in 2021, is a literary work that explores the lives of three women navigating personal and familial challenges. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Japan, the narrative unfolds as Makiko travels from Osaka to Tokyo with her daughter, Midoriko, who is grappling with the pressures of adolescence. The story is told through the perspective of Natsu, Makiko’s sister, an aspiring writer reflecting on her past as the women confront their fears and family secrets during their time together.
Readers will find a rich exploration of themes such as family life and the complexities of womanhood. The narrative spans two pivotal moments in the women’s lives, highlighting their struggles with identity, aging, and the quest for peace. Kawakami’s distinctive style combines emotional depth with a touch of humor, offering insights into the psychological landscapes of her characters. This edition contains 430 pages and is presented in English, making it accessible to a wide audience interested in literary fiction that delves into the intricacies of relationships and personal growth.
Official synopsis Publisher
A BEST BOOK OF 2020
TIME Magazine・The Atlantic・Book Riot・Electric Literature・The New York Times (Notable Book of the Year)
The story of three women by a writer hailed by Haruki Murakami as Japan’s most important contemporary novelist, WINNER OF THE AKUTAGAWA PRIZE.
On a sweltering summer day, Makiko travels from Osaka to Tokyo, where her sister Natsu lives. She is in the company of her daughter, Midoriko, who has lately grown silent, finding herself unable to voice the vague yet overwhelming pressures associated with adolescence. The story of these three women reunited in a working-class neighborhood of Tokyo is told through the gaze of Natsu–thirty years old, an aspiring writer, haunted by hardships endured in her youth. Over the course of their few days together in the capital, Midoriko’s silence will prove a catalyst for each woman to confront her fears and family secrets.
On yet another blistering summer’s day eight years later, Natsu, during a journey back to her native city, struggles with her own indeterminate identity as she confronts anxieties about growing old alone and childless.
One of Japan’s most important and best-selling writers, Mieko Kawakami mixes stylistic inventiveness, wry humor, and riveting emotional depth to tell a story of contemporary womanhood in Japan. Breasts and Eggs recounts the intimate journeys of three women on the path to finding peace and futures they can call their own.
“Original and deeply moving…This book is a gift.”–Laura van den Berg
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