Diary of a Void

Shibata, the main character of Diary of a Void, is thirty-four years old and works at a company that manufactures cardboard tubes. Frustrated with being the only woman in the workplace and being treated by her colleagues as an errand girl and given the most thankless tasks, she reaches her limits. When asked to clean up the coffee cups, she refuses, explaining that she is pregnant and the smell of coffee makes her nauseous. This innocent lie leads to a whole avalanche of changes. From being a gray office mouse, Shibata transforms into a woman who deserves special treatment, cannot overwork herself or stay overtime, and above all, deserves rest. Sound like a good way to rebel against a misogynistic work environment? This is only the beginning, because for the next nine months, Shibata will have to uphold her lie, transform herself, not let anyone the truth.
The title of the book refers to the recently increasingly popular pregnancy diaries, in which expectant mothers record their feelings and observations. Diary of a Void adapts this form to show how the mere status of being pregnant makes a woman a different person in the eyes of society. In a light-hearted style, Emi Yagi tackles important feminist issues: the pressure on women to have children and the various forms of violence and misogyny in workplace. Following the stages of the main character’s pregnancy with her, the boundaries between reality and lies quickly blur, and you really cannot wait for the finale of this story.