Service95 Recommends is the home of the books we love and reviews from our contributors. Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa, translated by Polly Barton, holds nothing back when exploring the innermost thoughts and desires of a woman with disabilities.
What We Say: “Hunchback is uncomfortable in a blunt, fresh, and thought-provoking way. Shaka, the narrator, has a congenital muscle disorder that forces her to remain in a care home on a ventilator. She spends her days studying and writing highly explicit erotica online. When her caretaker reveals he has read her stories, the two make a deal. Author Saou has no intention of hiding or obscuring Shaka’s body – what it requires, what it desires – while weaving in the intricacies of her own perspective as a woman with disabilities. This is a book I will think about for a long time.” – Leila Wilkinson
What They Say: “This genre-defying novel plunges us into a world that is so surreal and bizarre and captivating. Filled with dark humour and existential dread, this is a wild ride that teeters on the memorable edge of the absurd.” – Weike Wang
Available on Bookshop.org, Waterstones, and Barnes & Noble
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Leila Wilkinson is Digital Content Intern at Service95
