What do you think?
Rate this book
がらんどう
「ルームシェアっていうの、やらない? もっと広い部屋に住めるし、生活費も節約できるし、家事も分担できるよ」
「若い人たち同士ならわかるけど……本気なの?」
「四十過ぎた女二人が同居しちゃいけないって法律はないよ」
「でも、普通はしないよ」
人生で一度も恋愛感情を抱いたことがない平井と、副業として3Dプリンターで死んだ犬のフィギュアを作り続ける菅沼。
二人組アイドルグループ「KI Dash」の推し活で繋がった二人のコロナ禍での共同生活は、心地よく淡々と過ぎていくが――
恋愛、結婚、出産、家族……どんな型にもうまくはまれない、でも、特別じゃない。
《今》を生きるすべての人へ、さまざまな属性を越えて響く“わたしたち”の物語。
「若い人たち同士ならわかるけど……本気なの?」
「四十過ぎた女二人が同居しちゃいけないって法律はないよ」
「でも、普通はしないよ」
人生で一度も恋愛感情を抱いたことがない平井と、副業として3Dプリンターで死んだ犬のフィギュアを作り続ける菅沼。
二人組アイドルグループ「KI Dash」の推し活で繋がった二人のコロナ禍での共同生活は、心地よく淡々と過ぎていくが――
恋愛、結婚、出産、家族……どんな型にもうまくはまれない、でも、特別じゃない。
《今》を生きるすべての人へ、さまざまな属性を越えて響く“わたしたち”の物語。
120 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2023
13 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
January 28, 2026
MASTERPIECE MASTERPIECE MASTERPIECE!
It’s always the random tiktok recs that end up being the most incredible reads for me.
This was like a combination of all the most perfect contemporary Japanese authors (Sayaka Murata, Rin Usami, Kikuko Tsumura, Junko Takase, etc) and their themes, but also it focused on different facets of the human experience (being in your 40s, not following societal conventions, female friendships in your 40s, asexuality, loneliness).
I’m shocked this is a debut, and so grateful I’ve read it for January in Japan.
Will be recommending it nonstop!
It’s always the random tiktok recs that end up being the most incredible reads for me.
This was like a combination of all the most perfect contemporary Japanese authors (Sayaka Murata, Rin Usami, Kikuko Tsumura, Junko Takase, etc) and their themes, but also it focused on different facets of the human experience (being in your 40s, not following societal conventions, female friendships in your 40s, asexuality, loneliness).
I’m shocked this is a debut, and so grateful I’ve read it for January in Japan.
Will be recommending it nonstop!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A curious commentary on life, where society meets the self.
I fell asleep and awoke to the wonderful life inside this book. We follow the life, the passions, desires or lack thereof of Hirai. A woman in her near-forties, she isn't lost. She has her life panned out, go to work and come home to her flatmate, Saganuma (which seems to be the only odd part of her life, living with another woman).
There are a lot of themes to get snagged up on here. The integration of the lives of celebrities to ourselves is one of the most prominent ones. The way how we let them into our life or how much we want their lives into our lives. We form a specific image of them, decorate it, adorn it with our expectations. We blatantly project on them, our feelings, our reflections. And then we are broken when they don't live up to it. We wish we hadn't even know what they had done to break the picture-perfect image of them we have in our heads.
Repulsion or confusion to sexuality
And lastly, the want of a child. Another running theme is how she wants a child. So badly it refuses to listen to her reason of reality and circumstances. The want even she can't put a finger on why she wants one except it being a projection of society's expectation and it being the logical next step planned for her by the community.
All these themes form an amalgamation of the crude and raw reality of today, being different, and feeling hollow inside.
⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆
𐦂𖨆𐀪𖠋𝓹𝓻𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭
Looking forward to a short social satire, that leaves me questioning the real meaning of a society and people.
Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC of the book.
I fell asleep and awoke to the wonderful life inside this book. We follow the life, the passions, desires or lack thereof of Hirai. A woman in her near-forties, she isn't lost. She has her life panned out, go to work and come home to her flatmate, Saganuma (which seems to be the only odd part of her life, living with another woman).
There are a lot of themes to get snagged up on here. The integration of the lives of celebrities to ourselves is one of the most prominent ones. The way how we let them into our life or how much we want their lives into our lives. We form a specific image of them, decorate it, adorn it with our expectations. We blatantly project on them, our feelings, our reflections. And then we are broken when they don't live up to it. We wish we hadn't even know what they had done to break the picture-perfect image of them we have in our heads.
Repulsion or confusion to sexuality
And lastly, the want of a child. Another running theme is how she wants a child. So badly it refuses to listen to her reason of reality and circumstances. The want even she can't put a finger on why she wants one except it being a projection of society's expectation and it being the logical next step planned for her by the community.
All these themes form an amalgamation of the crude and raw reality of today, being different, and feeling hollow inside.
"I'm the sort of person who can't fall in love."
"My baby. Hollow inside, misshapen, defective. It was perfect for me."
⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆⋆⭒˚𖠋𖠋𖠋*.⋆
𐦂𖨆𐀪𖠋𝓹𝓻𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭
Looking forward to a short social satire, that leaves me questioning the real meaning of a society and people.
Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“Nothing in this world had anything to do with me.”
This short novel is for the women who feel like their time will never come and who may need to hear that maybe it won't.
We move through the world as Hirai, a 38-year old woman working a boring office job who has recently moved in with her 42-year old female colleague. Uncomfortable with living with another woman at this stage of her life, Hirai drifts through her days with quiet unease, navigating a mundane routine while slowly coming to terms with both her present and her future.
She worries about what others think of her living situation. She worries about marriage, about her ability to love a man. She worries about having children as she moves further and further from the "ideal age of motherhood". Throughout it all, she just feels hollow inside no matter what.
Is there an answer to her fears, or are marriage and motherhood simply names we give to hope?
I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This short novel is for the women who feel like their time will never come and who may need to hear that maybe it won't.
We move through the world as Hirai, a 38-year old woman working a boring office job who has recently moved in with her 42-year old female colleague. Uncomfortable with living with another woman at this stage of her life, Hirai drifts through her days with quiet unease, navigating a mundane routine while slowly coming to terms with both her present and her future.
She worries about what others think of her living situation. She worries about marriage, about her ability to love a man. She worries about having children as she moves further and further from the "ideal age of motherhood". Throughout it all, she just feels hollow inside no matter what.
Is there an answer to her fears, or are marriage and motherhood simply names we give to hope?
I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 25, 2025
This was a short read but raised great questions on sexuality, expectations on marriage & relationship, also on motherhood.
Full RTC
Thank u to Edelweiss and Pushkin Press for the review copy
Full RTC
Thank u to Edelweiss and Pushkin Press for the review copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this translated Japanese novella we follow Hirai, a woman in her late 30s who decides to move in with Suganuma, her female friend in her 40s.
Neither woman is interested in the idea of a romantic relationship with a man, although they feel continual pressure from their families and the people around them.
As the story progresses they question their own attitudes and what they really want.
I found this an interesting look into societal expectations, tackled in a gently funny and quirky way, and it reminded me a little of Convenience Store Woman.
I'm happy to have found another Japanese author to watch out for, this was great.
In this translated Japanese novella we follow Hirai, a woman in her late 30s who decides to move in with Suganuma, her female friend in her 40s.
Neither woman is interested in the idea of a romantic relationship with a man, although they feel continual pressure from their families and the people around them.
As the story progresses they question their own attitudes and what they really want.
I found this an interesting look into societal expectations, tackled in a gently funny and quirky way, and it reminded me a little of Convenience Store Woman.
I'm happy to have found another Japanese author to watch out for, this was great.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much for the e-arc!
3.5
I liked how this questions the expectations of women. Women are supposed to get married and have babies to many people and society still pushes that idea. The stigma non-married, childless women get is beyond flabbergasted for someone who just wants to live their own life the way they want, not what is expected of them.
Also would say some representation of being asexual which again gets the discussion on expectations of people.
How this is written to express the above and put that forward was great but the ending just left me wanting just something a tad more, for my own taste of course!
3.5
I liked how this questions the expectations of women. Women are supposed to get married and have babies to many people and society still pushes that idea. The stigma non-married, childless women get is beyond flabbergasted for someone who just wants to live their own life the way they want, not what is expected of them.
Also would say some representation of being asexual which again gets the discussion on expectations of people.
How this is written to express the above and put that forward was great but the ending just left me wanting just something a tad more, for my own taste of course!
January 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Hollow Inside focuses on how societal expectations around marriage and children can affect someone’s thoughts even when they don’t actually want those things. I really loved the overall ambience of the book, especially being inside Hirai’s head and following her constant stream of what-ifs and maybes. I did wish the friendship between Hirai and Suganuma had been developed more, since it felt slightly under-explored. The ending also felt a bit abrupt and left me wanting slightly more. Overall, it was a solid and enjoyable read, even if it wasn’t particularly memorable for me.
Hollow Inside focuses on how societal expectations around marriage and children can affect someone’s thoughts even when they don’t actually want those things. I really loved the overall ambience of the book, especially being inside Hirai’s head and following her constant stream of what-ifs and maybes. I did wish the friendship between Hirai and Suganuma had been developed more, since it felt slightly under-explored. The ending also felt a bit abrupt and left me wanting slightly more. Overall, it was a solid and enjoyable read, even if it wasn’t particularly memorable for me.
December 6, 2025
I started reading Hollow Inside on my phone in the standing zone near the barricade, waiting for Magdalena Bay — a great artist, progressive and experimental but in the best way possible — to perform for their concert at my university. I know: it sounds pretentious and performative, but I was just too bored to be standing there doing nothing, and I went to the concert alone so I had nobody to talk to. And since I wasn't in the mood to make conversation with strangers, I thought I'd read a couple pages just to have something to get my mind off the dreadful tedium of waiting.
They arrived 30 minutes later, but it did not feel that long because I was so absorbed in this book. Honestly, the artist and concert have little to do with the book, I just wanted to make a point on how Otani successfully weaves a dull premise — two 40-somethings women started a life of platonic cohabitation for each other's companionship — into an engrossing tale on marriage, sexuality, and the dilemma of having or not having a child. I was truly into the story and finished it the same day I read it.
The writing reminds me of Nanae Aoyama and Mieko Kawakami — Hollow Inside is definitely reminiscent of All the Lovers in the Night — in that Otani writes in an unassuming manner, but sprinkled in the book are lines that just swept me off the floor, making me reflect and think about marriage, parenthood, and whether society's normal is something one wants to partake in or not.
Instead of the question of coerced conformity i.e. society pressures you to get married and have children à la Convenience Store Woman, Otani brings up the question of personal desires vs social pressures, and how the line between those two might be more of a gray area than one thinks. Are your personal desires truly personal, or were they influenced by social pressures and familial trauma? Is choosing to have children or to get married means that you are surrendering to societal standards? Hirai's dilemma on marriage felt personally relatable, especially her views on how she personally doesn't see marriage as the be-all and end-all in life.
The pressures of society and the judgements they have towards actions that they deem abnormal are still very much present in the narrative, but it is not as haunting as the what-ifs, the fear and anxiety one might have on making the decision itself to not conform. The fear of regretting your choices and the guilt of throwing it all away is the emphasis in this story, which has always been something that haunts me when I think about my own personal choice to opt out of marriage and parenthood (I'm not completely closed off to the option, but I don't hold it much value either). I ended up loving it, even though it isn't a life-changing book. Sometimes a good book is a book that just gets you.
I found the second half of the book to be more interesting than the first half, but overall it is still a thought-provoking, poignant read. The ending where we see Maybe a life of choosing yourself over society would be a choice of potential loneliness and isolation, but at least it's a choice you truly value and believe in, rather than a choice that will eat away at your soul, wondering if maybe, just maybe, you had chosen yourself.
4 ⭐️
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pushkin Press for the review copy!
They arrived 30 minutes later, but it did not feel that long because I was so absorbed in this book. Honestly, the artist and concert have little to do with the book, I just wanted to make a point on how Otani successfully weaves a dull premise — two 40-somethings women started a life of platonic cohabitation for each other's companionship — into an engrossing tale on marriage, sexuality, and the dilemma of having or not having a child. I was truly into the story and finished it the same day I read it.
The writing reminds me of Nanae Aoyama and Mieko Kawakami — Hollow Inside is definitely reminiscent of All the Lovers in the Night — in that Otani writes in an unassuming manner, but sprinkled in the book are lines that just swept me off the floor, making me reflect and think about marriage, parenthood, and whether society's normal is something one wants to partake in or not.
Instead of the question of coerced conformity i.e. society pressures you to get married and have children à la Convenience Store Woman, Otani brings up the question of personal desires vs social pressures, and how the line between those two might be more of a gray area than one thinks. Are your personal desires truly personal, or were they influenced by social pressures and familial trauma? Is choosing to have children or to get married means that you are surrendering to societal standards? Hirai's dilemma on marriage felt personally relatable, especially her views on how she personally doesn't see marriage as the be-all and end-all in life.
The pressures of society and the judgements they have towards actions that they deem abnormal are still very much present in the narrative, but it is not as haunting as the what-ifs, the fear and anxiety one might have on making the decision itself to not conform. The fear of regretting your choices and the guilt of throwing it all away is the emphasis in this story, which has always been something that haunts me when I think about my own personal choice to opt out of marriage and parenthood (I'm not completely closed off to the option, but I don't hold it much value either). I ended up loving it, even though it isn't a life-changing book. Sometimes a good book is a book that just gets you.
I found the second half of the book to be more interesting than the first half, but overall it is still a thought-provoking, poignant read. The ending where we see Maybe a life of choosing yourself over society would be a choice of potential loneliness and isolation, but at least it's a choice you truly value and believe in, rather than a choice that will eat away at your soul, wondering if maybe, just maybe, you had chosen yourself.
4 ⭐️
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pushkin Press for the review copy!
January 23, 2026
This was short enough to read in one sitting and I’m still deciding whether that helped or hurt my experience.
Intentionally quiet, observational fiction can be hit or miss for me. The kind of story that doesn't explode but reflects because it pays attention to routine, character interiors, and expectation. Hollow Inside has all of that on the surface with 38 year-old Hirai who's drifting through adulthood under the weight of what women are expected to want (marriage, children, a "normal" timeline). I understood the commentary and could see the themes.
But I never felt it. The emotional thread stayed just out of reach for me, even when I thought, near the end, I was almost there. Maybe it's timing, I have been sick and I'm coming off a 5-star Irish horror high, so the contrast between immersion and distance was sharp. Maybe it's that I've been struggling to find my footing with literary fiction this year. It's thoughtful enough, but I just didn't connect as deeply as I expected to.
Intentionally quiet, observational fiction can be hit or miss for me. The kind of story that doesn't explode but reflects because it pays attention to routine, character interiors, and expectation. Hollow Inside has all of that on the surface with 38 year-old Hirai who's drifting through adulthood under the weight of what women are expected to want (marriage, children, a "normal" timeline). I understood the commentary and could see the themes.
But I never felt it. The emotional thread stayed just out of reach for me, even when I thought, near the end, I was almost there. Maybe it's timing, I have been sick and I'm coming off a 5-star Irish horror high, so the contrast between immersion and distance was sharp. Maybe it's that I've been struggling to find my footing with literary fiction this year. It's thoughtful enough, but I just didn't connect as deeply as I expected to.
January 26, 2026
Hollow Inside is a quietly brilliant, deeply human story that stayed with me long after I finished reading. Through Hirai’s everyday life — her work, friendships, dating missteps, and the subtle weight of societal expectations — Otani captures that strange, hollow feeling many of us carry as adults trying to figure out what “fulfillment” is supposed to look like.
The writing is understated yet sharp, blending deadpan humour with moments of surprising tenderness. The characters feel achingly real in their imperfections, and I loved how the story sits in the small, mundane moments that end up meaning the most.
What truly stood out was how gently this book explores loneliness, connection, and the freedom that comes with choosing your own version of happiness — without ever being loud or preachy. Short, poignant, and emotionally resonant, this was an easy 5/5 for me and a must-read for fans of quiet, introspective Japanese literature.
Thank you NetGalley and Steerforth & Pushkin for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
The writing is understated yet sharp, blending deadpan humour with moments of surprising tenderness. The characters feel achingly real in their imperfections, and I loved how the story sits in the small, mundane moments that end up meaning the most.
What truly stood out was how gently this book explores loneliness, connection, and the freedom that comes with choosing your own version of happiness — without ever being loud or preachy. Short, poignant, and emotionally resonant, this was an easy 5/5 for me and a must-read for fans of quiet, introspective Japanese literature.
Thank you NetGalley and Steerforth & Pushkin for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The story revolves around two central characters, Hirai, a 38 year old woman, and Suganuma, a 42 year old woman, whose lives quietly unfold in ways that feel deeply real and relatable. Through their experiences, the author beautifully shows the struggles of life: the uncertainties, the emotional pauses, and the small yet significant moments that make adulthood enriching yet challenging. Their innocent friendship becomes a gentle anchor, making it easier to deal with life’s unpredictability and unspoken pain. The narrative reminds us that life is not linear; it moves in fragments, setbacks, and unexpected connections. This is how fiction should be written, not to offer dramatic resolutions, but to reflect life as it truly is: messy, tender, and quietly meaningful.
January 26, 2026
*Thank you to NetGalley & Pushkin Press for the e-ARC*
This is a sharp, highly readable novella that I flew through in one sitting.
The central idea isn’t particularly original, yet Asako Otani presents it well. While the brevity means the characters don’t get the depth or development they might have in a longer work, they still come across as vivid, believable, and oddly memorable—impressive given the length. The pacing is also excellent, making every page feel purposeful and engaging.
I will admit that from the blurb, I was skeptical that a book this short will be able to discuss the issues suggested well enough. Boy, I’m happy I was wrong.
There are no loose threads here: every idea introduced is neatly tied up by the end, which gives the story a satisfying sense of completeness. I particularly love how it ended, it really summed up the whole personality/humor of this book.
Overall, this is a well-executed, very readable book that knows exactly what it wants to do—and does it well. I genuinely enjoyed it. My only complaint is that I wish it’s longer.
This is a sharp, highly readable novella that I flew through in one sitting.
The central idea isn’t particularly original, yet Asako Otani presents it well. While the brevity means the characters don’t get the depth or development they might have in a longer work, they still come across as vivid, believable, and oddly memorable—impressive given the length. The pacing is also excellent, making every page feel purposeful and engaging.
I will admit that from the blurb, I was skeptical that a book this short will be able to discuss the issues suggested well enough. Boy, I’m happy I was wrong.
There are no loose threads here: every idea introduced is neatly tied up by the end, which gives the story a satisfying sense of completeness. I particularly love how it ended, it really summed up the whole personality/humor of this book.
Overall, this is a well-executed, very readable book that knows exactly what it wants to do—and does it well. I genuinely enjoyed it. My only complaint is that I wish it’s longer.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An odd little book about the pressure put on women by society to marry and have children. Whilst I enjoyed plodding along with this slow little story I can't say that it's necessarily one that will stick with me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this one.
January 9, 2026
Le iba a dar tres estrellas, pero la edición tiene demasiados errores ortotipográficos y algunas decisiones de la traducción son, cuanto menos, cuestionables, que le he quitado una.
January 21, 2026
This short story is about a woman in her 40's in Japan. She is navigating being alone and dating while not being attracted to men, living with a woman flatmate so she can afford a bigger place and feels hollow inside.
I wish this novella had been longer, at just over 100 pages it's too short to really delve deep into the important issues of loneliness, conformity & societal pressure to bring the awareness and normalcy to them that is needed.
I really enjoyed this novella though & can't wait to read more from Asako Otani
Thanks to netgalley and pushkin press for the e-arc for my honest opinion.
I wish this novella had been longer, at just over 100 pages it's too short to really delve deep into the important issues of loneliness, conformity & societal pressure to bring the awareness and normalcy to them that is needed.
I really enjoyed this novella though & can't wait to read more from Asako Otani
Thanks to netgalley and pushkin press for the e-arc for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I had the most overwhelming urge to cry after finishing this. And I'm guaranteed its not my hormones talking (well partially blaming my hormones but oh well).
I came in with zero expectations for this book and read it in a point of my life where I'm a single woman, reaching my 30s and, as much as I was not 'pressured' by society reminding me of my body clock and the pains of being a woman (and just having an ovary in the first place), reading about Hirai felt like seeing my future coming soon, and that both terrified me but at the same time... eased me a bit.
Reading this book reminded me of a quote that I hold close by until now, and its written by Sayaka Murata in Life Ceremony :
Not only that I live by this quote, I also understood the notions of what Otani wanted to portray. Between the societal expectations that is deemed 'normal' and what is expected VS wanting to live your own life even if you'll be labelled as an anomaly or even weird. The wants of wanting to live your own life, especially as a woman , where the societal expectations to get married, build a family of your own and boring an offspring is the expected route vs just wanting to simply be. Simply live. Was it so wrong? And Otani definitely had led us to that route with Hirai. We both symphatize but also rooting for her to live her own life. At the end, in the pursuit chase of happiness, the most important is being content of the choices you, yourself have made in life instead of having to follow the societal expectations to be happy.
I feel that the last paragraph of this book was so impactful to a point that it made me stared at my kobo screen for a whole 10 minutes. It felt jarring, almost an out of body experience. Otani's writing is subtle and yet, it carries strength in its message , which is pretty simple - even if something looks to be unimportant, uneventful and imperfect to one person, but to the other, it was the thing that they chose for themselves. And as long as they are happy, who are we to question them?
The longingness of wanting a child but not wanting to raise one.
The longingness of wanting a partner but not having the emotional capacity to love a person.
At the end, between what society expects you to do and what you feel content in doing, choose the latter. Life is short like that, and even through loneliness and everything that comes after, its a life that you chose to be happy in.
Honestly glad made this my first read of the year. Even if I'm left feeling a bit hollow inside (pun intended), Hirai is such an animated character that I enjoyed reading her train of thoughts. She's funny and sarcastic and unapologetically herself, and it makes me happy that she chose what she wants to do at the end.
For fans of Mieko Kawakami and Sayaka Murata, I would highly recommend.
4.25 stars!
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC!
I came in with zero expectations for this book and read it in a point of my life where I'm a single woman, reaching my 30s and, as much as I was not 'pressured' by society reminding me of my body clock and the pains of being a woman (and just having an ovary in the first place), reading about Hirai felt like seeing my future coming soon, and that both terrified me but at the same time... eased me a bit.
Reading this book reminded me of a quote that I hold close by until now, and its written by Sayaka Murata in Life Ceremony :
"Normal is a type of madness isn't it? I think it's just that the only madness society allows is called normal."
Not only that I live by this quote, I also understood the notions of what Otani wanted to portray. Between the societal expectations that is deemed 'normal' and what is expected VS wanting to live your own life even if you'll be labelled as an anomaly or even weird. The wants of wanting to live your own life, especially as a woman , where the societal expectations to get married, build a family of your own and boring an offspring is the expected route vs just wanting to simply be. Simply live. Was it so wrong? And Otani definitely had led us to that route with Hirai. We both symphatize but also rooting for her to live her own life. At the end, in the pursuit chase of happiness, the most important is being content of the choices you, yourself have made in life instead of having to follow the societal expectations to be happy.
"My baby. Hollow inside, misshapen, defective. It was perfect for me."
I feel that the last paragraph of this book was so impactful to a point that it made me stared at my kobo screen for a whole 10 minutes. It felt jarring, almost an out of body experience. Otani's writing is subtle and yet, it carries strength in its message , which is pretty simple - even if something looks to be unimportant, uneventful and imperfect to one person, but to the other, it was the thing that they chose for themselves. And as long as they are happy, who are we to question them?
The longingness of wanting a child but not wanting to raise one.
The longingness of wanting a partner but not having the emotional capacity to love a person.
At the end, between what society expects you to do and what you feel content in doing, choose the latter. Life is short like that, and even through loneliness and everything that comes after, its a life that you chose to be happy in.
Honestly glad made this my first read of the year. Even if I'm left feeling a bit hollow inside (pun intended), Hirai is such an animated character that I enjoyed reading her train of thoughts. She's funny and sarcastic and unapologetically herself, and it makes me happy that she chose what she wants to do at the end.
For fans of Mieko Kawakami and Sayaka Murata, I would highly recommend.
4.25 stars!
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC!
January 5, 2026
NADA DENTRO
TRADUCCION: ASAKO OTANI
EDITORIAL: @shirolibros
PAGINAS: 111
TRADUCCION: MATIAS CHIAPPE
¡Uff! Que libro acabo de leer. Una historia que te deja reflexionando sobre el papel de la mujer, la presión social, y sobre todo la edad adulta después de los 30. Una trama de dos amigas que comparten piso Hirai y Suganuma, que refleja también como es la vida después de la pandemia. A mí gusto es de las mejores historias que he leído hasta el momento de lo que lleva este proyecto. Pero bueno vamos por partes:
♀️ El protagonismo recae en dos mujeres pasadas de los treinta, y todo narrado por Hirai una mujer que trabaja en contabilidad , que vive con quizá su mejor amiga Suganuma "una artista creando trabajos en impresoras 3D" que la vida les unió por casualidades y gusto por un grupo Idol japonés y al vivir juntas , comparten alimento, techo y algo de sus vidas.
👫 En un momento se piensa que las dos mujeres son pareja, pero en realidad son rommies, y amigas que a lo largo de la historia conocemos como por su edad podrían ser "solteronas" Pero también son mujeres independientes, sobretodo Hirai tiene cierta repulsión hacia los hombres, aunque intentado salir y tener una relación con ellos, mientras Suganuma quizá es una mujer totalmente ocupada.
🇯🇵La historia tiene elementos críticos interesantes sobretodo en Hirai, siendo una mujer que en cierta forma es presionada por la misma sociedad a ser esposa, o cumplir con ser madre, y tener pareja, aunque a lo largo de la historia se explica el porque de esa repulsión y esos deseos que ella tiene. Es interesante poder entrar en la psique de este personaje ya que, también muestra que el reloj biológico y de vida de las personas sigue y pueden suceder cosas inesperadas que hagan replantearte la misma vida.
👺 Algo interesante es conceptos que se manejan : la vida laboral en Japón y el tema de soledad es un punto importante ya que en algún momento la protagonista se cuestiona esa parte. Hirai es una mujer reservada, introvertida, pero que ha experimentado de todo en la vida. (Esto hace que ella sea atractiva) Y sobretodo que a pesar de entrar en la crisis de la edad (40) ella sigue avanzando.
Cómo siempre, es un gusto poder seguir leyendo las traducciones que realiza Mat Chiappé. ¡muy recomendable!
TRADUCCION: ASAKO OTANI
EDITORIAL: @shirolibros
PAGINAS: 111
TRADUCCION: MATIAS CHIAPPE
¡Uff! Que libro acabo de leer. Una historia que te deja reflexionando sobre el papel de la mujer, la presión social, y sobre todo la edad adulta después de los 30. Una trama de dos amigas que comparten piso Hirai y Suganuma, que refleja también como es la vida después de la pandemia. A mí gusto es de las mejores historias que he leído hasta el momento de lo que lleva este proyecto. Pero bueno vamos por partes:
♀️ El protagonismo recae en dos mujeres pasadas de los treinta, y todo narrado por Hirai una mujer que trabaja en contabilidad , que vive con quizá su mejor amiga Suganuma "una artista creando trabajos en impresoras 3D" que la vida les unió por casualidades y gusto por un grupo Idol japonés y al vivir juntas , comparten alimento, techo y algo de sus vidas.
👫 En un momento se piensa que las dos mujeres son pareja, pero en realidad son rommies, y amigas que a lo largo de la historia conocemos como por su edad podrían ser "solteronas" Pero también son mujeres independientes, sobretodo Hirai tiene cierta repulsión hacia los hombres, aunque intentado salir y tener una relación con ellos, mientras Suganuma quizá es una mujer totalmente ocupada.
🇯🇵La historia tiene elementos críticos interesantes sobretodo en Hirai, siendo una mujer que en cierta forma es presionada por la misma sociedad a ser esposa, o cumplir con ser madre, y tener pareja, aunque a lo largo de la historia se explica el porque de esa repulsión y esos deseos que ella tiene. Es interesante poder entrar en la psique de este personaje ya que, también muestra que el reloj biológico y de vida de las personas sigue y pueden suceder cosas inesperadas que hagan replantearte la misma vida.
👺 Algo interesante es conceptos que se manejan : la vida laboral en Japón y el tema de soledad es un punto importante ya que en algún momento la protagonista se cuestiona esa parte. Hirai es una mujer reservada, introvertida, pero que ha experimentado de todo en la vida. (Esto hace que ella sea atractiva) Y sobretodo que a pesar de entrar en la crisis de la edad (40) ella sigue avanzando.
Cómo siempre, es un gusto poder seguir leyendo las traducciones que realiza Mat Chiappé. ¡muy recomendable!
January 9, 2026
I went into this book completely blind but here are my thoughts:
I thought the friendship between Hirai and Suganuma was beautifully written, it reminds me of my friendship with my now best friend ( we also met at hit and constantly started talking and meeting up). And how Suganuma made Hirai feel comfortable and being able to show her true self without fear of judgement. I think the relationship with Suganuma help Harai realize she doesn’t have to follow societal expectations and that she can live whatever way she wants.
I wish the book was a little more structured, but I understand that we are in Hirai’s mind and she seems to be very emotionally avoidant for her thoughts and emotions and would rather turn off her brain and not think.
I also heavily related to feeling like an outsider in the workplace, I am young, childless (never want children) in a regular dating relationship. And the people around me are married with children. Like Hirai, I too often find myself self isolating and not wanting to attend after work event in fear of not having commonality with my peers or being judged.
I really enjoyed the small discussions about the societal pressure of being married or wanting children (but you can’t have children unless you are married). I wish we could’ve gotten bit but I see it as Harai barely understands herself about this peer pressure. I completely understand the constant back and forth of wanting a child but then changing your mind due to the thought of raising a child. It’s a never ending battle, and you constantly think “am I making the right decision” “what if I regret me decision”.
“I wasn’t even sure whether I really wanted to give birth to another human being, or how much of a responsibility raising them would be. Where on earth had this desire to have children come from”
Lastly, I enjoyed how Harai absolutely hates men but keeps telling herself to keep trying lol. That pyramid scheme guy was a WEIRDO.
Overall, this book was good but wish it was more organized. If you liked the Connivence Store Women, you might enjoy this book as well! This book is a perspective of an ordinary life which is refreshing to read. It’s real life and isn’t over dramatic.
I thought the friendship between Hirai and Suganuma was beautifully written, it reminds me of my friendship with my now best friend ( we also met at hit and constantly started talking and meeting up). And how Suganuma made Hirai feel comfortable and being able to show her true self without fear of judgement. I think the relationship with Suganuma help Harai realize she doesn’t have to follow societal expectations and that she can live whatever way she wants.
I wish the book was a little more structured, but I understand that we are in Hirai’s mind and she seems to be very emotionally avoidant for her thoughts and emotions and would rather turn off her brain and not think.
I also heavily related to feeling like an outsider in the workplace, I am young, childless (never want children) in a regular dating relationship. And the people around me are married with children. Like Hirai, I too often find myself self isolating and not wanting to attend after work event in fear of not having commonality with my peers or being judged.
I really enjoyed the small discussions about the societal pressure of being married or wanting children (but you can’t have children unless you are married). I wish we could’ve gotten bit but I see it as Harai barely understands herself about this peer pressure. I completely understand the constant back and forth of wanting a child but then changing your mind due to the thought of raising a child. It’s a never ending battle, and you constantly think “am I making the right decision” “what if I regret me decision”.
“I wasn’t even sure whether I really wanted to give birth to another human being, or how much of a responsibility raising them would be. Where on earth had this desire to have children come from”
Lastly, I enjoyed how Harai absolutely hates men but keeps telling herself to keep trying lol. That pyramid scheme guy was a WEIRDO.
Overall, this book was good but wish it was more organized. If you liked the Connivence Store Women, you might enjoy this book as well! This book is a perspective of an ordinary life which is refreshing to read. It’s real life and isn’t over dramatic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
[ARC REVIEW 📖]
Hollow Inside
Author : Asako Otani
Translator : Ginny Tapley Takemori
Hirai, a single 38-year-old middle-aged adult woman working in a printing company (started working in the same company seventeen years ago, straight after graduation) under the Accounts division, began to live with her single, older, 42-year-old colleague Suganuma (who she met six years ago), who does a sideline hustle of making custom dead dog 3D figurines for grieving pet owners.
One may think that they both live together due to a romantic relationship of some sort, but no, they did it for out-of-the-norm reasons, defying social expectations like practicality, affordability, survival & companionship. Seems like in Japan it becomes a social issue to be roommates at this age. 🤷♀️
Although their quirky partnership started when both of them had ambivalence in marriage pressures or any type of romantic relationship, they did try to pursue it anyway.
Suganuma started to date, though with a married man (more like an affair), while Hirai on the other hand failed to find any dating prospects for that matter, longing more for a child than anything else, prompting her anxious thoughts on freezing her eggs for fertility treatment.
As they both navigate life with overwhelming feelings of "emptiness" making do with 3D hollow figures of a baby or a dog, they have learned to accept the bitterness of reality & yet were strangely able to find solace & comfort.
All in all, this novel, although short, strikes thought-provoking perspectives on societal norms regarding single women, be it within the scope of modern relationships, or life & career in general. Witty, satire, deadpan, all of these descriptions may fit the novel as a whole, but for me, it was just heartbreaking, especially to be in Hirai's shoes. I shed tears.
Thank you Netgalley & Steerforth & Pushkin Press for this opportunity! 🥹🫶
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. Follow me for more book reviews on:
❥ Instagram @bookwormdenz
❥ Threads @denz.kaye
❥ Meta @bookworm.denz
❥ Goodreads @bookwormdenz
Hollow Inside
Author : Asako Otani
Translator : Ginny Tapley Takemori
Hirai, a single 38-year-old middle-aged adult woman working in a printing company (started working in the same company seventeen years ago, straight after graduation) under the Accounts division, began to live with her single, older, 42-year-old colleague Suganuma (who she met six years ago), who does a sideline hustle of making custom dead dog 3D figurines for grieving pet owners.
One may think that they both live together due to a romantic relationship of some sort, but no, they did it for out-of-the-norm reasons, defying social expectations like practicality, affordability, survival & companionship. Seems like in Japan it becomes a social issue to be roommates at this age. 🤷♀️
Although their quirky partnership started when both of them had ambivalence in marriage pressures or any type of romantic relationship, they did try to pursue it anyway.
Suganuma started to date, though with a married man (more like an affair), while Hirai on the other hand failed to find any dating prospects for that matter, longing more for a child than anything else, prompting her anxious thoughts on freezing her eggs for fertility treatment.
As they both navigate life with overwhelming feelings of "emptiness" making do with 3D hollow figures of a baby or a dog, they have learned to accept the bitterness of reality & yet were strangely able to find solace & comfort.
All in all, this novel, although short, strikes thought-provoking perspectives on societal norms regarding single women, be it within the scope of modern relationships, or life & career in general. Witty, satire, deadpan, all of these descriptions may fit the novel as a whole, but for me, it was just heartbreaking, especially to be in Hirai's shoes. I shed tears.
Thank you Netgalley & Steerforth & Pushkin Press for this opportunity! 🥹🫶
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. Follow me for more book reviews on:
❥ Instagram @bookwormdenz
❥ Threads @denz.kaye
❥ Meta @bookworm.denz
❥ Goodreads @bookwormdenz
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 rounded up to 5! (I promise this is an honest review!)
✨”I lay on the bed not moving an inch. Pretending to be dead. I sometimes did this. I was dead. Nothing in this world had anything to do with me.”✨
Hirai is in her late 30s and decides to share a flat and move in together with her older colleague, Suganuma, a woman in her early 40s. Both of them are still single.
Questions from close relatives and coworkers, and seeing her surroundings, made Hirai feel like she might just disappear. This life crisis also jolts her back into the world of dating apps.
This is a short book but very deep, and it raises so many questions related to the social issues faced by women, especially in Asia. People also set their expectations on your marriage life, relationships, and even motherhood. Things that maybe you don’t even consider doing.
Some people will also question your sexuality if you don’t follow society’s standards of getting married at a certain age.
I love how the author puts several women’s issues into this short book. Everything was on point! Sometimes, you have that one friend who’s fallen into an affair, sometimes you have that kind of nosy coworker in your life, and sometimes you just hate your mom’s new partner.
What people don’t always realize is that sometimes someone’s path is different from theirs. There might be trauma that makes someone decide not to get married or have children.
I love how this book brings up that issue, and I love how Hirai, the main character, still stands up for herself and decides what she thinks is best for her life.
I also love how the cover and title represent the whole story!
If you enjoy Convenience Store Woman, I’m sure you’ll like this book as well. I highly recommend this for all women, especially those in their 30s+.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for giving me an e-ARC! I enjoyed and loved it very much!🌸🩷
✨”I lay on the bed not moving an inch. Pretending to be dead. I sometimes did this. I was dead. Nothing in this world had anything to do with me.”✨
Hirai is in her late 30s and decides to share a flat and move in together with her older colleague, Suganuma, a woman in her early 40s. Both of them are still single.
Questions from close relatives and coworkers, and seeing her surroundings, made Hirai feel like she might just disappear. This life crisis also jolts her back into the world of dating apps.
This is a short book but very deep, and it raises so many questions related to the social issues faced by women, especially in Asia. People also set their expectations on your marriage life, relationships, and even motherhood. Things that maybe you don’t even consider doing.
Some people will also question your sexuality if you don’t follow society’s standards of getting married at a certain age.
I love how the author puts several women’s issues into this short book. Everything was on point! Sometimes, you have that one friend who’s fallen into an affair, sometimes you have that kind of nosy coworker in your life, and sometimes you just hate your mom’s new partner.
What people don’t always realize is that sometimes someone’s path is different from theirs. There might be trauma that makes someone decide not to get married or have children.
I love how this book brings up that issue, and I love how Hirai, the main character, still stands up for herself and decides what she thinks is best for her life.
I also love how the cover and title represent the whole story!
If you enjoy Convenience Store Woman, I’m sure you’ll like this book as well. I highly recommend this for all women, especially those in their 30s+.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for giving me an e-ARC! I enjoyed and loved it very much!🌸🩷
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Although I had never heard of Asako Otani, I'm very familiar with Ginny Tapley Takemori's translations and I love a good short lit fic about conformity in Japanese society, especially Sayaka Murata's work which veers on the side of weirdness (just an ounce! just a tiny bit!) so I did definitely have some expectations going into this book. All that being said, I think that I might not be the target audience for this book.
This is a short book about being middle-aged, about not meeting society’s expectations of normalcy, and about asexuality - although it’s never mentioned by name, rather just as the lack of attraction that our protaganist Hirai experiences towards men. I was slightly disappointed by the way that these societal expectations are dissected, maybe because of the Murata books that I have read, but overall it was a decent and speedy read that explores these themes without touching on them too deeply.
We get a window into Hirai’s daily life - and her experience forcing herself back into the dating pool - which I found somewhat inconclusive, but overall it was an interesting exploration of being single and 40, especially within Japanese society. This is also one of the better Japanese translations that I read, and I found the way that Otani writes about grief over the fact you will never be 'normal' in the way that others expect you to be surprisingly compelling.
As I read this, although I’m not sure it was the author’s intention, I definitely got the feeling that maybe Hirai had some sort of attraction or yearning for her flatmate Suganuma - especially because it’s mentioned many times that ‘she knows how it looks when she tells people she lives with another woman.’ I don’t mean to discount her total lack of attraction to anyone, but I wonder if the book could’ve explored that part of her identity more if written by another author, or if this was set in a society where homosexuality was less looked-down upon.)
This is a short book about being middle-aged, about not meeting society’s expectations of normalcy, and about asexuality - although it’s never mentioned by name, rather just as the lack of attraction that our protaganist Hirai experiences towards men. I was slightly disappointed by the way that these societal expectations are dissected, maybe because of the Murata books that I have read, but overall it was a decent and speedy read that explores these themes without touching on them too deeply.
We get a window into Hirai’s daily life - and her experience forcing herself back into the dating pool - which I found somewhat inconclusive, but overall it was an interesting exploration of being single and 40, especially within Japanese society. This is also one of the better Japanese translations that I read, and I found the way that Otani writes about grief over the fact you will never be 'normal' in the way that others expect you to be surprisingly compelling.
As I read this, although I’m not sure it was the author’s intention, I definitely got the feeling that maybe Hirai had some sort of attraction or yearning for her flatmate Suganuma - especially because it’s mentioned many times that ‘she knows how it looks when she tells people she lives with another woman.’ I don’t mean to discount her total lack of attraction to anyone, but I wonder if the book could’ve explored that part of her identity more if written by another author, or if this was set in a society where homosexuality was less looked-down upon.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A very short, quick book, this was a delight and a breeze to read.
As a woman nearing forty, our protagonist, Hirai, agonises about how it looks for her to move in with a woman instead of reaching the expected milestones of marriage and babies. Unlike Emi Yagi's phenomenal Diary of a Void, where the protagonist is internally righteous and mirthful about her place as a woman, there's a thick sense of the reserved here. Hirai is crushed under the weight of the inescapable heterosexual vision for her life, and can't help but try to talk herself into it.
I love the way the story reveals this crushing underbelly of anxiety in Hirai's world through her relationship with - and distance from - her new roommate. They have a lovely, convivial relationship and they understand each other, but only to an extent. Life itself becomes something of an enemy for her, something she must grit her teeth and endure. Ultimately, Hirai is alone with her view of the world, her visceral disgust for men, and her unstoppable dread at the idea of entering a wife and mother role, but her friend can offer a symbolic step out.
I felt really connected to Hirai and her internal struggles, the hopelessness of her guilt and the sharpness of her disgust.
Her friend and roommate makes custom 3D printed dogs throughout the story, and builds up a collection of botched, imperfect prints. These objects become a beautiful little symbol of worthiness - not of the value of imperfection, but of choice, imitation, acceptance, and rejection. The dogs will be burned. The dogs will be loved.
As a woman nearing forty, our protagonist, Hirai, agonises about how it looks for her to move in with a woman instead of reaching the expected milestones of marriage and babies. Unlike Emi Yagi's phenomenal Diary of a Void, where the protagonist is internally righteous and mirthful about her place as a woman, there's a thick sense of the reserved here. Hirai is crushed under the weight of the inescapable heterosexual vision for her life, and can't help but try to talk herself into it.
"If I never get married or give birth, maybe I'll never get to grow up. So sometimes I think I should probably get married after all."
I love the way the story reveals this crushing underbelly of anxiety in Hirai's world through her relationship with - and distance from - her new roommate. They have a lovely, convivial relationship and they understand each other, but only to an extent. Life itself becomes something of an enemy for her, something she must grit her teeth and endure. Ultimately, Hirai is alone with her view of the world, her visceral disgust for men, and her unstoppable dread at the idea of entering a wife and mother role, but her friend can offer a symbolic step out.
I felt really connected to Hirai and her internal struggles, the hopelessness of her guilt and the sharpness of her disgust.
Her friend and roommate makes custom 3D printed dogs throughout the story, and builds up a collection of botched, imperfect prints. These objects become a beautiful little symbol of worthiness - not of the value of imperfection, but of choice, imitation, acceptance, and rejection. The dogs will be burned. The dogs will be loved.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A brisk work, dripping with properly human questions and concerns. The protagonist, Hirai, a woman approaching 40, finds herself surveying her life - working an unfulfilling job, sharing a flat with another middle-aged woman, harbouring a borderline repulsion towards men - and begins to question not only how she fits into life and society, but whether there is any life left within her at all.
A frequent visual motif finds Hirai sprawling herself on her bed, imagining that she were dead. Considered alongside the title of the novella, this refers both to the literally empty filament-shell 3D-printed dogs her flatmate creates as tacky mementos for those who have lost pets, as well as Hirai’s own feeling of emptiness. The book communicates the physical sensation of a midlife crisis palpably. This is complicated further by Hirai’s complex feelings toward maternity (a desire, but also a removed “otherness”) and love. It becomes increasingly clear in the text that Hirai is asexual, as the book never suggests any romantic interaction or interest toward either her female flatmate, Suganuma, or any of the male characters she observes only with a kind of confused anthropology. Hirai views herself as an ageing vessel, unsure of where she fits within the world.
The subtext of pandemic loneliness and the confusing normality of the post-pandemic world further sets the scene for Hirai’s stasis. The book’s ending, one of black humour but ultimately hopelessness, scratches at a very modern question: as life stages become blurrier, and traditional progression markers - relationships, families, careers, material status - become destabilised, how do we measure personal success and fulfilment?
A frequent visual motif finds Hirai sprawling herself on her bed, imagining that she were dead. Considered alongside the title of the novella, this refers both to the literally empty filament-shell 3D-printed dogs her flatmate creates as tacky mementos for those who have lost pets, as well as Hirai’s own feeling of emptiness. The book communicates the physical sensation of a midlife crisis palpably. This is complicated further by Hirai’s complex feelings toward maternity (a desire, but also a removed “otherness”) and love. It becomes increasingly clear in the text that Hirai is asexual, as the book never suggests any romantic interaction or interest toward either her female flatmate, Suganuma, or any of the male characters she observes only with a kind of confused anthropology. Hirai views herself as an ageing vessel, unsure of where she fits within the world.
The subtext of pandemic loneliness and the confusing normality of the post-pandemic world further sets the scene for Hirai’s stasis. The book’s ending, one of black humour but ultimately hopelessness, scratches at a very modern question: as life stages become blurrier, and traditional progression markers - relationships, families, careers, material status - become destabilised, how do we measure personal success and fulfilment?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Hollow Inside focuses on two single, middle-aged women who have recently moved into an apartment together. Though they are both similar in age, professional standing, and social status, Hirai and Suganuma feel very differently about what this move signifies. For Suganuma, who has no desire to get married, moving in with a roommate is an excellent strategic decision - by combining expenses with another person, she can upgrade to a much nicer apartment than what she can afford individually. As an added bonus, she gets to live with a friend whose company she genuinely enjoys. However, for Hirai, this living arrangement feels like finally admitting that she has failed at "life"; finding a husband and starting a family will surely be impossible from this point forward. As the story unfolds and Hirai begins to adjust to life with Suganuma, she is forced to reflect on what truly matters to her personally and how she envisions her future.
Though this was compared to Sayaka Murata's Convenience Store Woman, Hollow Inside is a much more subtle (and, I think, more realistic) work. As someone who has had a similar life trajectory to Hirai (strong professional career, unmarried, childless), I think this book really hit the nail on the head with capturing how much the expectation of marriage and motherhood is inherently encoded in society. It was wonderful watching Hirai come to the realization that maybe what she desires is not necessarily what is dictated by the world around her. Hollow Inside is another strong addition to the Pushkin Press Japanese Novellas collection.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC!
Though this was compared to Sayaka Murata's Convenience Store Woman, Hollow Inside is a much more subtle (and, I think, more realistic) work. As someone who has had a similar life trajectory to Hirai (strong professional career, unmarried, childless), I think this book really hit the nail on the head with capturing how much the expectation of marriage and motherhood is inherently encoded in society. It was wonderful watching Hirai come to the realization that maybe what she desires is not necessarily what is dictated by the world around her. Hollow Inside is another strong addition to the Pushkin Press Japanese Novellas collection.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Read Hollow Inside as an ARC from NetGalley, finished it in two sittings.
Hollow Inside is a novel about coming to terms with singlehood and stepping away from the expectations surrounding marriage and motherhood.
The restraint is very evident in the writing. Instead of dramatizing Hirai, the main character- her choices, they are observed with dryness, and the tone allows space for the reader to react. Absurd or unconventional situations, such as her living arrangement, are presented without any flair, leaving the emotional work to the reader. This fits the novel’s focus on acceptance.
The narrative traces Hirai’s internal shift as she tentatively revisits dating, and confronts her own aversion to romance. While the book is described as humorous, in reality its strength lies not in sharp satire but in restraint. Comparisons to Convenience Store Woman, are inevitable, but Hollow Inside operates on a smaller, quieter scale. It is less dense and less confrontational.
Hollow Inside is also about asexuality though it goes unmentioned, which feels appropriate for a character still learning how to understand herself, even in her late thirties.
That said, while I appreciated the book’s intent, it didn’t leave a lasting impression. The observations, didn’t always feel fresh, and the emotional impact was soft, or rather 'gentle' is the word I'm going for.
Overall, Hollow Inside is a competent novel that handles its themes with sincerity- a thoughtful novel about accepting one’s own shape of happiness, stepping away from convention.
Hollow Inside is a novel about coming to terms with singlehood and stepping away from the expectations surrounding marriage and motherhood.
The restraint is very evident in the writing. Instead of dramatizing Hirai, the main character- her choices, they are observed with dryness, and the tone allows space for the reader to react. Absurd or unconventional situations, such as her living arrangement, are presented without any flair, leaving the emotional work to the reader. This fits the novel’s focus on acceptance.
The narrative traces Hirai’s internal shift as she tentatively revisits dating, and confronts her own aversion to romance. While the book is described as humorous, in reality its strength lies not in sharp satire but in restraint. Comparisons to Convenience Store Woman, are inevitable, but Hollow Inside operates on a smaller, quieter scale. It is less dense and less confrontational.
Hollow Inside is also about asexuality though it goes unmentioned, which feels appropriate for a character still learning how to understand herself, even in her late thirties.
That said, while I appreciated the book’s intent, it didn’t leave a lasting impression. The observations, didn’t always feel fresh, and the emotional impact was soft, or rather 'gentle' is the word I'm going for.
Overall, Hollow Inside is a competent novel that handles its themes with sincerity- a thoughtful novel about accepting one’s own shape of happiness, stepping away from convention.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was pleasant. Short and sweet, gets to the heart of what the author was trying to convey -being 40 and questioning your value as a woman and a human who doesn't have the stereotypical husband and children lifestyle.
I think this was a bit of a hard connection for me that kept me from really loving this. I don't share the same cultural stigmas as this author and her characters clearly (seems like there's a deep-seated homophobia in Japan?). I don't think anyone in America would bat an eyelash at two women roommates, even if they're older. So it just didn't fully make sense to me, but I can try to understand things through a different cultural perspective. Some of the wording and structuring did seem odd in places, but I chalk that up to translation. It can read a bit stunted and reserved.
Overall, this was a quick read that kept me locked in from start to finish just to get a grasp on what the heck was happening. It was quirky and yet really deep in places. I think the ending was great and shows that not all stories need 500 pages to get a powerful point across. It did an excellent job showcasing the lives of asexual people, or those of us in the world who don't abide by the heterosexual norms.
Thank you to Netgalley and Steerforth and Pushkin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I think this was a bit of a hard connection for me that kept me from really loving this. I don't share the same cultural stigmas as this author and her characters clearly (seems like there's a deep-seated homophobia in Japan?). I don't think anyone in America would bat an eyelash at two women roommates, even if they're older. So it just didn't fully make sense to me, but I can try to understand things through a different cultural perspective. Some of the wording and structuring did seem odd in places, but I chalk that up to translation. It can read a bit stunted and reserved.
Overall, this was a quick read that kept me locked in from start to finish just to get a grasp on what the heck was happening. It was quirky and yet really deep in places. I think the ending was great and shows that not all stories need 500 pages to get a powerful point across. It did an excellent job showcasing the lives of asexual people, or those of us in the world who don't abide by the heterosexual norms.
Thank you to Netgalley and Steerforth and Pushkin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This novel tells me that there are some social attitudes in Japan that reflect ambivalence towards women in their late 30s or 40s who are single, especially if they decide to become roommates, even if they are not partners.
Suganuma, 40, earns a living making hollow plastic dogs to order, for people who have lost their pets and want a replacement for the dogs. She does however, have an outside life, though with a married man. Hirai, 38, on the other hand, has been unlucky in the dating scene, and longs for a child but is strangely happy to have the hollow plastic baby that roommate Suganuma makes for her on her 3D printing machine.
The lives of the two women seem to be hollow, however, as they make do with replacements for a full life with a fake child and making fake dogs for people who have lost real pets. Hirai, however, comes to accept that the future of real children and a real family are not in the cards for her at this point.
I thought this was a sad but somewhat satiric commentary on single women finding themselves outliers in their own society. An unusual but very interesting novel
Suganuma, 40, earns a living making hollow plastic dogs to order, for people who have lost their pets and want a replacement for the dogs. She does however, have an outside life, though with a married man. Hirai, 38, on the other hand, has been unlucky in the dating scene, and longs for a child but is strangely happy to have the hollow plastic baby that roommate Suganuma makes for her on her 3D printing machine.
The lives of the two women seem to be hollow, however, as they make do with replacements for a full life with a fake child and making fake dogs for people who have lost real pets. Hirai, however, comes to accept that the future of real children and a real family are not in the cards for her at this point.
I thought this was a sad but somewhat satiric commentary on single women finding themselves outliers in their own society. An unusual but very interesting novel
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Pushkin Press can definitely see int my brain as of January 2026. I’m definitely in a Japanese translated lit headspace and they are intent on feeding into this with their newest offering Hollow Space by Asako Otani translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori. This was a quick read with engaging narration. The story focuses on roommates Hirai and Suganuma; two single women in their 40s. They struggle with rent and societies set expectations for them. Hirai is an office worker who secretly worries that she may be past her prime. Is it too late for her to find love and potentially have children? Suganuma on the other hand has no interest whatsoever in romance and spends her days devoted to her 3-D printer, diligently creating plastic figurines of people’s dead pets to fulfill Etsy (whatever the. Japanese equivalent is) orders. Both women are massive idol fans. The story does something that I at least found to be clever with the concept of being hollow and feeing empty inside at the end of the book. This is a welcome addition to the canon of Japanese translated works in the US.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the wonderful e-arc! :)
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the wonderful e-arc! :)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A quiet, contemplative novella about two single women in their late 30s/early 40s told in first person narrative around mundane daily activities and chores. There is a clear focus on perceived expectations around marriage and motherhood in Japan. As suggested by the novella's title, the central metaphor is brought to life through hollow 3D-printed figurines.
However, the subtlety through which Otani explores the metaphor, with characters ultimately finding fulfillment through alternative paths combined with a fragmented narrative style and stream-of-consciousness approach made it difficult for me to fully engage with the story. Chapter breaks could assist in providing the reader with some natural footing and helping with the narrative jumps.
The novella format ensures a quick read that discourages a DNF. At around 60-70% completion, pieces started to fall into place that helped ease the confusion from the first half. Otani raises interesting questions about social pressure and authenticity, but I struggled to connect with the narrative style and execution.
2.5-3 stars.
However, the subtlety through which Otani explores the metaphor, with characters ultimately finding fulfillment through alternative paths combined with a fragmented narrative style and stream-of-consciousness approach made it difficult for me to fully engage with the story. Chapter breaks could assist in providing the reader with some natural footing and helping with the narrative jumps.
The novella format ensures a quick read that discourages a DNF. At around 60-70% completion, pieces started to fall into place that helped ease the confusion from the first half. Otani raises interesting questions about social pressure and authenticity, but I struggled to connect with the narrative style and execution.
2.5-3 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
HOLLOW INSIDE
RATING: 4
GENRE: Translated fiction
Hollow Inside is Asako Otani’s debut novella that follows two single women who are nearing their 40s and have elected to live together. In Japanese society, this is typically viewed as abnormal and unusual. However, we follow Hirai and her struggle on whether she should fall into society’s expected conventions of marriage and having children.
It’s internal battle Hiari has with herself and she wants to fit into the expected norms but finds it really not what she wants. Hollow Inside questions Hiari’s worth as she tries to find her place. She also faces challenges with her roommate, Suganuma, who begins an illicit affair after claiming she was against marriage.
The novella, though short, struck a chord with me as someone in a similar place as Hirai. Who are we if we do not meet the molds that people expect us to? Thank you to Steerforth & Pushkin, Pushkin Press, and Netgalley for this ARC. I am looking forward to it being released on 5/5/2026.
RATING: 4
GENRE: Translated fiction
Hollow Inside is Asako Otani’s debut novella that follows two single women who are nearing their 40s and have elected to live together. In Japanese society, this is typically viewed as abnormal and unusual. However, we follow Hirai and her struggle on whether she should fall into society’s expected conventions of marriage and having children.
It’s internal battle Hiari has with herself and she wants to fit into the expected norms but finds it really not what she wants. Hollow Inside questions Hiari’s worth as she tries to find her place. She also faces challenges with her roommate, Suganuma, who begins an illicit affair after claiming she was against marriage.
The novella, though short, struck a chord with me as someone in a similar place as Hirai. Who are we if we do not meet the molds that people expect us to? Thank you to Steerforth & Pushkin, Pushkin Press, and Netgalley for this ARC. I am looking forward to it being released on 5/5/2026.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews