Status Updates From Hollow Inside

i love the theme of this book and just the gist of it all. the way i can relate to some of the things too :'))))

The writing reminds me of Nanae Aoyama, 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 I want to partake in. 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.
4 ⭐️

The ending where we see Hirai becoming content with the 3D-printed dud baby instead of a real one is really a very smart callback to the whole story of the 3D-printed dead chihuahua being "hollow inside". Even if it's not what society wants, it is still a life Hirai cherishes, a life where she can choose to not be with a man and to not have children.

Accidentally stayed up way past my bedtime, and since I was still feeling awake I thought I'd finish this. I'm glad I did because that was a good read! 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.

Honestly so far it's pretty good. Two single women decided to cohabitate because (a) they're not sold on the idea of marriage, (b) they enjoy each other's company, and (c) they are just two lonely people in need of human warmth and connection. It's pretty simple but also very relatable. I don't know if I'm loving this but I do like it at least!