HUNCHBACK

Japanese narrator Yuriri Naka's penetrating narration of this International Booker Prize longlisted audiobook will grip listeners. In her debut novella, Saou Ichikawa, who suffers from a congenital muscle disorder, has fashioned a persuasive denunciation of Japan's cultural insensitivity toward disabled persons. Its main character, Shaka, a 40-something woman who suffers from myopathy and uses a wheelchair and a ventilator, lives in a care facility. She spends her time studying for a university degree and writing erotica for an online publication. Naka precisely evokes Shaka's every thought and experience while beautifully displaying her acute intelligence, imagination, and sensual longing, as well as the frustrations and indignities of her daily life. Naka impressively switches from a soft Japanese accent when portraying Shaka to a robotic English accent when conveying information from apps Sasha uses. This memorable audiobook is a must-listen. M.J. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2025]