Our Breasts and Eggs- A No Spoiler Review

Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs was the first book by a Japanese author I ever read, and I have been kicking myself for not picking it up sooner.

A little late at the party, but at least I am here now.

For about a month long (slow reader here), I found myself like a stalker along the novel’s three characters: Natsuko “Natsu,” an aspiring writer in Tokyo who is exploring single motherhood and artificial insemination; her older sister, Makiko, whose heart seems set in stone as she searches for affordable breast augmentation; and Makiko’s 12-year-old daughter, Midoriko, who withdraws from her mother while navigating adolescence. They kept me on my toes simply by having conversations over beers. I was biting my lip so I wouldn’t shriek at their subtle yet powerful actions. It was almost as though I didn’t want them to know I was reading their story.

I’ve never had that kind of experience from reading before.

With a title so tender (come on, Breast and Eggs?!), I was blown away finding out the women whom I pictured frail in the first chapters turned out to be strong minded and determined.

Kawakami has said that she did not intend to write a feminist book, but readers have embraced it as one, which I find exhilarating. The novel feels like a subtle exhibit showing how nearly everything in this world revolves around what society expects from women. It is wonderful, sad, sweet, and bitter all at once.

No spoilers here, but I will say this: it is thought-provoking to see how social constructs surrounding women differ depending on where they live in the world, while still feeling deeply familiar. I get them, I really do.

Unlike my experience with Sally Rooney's Normal Poeple (sorry :(), Breasts and Eggs will not be the last book I read by Kawakami.

Hands down, it has opened my horizons and inspired me to sink my nose into more Japanese literature.

Suggestions, anyone?

Rest in Glory, Gloria

An agent of second-wave feminism, Gloria Steinem, has died at 92. As the feminist movement mourns her passing, I join the crowd in expressing my deep gratitude for having had the opportunity to read her trailblazing work.

Rest in glory, Gloria.  We'll continue the work for all of us. 

My Life on the Road

Favourite chapter of yours truly

Be Still and Know

 

Photo from our first staycation in Bali where we get to bring Marilyn and Nugget!

“Sudah ya, kau kurang-kurangilah keras kepalamu,” terdengar dari setidaknya lima orang keluarga dan kerabat dekat. Ditujukan kepada saya, di hari pernikahan saya dan Yovan.

Saat orang keenam berbicara hal serupa, raut wajah Yovan mulai tegang. What did I get myself into? Mungkin itu pikirnya. Tetapi petugas catatan sipil sudah rapi melipat berkasnya. 

Saya tidak tersinggung. Apalagi yang bicara itu memang orang-orang yang sudah terbukti mengasihi saya. Juga, karena yang mereka katakan benar adanya. 

Namun, ada satu komentar yang tidak disampaikan langsung, “She got married? Wow. Salut to the man; she’s difficult.” Saya tidak marah, walau dalam hati mengumpat kepada si komentator “Maybe because you are easy?” 

Nah, soal keras tadi. Karena sadar akan kebenaran pesan dari keluarga, saya berusaha menjadi lebih baik. How’s it going so far? Hanya Yovan yang tahu. Juga anjing-anjing kami yang sudah paham betul peranan Good Cop-Bad Cop di rumah. You know who’s who. Rasanya sih, kalau mau pamer sedikit, saya sudah tidak sekeras dulu. 

Lucunya, di masa ini, pernikahan kami justru sedang menuntut saya untuk sedikit menerapkan sifat keras kepala itu tadi. Tapi, beda penerapannya. 

Keras kepala sekarang berarti lebih yakin akan penyertaan Tuhan di masa yang luar biasa penuh tekanan (Isaiah 43:2) . 

Keras kepala yang artinya patuh, terutama soal memaafkan saat kami secara sengaja dilukai (Colossians 3:13) .Keras kepala yang tunduk pada kedisiplinan untuk tetap membaca firman dan melakukannya (James 1:22, Luke 22:28) saat suara dunia justru terdengar lebih menjanjikan dan orang-orang berlabel “orang gereja” semakin terlihat kekejiannya. Don’t even get me started with that series on Netflix.

Terutama, keras kepala yang tidak suam-suam kuku dalam mengakui Tuhan Yesus dalam setiap keputusan dan perbuatan.  

Dan ternyata, teman… ini jauh lebih sulit daripada melembutkan hati. Atau mungkin, urutannya harus demikian? One has to have a teachable heart to be transformed, yes (Psalm 119:34)? 

Luar biasa rasanya melawan segala kedagingan, mencoba menjadi teladan, dan tetap percaya bahwa rancangan-Nya bukanlah rancangan kejahatan (Jeremiah 29:11)

If so, I am not turning back even when my walks are sometimes wobbly. We are not yielding to temptation because we made a promise that day: Jesus is the center of our life (Proverbs 3:6). 

And when the reality isn’t too bleak someday soon, we can talk about the series I mentioned earlier. Just not today.