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This is a rare book that fully humanizes the severely disabled.
Shaka has myotubular myopathy, a rare genetic condition which causes her spine to curve and body to cave in on itself--thus, she is the titular Hunchback. Because this condition leads to a collapsed lung, Shaka can't breathe the same way the able-bodied do. She breathes through a tube, and has to clean it every 30 minutes to prevent suffocation.
Though Shaka's everyday life may be unimaginable to many, she remains strong minded and has a witty sense of humor.
I love that Ichikawa holds nothing back in exploring Shaka's sexuality. Shaka's desires to have sex, get pregnant, and even an abortion speak to what it means to be human. And even though it's unquestionably true that the disabled are human, we don't often think of disabled persons as sexual beings. Hunchback challenges that.
Ichikawa herself has myopathy. Much of Hunchback likely echoes her lived experience. I hope she will write more in the future.
This book is short and overall easy to get through. You may face some bumps with slang and/or medical terminology.