This is the sixth novel by Li Kotomi, a Taiwanese-born author who gained recognition for her literary work, including winning the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for her fifth novel, An Island Where Red Spider Lilies Bloom. Li Kotomi stands out in the Japanese literary scene due to her explicit exploration of political themes. Her latest work envisions a speculative future set in 2075, where fetuses must give their ‘consent’ to being born. The novel centers around Ayaka, a Tokyo office worker in her late twenties, and her journey navigating this unique system, which puts significant pressure on her relationships, particularly with her partner Kaori and her estranged sister, Ayame.
In this future world, a global pandemic wiped out a third of the world’s population, leading to the implementation of laws that require fetuses to give their consent before birth. This is determined through a ‘confirmation’ procedure that occurs a month before the due date. Ayaka, in a same-sex marriage with Kaori, has a relatively harmonious relationship, but she harbors a complicated history with her older sister, Ayame, who was born before the consent system was in place. This led to unequal treatment and strained their relationship.
A semi-religious fundamentalist group called Tenaikai opposes the consent system and supports ‘natural’ birth. Kaori, influenced by her father’s opposition to the system, has her own reservations about it. However, Ayaka reassures her that society is becoming more accepting and that intolerance is fading into the past.
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