Mieko Kawakami, a contemporary Japanese writer, first published her short story "Breasts and Eggs" (Chichi to Ran) in 2008. In 2019, she rewrote and extended the story, adding a second part set in 2016, eight years after the original. The resulting book is a stream of very intimate and delicate thoughts from Natsuko Natsume, a young Japanese woman who is grappling with female issues that are still considered taboo in society. Throughout the book, Kawakami explores the complexities of womanhood and motherhood, and the pressures and expectations that Japanese society places on women.
Natsume is the protagonist of the book and narrates the events in first person. She grew up in a poor area of Osaka with her sister Makiko, abandoned by their abusive and neglectful father. After their mother and grandmother Komi die early from illness, Natsume is left alone with her books while Makiko works as a waitress in a bar. Natsume moved to Tokyo as a young girl to pursue a writing career, while Makiko and her daughter Midoriko remained in Osaka.
The first part of the book begins with Makiko and Midoriko visiting Natsume in Tokyo. The reason for their trip remains hidden at first, but Makiko eventually reveals that she wants to undergo cosmetic breast surgery. Natsume is surprised and shocked by her sister's obsession with the surgery, and worries that it may be hiding something deeper. Natsume is not alone in her confusion over Makiko's obsession with getting a breast makeover. Even Makiko's own daughter, Midoriko, has distanced herself from her mother, refusing to speak to her for months and avoiding opening up to her aunt. The reason for their strained relationship seems to stem from an incident in which Makiko repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with her post-pregnancy body, specifically her breasts. Tired of hearing her mother's criticism, Midoriko lashed out and blamed her for giving birth to her without her consent, saying she would have preferred not to exist. Although Midoriko wanted to apologize, she struggled to find the right words and withdrew into silence. Through her diary, we get a glimpse into her thoughts and feelings, which are shaped by her own confusion and disgust towards her changing body during puberty. She can't comprehend why her mother would want to alter her appearance, particularly her breasts, when she herself is struggling to accept the changes in her own body. The tension between mother and daughter reaches its peak in Tokyo, when Makiko returns drunk from a visit to a cosmetic surgery clinic. In a comic yet tense scene, Makiko and Midoriko end up smashing fifteen eggs on each other's heads, symbolizing the frustration that had built up over months of no dialogue and harsh words.
In the second part of the book, Natsume has become a successful writer but is struggling with her desire to become a mother. She has been single for many years and feels no sexual desire, but is obsessed with the idea of having a child. However, she realizes that in Japan, the possibility of becoming a mother by alternative methods is extremely limited for women in her situation. She attends blogs and seminars on the subject, but very often finds herself back to square one. During one such seminar, she meets Jun Aizawa, a volunteer of an association that raises awareness about assisted reproduction. Aizawa is already engaged, but he and Natsume share a connection and end up falling platonically in love. The last pages of the book are a whirlwind of emotions as Natsume gives birth to her child.