Birth Canal

"Crossing multiple timelines and cities in Indonesia and Japan to establish the links among its six female protagonists, this compact yet far-reaching novel endeavors to make visible both the female body and the structure of storytelling by using the idea of the birth canal as a site of conflicts and thwarted possibilities. Failed conception – stillbirth, miscarriage, filicide, abortion and suicide – thus represents both an acknowledgment of female trauma and a form of political protest. In exploring women’s sexuality, mental health, reproductive choice and domestic violence, this gifted Indonesian author deftly explores topics that impact women in a Muslim-majority country."