Swallows

by Natsuo Kirino

What It’s About

Swallows takes on surrogacy, women’s rights, and the question of what a woman’s body is worth. At its core it is about power, who has it, who does not, and what that means for choice. Riki, a 29-year-old woman, is poor and cannot catch a break. She hears about the possibility of being paid to donate her eggs to help a couple with fertility issues and ends up becoming a surrogate. Around her are people making demands, promises, and decisions: Motoi, who wants a child with his genes, and Yuko, his wife, who has to decide what it means to raise a child that will not be genetically hers with a man who disregards her voice.

What Stuck With Me

I liked the concept. Surrogacy is a sharp way to look at class, women’s rights, and power, and Kirino is not afraid to sit in the messiness of those questions. At times the book felt longer than it needed to be, with certain arguments and ideas coming back again and again. The repetition slowed me down, but it also underlined how complex and unresolved these issues are.

Riki often felt too passive. At 29 she came across as someone drifting, with choices made for her or without much thought. That distance made it harder for me to connect with her. In contrast, I found myself sympathizing more with Yuko, even though she was inconsistent and messy. Her struggle felt more active, and I kept following her, even when she contradicted herself.

The side characters added energy and texture, though at times their motivations were blurred. Still, the book kept me thinking about autonomy, class, and what choice really means when the system is stacked against you. It is not a straightforward read, but it is one that raises questions worth sitting with.

Would I Recommend It?

I am glad I read Swallows because the questions it asks are important: about choice, autonomy, class, and how money shapes families. But the repetition and indecision frustrated me.

If you are drawn to moral ambiguity and want to see how Kirino explores surrogacy in Japan, this book will give you plenty to think about. If you are sensitive to pacing or easily worn down by circling debates, you may want to start with one of her other novels first.

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for the early read in exchange for an honest review.

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