Book Review: The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada

I just finished reading this book. When I read the last line, I laughed. I mean, just wow.

The factory isn’t a big book really. It is only 116 pages long. Within those few pages Hiroko Oyamada really played with my mind. Everything about the book from the flow of the story, to the appearance of the characters, to their jobs, is like a hallucination. It was almost impossible to determine what was actually happening versus what was not real.

Such a tough book to put down.

The story exists in a strange reality. I could not actually put everything together until the very end.

The factory is this huge place that is kind of a city of its own. Oyamada tells bizarre story about three workers in the factory. They question the relevance of their work. They don’t really seem to know what the factory actually does.

The Factory is more than just about the factory and its workers. It is about our modern workplaces. Oyamada pushes readers to question the absurdity and emptiness of our repeat 9-5 existence. Her book is a work of art and a very quick read.

Get your copy here.