this was an intriguing and weird story about modern workplace culture that I enjoyed more than hiroko oyamada’s other novella ‘the hole’. I half agree with comparisons made to ‘severance’ based on this story’s premise—dehumanization of employees, marked separation between departments, and the obscurity of the factory’s purpose. but for a story this short, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment to expect everything about the factory to be explained.

oyamada was obviously more interested in voicing the detached weariness of 3 different characters who either tolerate, neglect, or begrudgingly advance their career in unfulfilling corporate jobs. the multi-perspective framing was interesting enough to keep me reading. the themes aren’t groundbreaking, but the translation is quite good and its thematic messages don’t beat you over the head about it. and even though there’s no clear ending (just a lingering sense of apathy) I still enjoyed the strangeness of the story.