Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

241 reviews

neverlandpages4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Incest, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Body horror

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia

italiananchovy's review against another edition

dark

• Loveable characters? No

2.5

It would have been a higher rating if it weren't for the nauseating final chapter 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Incest, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Death and Suicide

nicoleanthony's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia

Minor: Rape, Child abuse, Suicide, Murder, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Physical abuse

empearl1's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Infidelity

jiujensu's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

I think the story was compelling - I kept reading past two in the morning to finish this story that just kept getting weirder and weirder. I gotta say I didn't see, not by a long shot, how the horror would keep increasing. I didn't think this was in that genre, lol. It took a turn!

But definitely content warning for rape, abuse, murder, incest and cannibalism. Yikes on bikes. I don't know that I would say I loved the storyline or many of the characters, but I couldn't stop reading it, that's for sure. 

On the surface, I suppose it's about unaddressed childhood trauma. I liked (initially anyway) the sort of detached view of everyone doing those very predictable things (school, marriage, kids) calling her town the factory and uteruses and testes components. It was Breakfast of Champions-esque that way. It's good to critique and think about behavior and goals society tells you is correct 

There's a very relatable theme about being an alien too. I'm sure we all have felt that way. Some more than others, though. Maybe that comes from PTSD, introversion, or neurodivergence - I think you could make a case for any/all AND either take the alien thing literally or figuratively. Is it horror or scifi? I couldn't tell you. 

There were super relatable bits but set in oddly mundane and horrific circumstances, this was a really wild ride. 

I think Life Ceremonies was the one recommended to me and Convenience Store Woman is supposed to have similar themes but go less hard. This was the one the library had. For whatever reason.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt

georgialee01's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Incest, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Gore, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

phiagrace97's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

First off, a very weird book with a lot of trigger warnings. Proceed with caution. That said, I really liked it. It was a unique critique of societal norms with a lot of trauma and spicy mental illness mixed in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, and Incest

morebedsidebooks's review against another edition

3.0

Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori English editions of Earthlings by Murata Sayaka came out in 2020. Like other work by Murata examining gender roles and bringing up questions surrounding asexuality. Which if I’m being honest, on the latter I’m not comfortable with the English copy in that regard. There’s nuance that’s lost.
 

See my blog for an in-depth review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, and Incest

Moderate: Sexual content, Eating disorder, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide

This book also looks at the many ways victim blaming occurs.

emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Uncomfortable and something that you're not going to forget for a long time. I'm not sure that's a good thing though. The first half was traumatic and the second... I don't even know? Not a nice read but well written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Violence, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

plumdustsuns's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Blood, Gore, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Violence, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Suicide, and Toxic relationship