Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

253 reviews

jetski's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

sylvivresavie's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

It is rare to have a work so deeply resonate with me and my distinct perception of the world, my autistic sense of alienation from other women and from society. I deal with so much pressure to conform to "the factory", but it eludes me, will always elude me. I am constructed differently, constructed from the stardust of a remote galaxy. One day, perhaps, something will descend from the sky to take me home.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity and Suicide

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

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

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

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: Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, and Cannibalism

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

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

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Infidelity, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

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

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

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

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

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

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

Minor: Suicide

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