Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

48 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

---

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

cwiita's review

challenging dark medium-paced

4.0

I haven’t finished a book this quickly in a long time. That isn’t to say that I loved it more than anything, only that it’s sort of like watching a car crash.
The writing is incredibly engaging and Murata’s social commentary is a big part of what makes this unsettling piece so readable. In spite of everything, she does a remarkable job of making Natsuki  relatable, at least to those of us who also grew up socially isolated and feeling as though we had to put on an act just to continue surviving. 
To me, this reads as a shocking  commentary on childhood trauma, abuse, sexual assault, and the indigestible nature of human life for those of us who sometimes feel “other”. Our minds will go to the furthest extent to protect us from pain, and Murata is simply extrapolating on this idea in the most uncomfortable ways possible.
Strange and genius and worth the quick read. I feel ill.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Incest, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Sexual assault

rachellen's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Speechless. Maybe I’ll get back to writing a review once it’s taken me 5 years to process everything. 

Christ. I need to wash my brain. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Death, Incest, Murder, Blood, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Bullying, Cannibalism, Sexism, and Violence

abril_chavez's review

adventurous dark funny sad slow-paced

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

This book will take you on a rollercoaster. It is very slow paced and you need to get through to the end to see the whole picture for what it is. It takes on a life of its own and it’ll creep up on you like you never expected.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Incest, Death, Grief, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Incest

this book contains detailed description of sexual assault - rape - of a child and emotional/physical/mental abuse of a child

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.

---

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

gabrielaresende's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Self harm, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Bullying, Cannibalism, and Adult/minor relationship

markwillnevercry's review

0.25

Yeah, no, thanks, I'm good, me and Sayaka Murata are just not chilling together, such is life sometimes. This was just not good, not for me at least. I kinda get what the author was going for, but just because an idea exists, it does not mean that it should be put to life. The amount of trigger warnings that this book needs is way to big, even tho it says basically the same thing as Convenience Store Woman. I will not continue with this author.

Reading notes:

Just a reminder, that we have two sex scenes, where Natsuki is 12.

The second she started talking about copying the way her friends talk it was just like "Ah yes, this is just reskinned convenience store woman".

There is victim blaming. 

This book is published in 2018 and there is talk about how Natsuki does not have permission from her husband :)
Why are we here :)

Ah yes, Natsuki has the responsibility to have sex with her husband :)

-//- 

Ah yes, Natsuki was so lucky that her teacher was in love with her :)

Of course only Natsuki cares about love, it is not a manly thing :)

I am tired :)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abandonment, Blood, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Ableism, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Grief, Pedophilia, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

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

---

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

th0rn's review

dark

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

PLEASE Read the warnings, the synopsis gives no hint for some of the big triggers. 

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death and Mental illness

cephalopop's review

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Pedophilia, Incest, Grief, Gore, Child abuse, Cannibalism, and Body horror