Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

1746 reviews

oliviabakke's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism

emk2008's review against another edition

3.75

W....T....F.......did I just read?! Chaotic, horrific, creative? Most importantly, trigger warnings, trigger warnings, trigger warnings! Not really my cup of tea content/story wise, but I think the writing style and over all storying telling was captivating and creative.

TW: child abuse, child sexual assault/abuse, violent murder, cannibalism (?!)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Cannibalism

balfies's review

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.5

I'd heard that this book was messed up and I was rolling my eyes at that assertion for the majority of the book until it got to the end. This book is unimaginably gory, chilling, and emotionally shattering. What a compelling, deeply impressive, batshit crazy book. Content warning for domestic violence, incest, murder, sexual abuse, and cannibalism.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, and Rape

2000s's review

4.0

I'm horrified because I didn't read the trigger warnings beforehand and bc the reviews of this book all lie saying it's "hilarious" instead of terrifying like it actually is.

But I also I feel autistically seen...like I totally get why Natsuki did all that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault

chianna's review

dark 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

3.25

PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING THIS BOOK
I enjoyed the writing style but the sheer graphic nature of this book made it very very hard to digest. I liked the section on family dynamics and relationships the best, and the book really made my stomach churn in the second half.

---

Content Warnings

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

rocketrae151's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

ash_na61's review

dark

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Murder, Cannibalism, and Rape

shirumoon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

In the first one or two chapters, I was so enthralled with what I'm reading, both stylistically and the setup of the story but unfortunately it didn't unfold in a way that I would have wanted to. Some things that I disliked: 
The main character is kind of running in circles, no matter how much time passes. Sure, might have been a deliberate choice and trauma does stifle your development but the main character's struggling just felt redundant at some point. Also what I generally fail to relate to is that endless enduring of

family absue and coercion

but I guess that's an integral part to the book's social commentary on Asian culture and family dynamics. It was frustrating to read though and made it predictable that at some point... they would lose it. And then the gore increased to unneccessary levels.

To be honest, I'm not quite sure whether I struggled more with the idea of the book itself or with the execution? It just didn't feel new and revelatory to me, just not really a deeper message there beneath that one layer of critizising society. Nicely written nevertheless and it had good pacing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Incest, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Mental illness, Blood, Physical abuse, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Infertility

willow1113's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual content, Bullying, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

ji_reads's review

challenging dark reflective medium-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

4.0

While this was a difficult listen... It certainly made me think.

I read "Convenience Store Woman" a couple years ago, which I enjoyed. While this book was more grotesque, I do see a lot of similar themes of alienation and relationships in Japanese society. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body horror and Cannibalism

Minor: Incest