Reviews with content warning for Death - Life Ceremony

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata

56 reviews

withlivjones's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

This is a really interesting and unusual collection of short stories that celebrate weirdness. There were definitely a few that fell a bit flat for me but the ones that don’t - especially the stories that follow the central theme of food - are absolutely fantastic, bizarre and toe-curling. My favourites out of the collection are “A Magnificent Spread”, “Hatchling”, “Eating the City” and the titular “Life Ceremony”. This book is perfect for newcomers to short stories and avid readers alike, especially if you enjoy horror or stories that will make you say “what the hell did I just read?”

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achedester's review against another edition

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dark reflective 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

3.0

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maferbyrne's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

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georgialee01's review against another edition

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dark funny reflective sad tense 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

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katharina90's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective medium-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Refreshingly weird, thought-provoking and fun. The author turns societal norms upside-down, prompting us to reflect on culturally constructed attitudes and customs that often go unquestioned.

Amongst the many questions raised by this short story collection, the ones that stood out to me include:
-Who and what is regarded as food?
-Whose skin and hair can be made into clothing and furniture?
-Who can be kept as a pet?

As with most short fiction some of the stories resonated more than others, but taken as a whole this is a really strong collection.

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lovetlr's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.0

Just weird

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karalara's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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krissysbooked's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

I read 'Convenience Store Woman' a couple of years ago, so when another book by Sayaka Murata popped up on Netgalley I couldn't wait to read it. 'Life Ceremony' is a little different though, as it's a collection of short stories with what appears to be the theme of taboos and norms running through them all.

As I find with many short story collections these were a little hit-and-miss. Some of them I absolutely adored and others I didn't quite get. These stories are also a little more out there than 'Convenience Store Woman', challenging us at every turn as to why we think in a certain way, why we think some things are normal, and presenting alternatives that are entirely possible.

Reading this one on the train wasn't always the best experience as I was paranoid people were going to read it over my shoulder, and I couldn't keep my emotions off my face! That being said I didn't get bored at any point. Highlights for me included: A First-Rate Material, A Summer Night's Kiss/Two's Family, Life Ceremony, Body Magic, and A Clean Marriage.

Verdict: The perfect collection for anyone into the weird, and wonderful and looking for a quick fix to get you out of a reading slump.

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allyjshand's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

Social norms and taboos explored through a collection of short stories.

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readerette's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

Some of the stories had endings that felt a little unfinished to me, but this was a thought-provoking and intriguing read, if a little disturbing at times, diving into topics like cannibalism and appreciating smells of things normally considered revolting. Prepare to be challenged on what you've accepted as "normal."

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