Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

46 reviews

majorchachi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Blood, Gore, Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Body horror

green1048's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.0

Gruesome and gory

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Bullying, Rape, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Death, Gore, Grief, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

rissasreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This book was wiiiiiilllllld. It's really one that I'm going to have a hard time talking about without spoiling everything that happens. 
I've never read a book that made me want to cry within the first 100 pages as much as this one did. Our main character is treated so horribly by everyone around her and the most awful things happened to her in her childhood.... I enjoyed how much everything that happened in the beginning really fed into the remainder of the book. 
Absolutely wild what occurs after the first 130 pages though lmao .. WHAT

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, and Grief

bekiethebanished's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Incest, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Acephobia/Arophobia

Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Medical content, Vomit, Suicide, Grief, Excrement, Body shaming, and Bullying

pennywise30's review against another edition

The only book I wish I DNF, because of these labels that should have been listed. Be in a good headspace if you choose to read this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Incest, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness

glitchgh0st's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Highly recommend IF you enjoy something like the works of Junji Ito 😬

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Grief, Sexual assault, Murder, Incest, Mental illness, and Rape

alexandrabelze's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

oh wow. where to even start? a unique, extremely dark, and satirical take on the constraints and pressures of society’s expectations: a portrayal of extreme anomie. murata did not hold back on the scrutiny. she captured the whimsical and overactive imagination of children so perfectly, especially when it came to processing trauma. this was an amazing portrayal of childhood trauma and how that affects people differently in adulthood. the last two chapters or so were a whirlwind of “wtf” but i was still captivated. extremely excited to read convenience store woman.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Gaslighting, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, and Eating disorder

Minor: Bullying, Grief, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Vomit

5_doogwood_drive's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.5

fuck, this was... something. definitely. something.

im gonna stay in bed today. 

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Incest, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, and Physical abuse

Minor: Body shaming, Suicide, Fatphobia, and Bullying

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 against another edition

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