Take a photo of a barcode or cover
mr_b_read 's review for:
Earthlings
by Sayaka Murata
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well, if you thought Convenience Store Woman was weird, strap in.
I think there’s a lot to unpack in Earthlings, from the obvious (Japan’s birth rate crisis impacting the collective psyche) to the harrowing (some child abuse in a variety of forms), but I think the ultimate message of this tale is that of belonging and alienation, how some attempt to circumvent or flat out refuse to accept societal norms, and how they cope with existence. It’s hard to imagine the characters in Earthlings getting away with what they’ve done, but it is nice, I suppose. There still morally reprehensible and deeply frustrating, but you’d like to believe that they deserve a space just as much as anyone else.
Consistent in its refusal to accept normality, this is par for the course with Murata’s work, though she takes it one step beyond that which has already established. I’m curious and terrified to see where she heads next.
I think there’s a lot to unpack in Earthlings, from the obvious (Japan’s birth rate crisis impacting the collective psyche) to the harrowing (some child abuse in a variety of forms), but I think the ultimate message of this tale is that of belonging and alienation, how some attempt to circumvent or flat out refuse to accept societal norms, and how they cope with existence. It’s hard to imagine the characters in Earthlings getting away with what they’ve done, but it is nice, I suppose. There still morally reprehensible and deeply frustrating, but you’d like to believe that they deserve a space just as much as anyone else.
Consistent in its refusal to accept normality, this is par for the course with Murata’s work, though she takes it one step beyond that which has already established. I’m curious and terrified to see where she heads next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt