A review by uparrowhead
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Survive, whatever it takes.

To say that this book was eccentric and absurd would be a wild understatement, and I truly don't think that there's any words to describe the story I have just read.

In truth, I'm torn between whether I like it or not, but what I am certain on is that people should make sure they check the content warnings for this book before reading it because it really gets crazy.

I understood the overall message of the novel — a call for individuality and being unique in a world where conformity is praised and weirdness is seen as taboo — but the execution of this in the book left me speechless, for better or for worse.

Natsuki's character constantly hangs over me like a pendulum, swinging from being a relatable character to someone who's just far too strange for me to be able to understand. The book gets rough many times, exploring the difficulties Natsuki faced and getting quite disgusting by the end of the novel.

Coming straight from my reading of Convenience Store Woman, I find this book very difficult to unpack, and tenfold more intense (low-key traumatising, if I'm honest). Overall, Murata still managed to create an interesting and engaging read, but a lot of it was at the cost of my mental health. It's entertaining, but read at your own risk.
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