A review by nate_b
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Really sucks you into a view of the everyday in a new way. Eerie and also disturbing at the same time. This book was not incredibly fun or interesting in terms of the story itself but it was so well told and the narrator did a charming job that I had to keep listening.

There are a few passages that haunt me long after I've finished it, where the protagonist reflects on her experiences and reasoning and relationships...

Ultimately I think this book could be used by psychology professors as a fantastic example of
dissociation as a result of trauma. It was captivating to see her worldview slowly realign itself and justify the way things are and what she needs to do to survive. Less a novel of plot than a character study in that way.
Not for the squeamish!

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