Thank you for the opportunity to review Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. I was excited to find this title available through NetGalley as I enjoyed the author's prior work, Convenience Store Woman. I think that Earthlings is much along the same lines- if you enjoyed CSW, you'll enjoy Earthlings. If not, then you won't. I think the slightly off-kilter nature of the characters makes this quite an enjoyable diversion.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Sayaka Murata's EARTHLINGS, translated from the Japanese by Ginny Tapley Takemori.

I loved Ms. Murata's first short novel Convenience Store Woman and was excited to see what came next from this talented writer.
What a very different experience this novel was, and I mean that in a good, albeit 'whoa!' way.

I nestled in to read about Natsuki and her family heading up to a family celebration in the mountains. Natsuki is just a kid, an imaginative and fierce 11-year-old who just wanted to see her cousin again, she calls him her 'boyfriend'.
I was captured right away by Natsuki and her stuffed toy friend Piyyut, from the Planet Popinpobopia.
But Natsuki was considered the 'black sheep' of the family, a rebel, and she wanted to be invisible and felt she didn't fit in with the 'real world'. She would later call the world The Factory, where women were expected to marry and have children. Natsuki and her cousin felt they were aliens and that is how that led their lives.

The book takes a hard turn as Natsuki is sexually abused by a teacher, verbally abused by her family to the point that when she does get older, she seeks out a 'husband' who is like her - doesn't want sex, kids or any of the traditional marriage mores.

If that isn't a strange enough turn, soon Natsuki and her husband return to the mountain home of her grandparents and meet with the cousin and the three of them live as aliens away from society. It gets fairly gruesome from here on in as the trio await their 'ship' to take them to their planet.

It is as fascinating a read as it is bizarre and I am excited to read other reviews about Earthlings.
3.75 -

Sayaka Murata is an author who's name I've seen everywhere recently, thanks to the success of the translation of her novel 'Convenience Store Woman'. I've heard nothing but wonderful things, and so I leapt at the chance to read her upcoming translated fiction novel 'Earthlings'.

I'll admit I knew nothing of this book going into it. I usually prefer it that way. And yet, for once, maybe a little more of a head's up on the contents of this story would have been reasonable. The blurb at the time of my own reading (maybe it will change prior to publication) gave no suggestion as to just how darkly this tale would twist and turn. I initially thought we were on a quaint summer journey with a young girl who believed she was a wizard, her powers given to her by a cuddly hedgehog toy. How wrong I was.

This book grips you with horror and shock from the start and doesn't let you go for a minute. We have references to childhood abuse in all its forms, juvenile sexual activity, incest, murder... I don't think I've ever been so repulsed by a story and yet so fascinated by the writing in all my life as a reader.

The themes throughout the novel are so expertly woven through the narrative - ideas of isolation, societal disassociation, abuse and cultural pressures recur in the most fresh and interesting ways, and the dark turns each contributed to aspects of plot or thematic development and (almost) never seemed added purely for titllation or shock value. I particularly enjoyed the correlation between the recurring references to silk worms and how their maturation reflected Natsuki's own evolution and growth (for better or worse).

This will not be a book for everyone, and I can imagine some very split opinions in light of the controversy of the subject matter and plot developments. That being said, this is one of the most exciting, different and thought-provoking novels I've read in years, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging story full of darkness and depth.

Thanks to NetGalley for a providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Part contemporary fiction, part magical realism, part horror story, <I>Earthlings</I> takes all of the really interesting societal commentary that was so fascinating in <I>Convenience Store Woman</I>, but turns the weirdness dial up to 11. The first 3rd of the book is a difficult read, dealing unflinchingly with subjects such as child abuse and sexual assault. The final 3rd of the novel is suddenly, out of nowhere, a horror story. Interwoven into all of that is Murata's forceful, honest critique of how society deals with anything - or anyone - it considers "abnormal," and the strange beauty there is to be found when you find someone who is your same kind of different.

<I>He let me speak my own language. Earthlings probably don't realize it, but meeting someone like that is rare in life.</I>

I can't say more than that without giving anything away, but I promise it'll be one of the most interesting books you'll read all year.

A surreal blend of childish bliss and severe abuse. This book contains just about every trigger you could ask for; sexual abuse, violent murders, destructive gaslighting, mental illness, and there's even a bit of cannibalism thrown in. Why not?

This unique blend works to create a seemingly magical realm that's very much grounded in a rural mountain village in Japan. A place where adults are always trusted over children and those on the outside will remain so.

Magical Minds
There's a slow, methodical pacing when it comes to Natsuki's state of mind. When we first see her within her Grandparents house, early in the book, it's glaringly apparent that her sister, Kise, takes priority. Her father remains mostly in the background playing the stereotypical silent role, but her mother is always at the centre of their attention.

Unfortunately for Natsuki, her mother often reacts negatively around her, calling her ugly or clumsy in front of relatives. It's only her Aunt's that put up any form of defence on Natsuki's behalf.
Even Natsuki has succumbed to her mother's words and believes them to be true.
This constant bombardment of negative energy goes far beyond the odd jibe and is quickly recognisable as mental abuse.

Friendship in Isolation
Things are made even more complicated when pre-teen Natsuki falls in love with her cousin Yuu, and the pair end up having sex. This act splits the family, leaving Natsuki more isolated than ever.
Her moments of isolation are also Natsuki at her most vulnerable. Through the abuse she suffers as a child, there's no one for her to turn towards for help, only her stuffed toy Piyyut.
As the trauma continues, Piyyut develops a voice that allows Natsuki to rationalise her understanding of the situation. This voice soon takes a darker turn, ordering her to kill 'the witch'.

From my understanding, the witch is a metaphor for her struggles. She is the dark-magic that is holding her back, stopping her from being liked by others.
As Natsuki has confidence in her own magic, which of course is non-existent, she must slay the witch before she causes harm to the world. In her mind, her actions remain pure, and for the greater good of mankind.
This is what sets up the ending of the first section of the book, leading into Natsuki's adulthood.

I won't talk too much about the second half, as that's where the plot begins to take place, but Natsuki is now married to someone she has no feelings for because she wanted to get her mother off her back.
Her husband, an a-sexual man, also running from his over-bearing mother, shows no interest in her, physically or otherwise. They live strictly as roommates, separate beds, separate times to use the living room. You get the idea; a convenience marriage.

Common Themes
Throughout the book, Natsuki blames herself for the entire trauma she's suffered. After all, if she was a better student, her mother wouldn't have shouted so much, her teacher wouldn't have sexually abused her, and Yuu would still be by her side.

Both Natsuki and Yuu believe they're aliens from another planet, waiting for their mothership to come and find them, to take them back to a place where they can fit in. And that's one of the great significances here, fitting in.
Never do either of them feel they belong to the Japanese factory (the term they deem to be society; growing up, having children and contributing to the community).
A large part of this is Natsuki's sexual abuse. She mentions it to her mother and is told that she cannot be trusted and she has a dirty mind. This further pushes her from the norm of fitting in.
Why would I be different? Is it my dirty mind that's creating all of this? Maybe my teacher really is trying to help?

There's a lot of Ryū Murakami vibes in this book, mixed with a slight Sci-fi element. The detailing of gruesome acts, but also the deep-psychological trauma that goes hand-in-hand with them. Add to this, Natsuki's own belief in magic and you have a unique blend of fiction.
The plot is, at times, abstract due to Natsuki's warped mind, but this serves as another level of enjoyment on the dull reality of factory life.

Closing Thoughts
Earthlings is an enjoyable book once you become grounded in the weird reality it offers. Talk of alien planets and magic to mask the abuse suffered by a child can be a lot to take in, and at times, is incredibly provocative.
Beyond that, it offers an accelerating journey through the life of a deeply disturbed girl looking to find her way in life without ever feeling as though she fits in.

I have no idea what I just read. Seriously, what was that?

Like most people, I loved Convenience Store Woman and was really excited for Murata's new book. If you're expecting something like Convenince then ... well ... maybe you'll get a taste of what you're expecting, but you'll also get whole heaps of crazy.

The themes of this book are very similar to Convenince. An alienated woman finds it hard to connect and live in society. Whereas Convenince had some goodness and light observations, this book is all dark turns.

This is a dark, dark, dark, dark book. It reminded me of No Longer Human or The Stranger. If you are triggered in any way, DON'T READ THIS BOOK. I'm serious. It's not an easy read. There are detailed scenes of child molestation and abuse. There are other graphic scenes I won't mention for spoiler reasons, but just know things get worse.

After the shock has died down I'm left with the question: Was this a good book?
Answer: Maybe? It wasn't boring, that's for sure. But is that enough to say it's good? Is the graphic nature of this book all there is?

Honestly, I'm at a loss for evaluating this book. Some people are going to love it and some will hate it. And some will be like me and say, "What the fuck?"

Story: 4 stars
Character Development: 4 stars
Writing/Prose (translation): 3 stars
Confusion factor: -2 stars

Sayaka Murata’s back with another story of a social outsider - and it’s even worse than Convenience Store Woman!

Natsuki is a little girl that gets physically and verbally abused by her horrible mother, sexually abused by her teacher and, after a bout of incest, attempts suicide - guys, you’ll never believe it but somehow she turns out to be a complete mess of an adult!

Yeah I didn’t like Earthlings at all. A lot of the gross scenes felt gratuitously described to little or no effect (beyond the obvious shock factor) and the message Murata seemed to be going for felt trite and immature. Conformism is brainwashing, maaan, society is like a factory, etc. This kind of banal commentary isn’t new or clever - rejecting societal norms doesn’t make you a radical, it makes you an average teenager.

I get that Japanese society is more restrictive than most western societies. There’s a strong emphasis on family, living outside of the norm is discouraged, it’s patriarchal (though this is slowly changing), and the focus is much more on the group than the individual. Perhaps something like this would seem more transgressive in that context. But not to this reader in the UK - this was just childish silliness.

Natsuki was an annoying character for the most part even though I felt sorry for her. Her inner dialogue was irritating - as a kid she’s either banging on about survival or wittering on about being an alien or a witch with her imaginary friend Piyyut, and as an adult she’s talking idiotically about rationalism. Yuu and Tomoya were equally stupid - they all deserved each other. Three morons exchanging stilted comments about nothing to highlight… what? That this is what a buttoned-down society reduces people to when they don’t fall in line? I’m not impressed if it is.

I found Earthlings unpleasant for large portions of the novel, the characters all absurd, the point obvious and simple, and the story always really, really boring. After this and Convenience Store Woman, I don’t think Sayaka Murata’s books are for me.

DNF at page 46.

trigger warning
<spoiler> emotional abuse, sexual assault on child by teacher, gaslighting, bullying</spoiler>

This book is about Natsuki, who is a magician. Her alien friend from another planet bestowed magical abilities on her - or so she thinks.

I did not dnf this book because it's bad, because it isn't. Yet again this is a case of triggering material presented without warning.
<spoiler> Natsuki is subtly mistreated by her mother. A neighbor makes a comment about how grown up she is, and that that's cool, and her mother slides in chiding her daughter for being clumsy and ugly. This is only one instance, every time Natsuki and her mother are shown together, the latter mistreats her child - while the other child is praised. Natsuki has the typical warped self image one gets through gaslighting.

This already made me feel iffy, abusive mother-daughter relationships always hit too close to home for me, and then Natsuki is sexually assaulted by her pedophelic teacher. </spoiler>

If I had been warned beforehand, I might have reacted differently. As it stands, I dnf this one and hope that some day in the future, the need for warnings will be logical to everyone.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most disturbing books I've read in my entire life. I haven't felt this way since J.T.Leroy's last novel, but this one by Murata at least, has no pretension to be real, but unfortunately it's quite realistic if you know a bit about mental illness. Heavy and definitely not for everyone.

Questo é uno dei libri piú disturbanti che abbia letto nella mia intera vita. Non mi sentivo cosí dall'ultimo romanzo di J.T.Leroy, ma questo della Murata almeno, non ha nessuna pretesa di essere reale, ma purtroppo é piuttosto realistico se uno conosce un po' le malattie mentali. Pesante e decisamente non per tutti.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

This was a fabulously unnerving coming of age story. Murata covers many taboos in this novel including sex, abuse and cannibalism. All in the name of examining why some people do not quite fit societal expectations. Natsuki and her husband and her cousin do not want to be part of the factory, where the end goal is simply procreation for procreations sake. They want to live by their own rules and aspire to their own goals. Their success comes at rather a cost but that does not detract from their bravery and commitment to their cause. Similar to Convenience Store Woman this novel reminds us that we have the choice of which path in life to take. We should be brave like Natsuki and strive for what is most important to us, and hope that we manage to find some like minded individuals to hold us up when we waver. While this is not an easy read I would recommend it wholeheartedly. Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC. I am so lucky to have received this fantastic novel a little early!

I was excited when I saw Earthlings by Sayaka Murata because I really liked The Convenience Store Woman. I didn't know what to expect from the book Earthlings because the synopsis left me hanging.
Honestly, the book left me speechless. It is a very strong cocktail of all the things that our society detest. We get a taste of incest, cannibalism, rape, homicide,cheating, humiliation and a lot more. I don't know how to react to this book in one word. I enjoyed author's style of writing. Earthlings is very easy to read despite the combination of exciting material.
It is a story of a girl, Natsuki, who doesn't belong to the society she is in. She is breaking the rules just to feel free from the norms. I don't think she got away though. As for me, the portrait of the society she is in is so much more powerful. Natsuki is justifying her actions by calling herself an alien. But is she?

I received #Earthlings by Sayaka Murata from netgalley in exchange to my honest review and couldn't been more happier.

I had heard so much about CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN that when I saw this on NetGalley, I decided to give it a go even without having read Murata's previous book. Wow, what a roller coaster! The writing is immediate and accomplished. I was drawn instantly into Natsuki's world, and felt compelled to follow her through her trials. She deals with some horrifying things -- almost all of the adults in her life let her down, and she finds herself further and further pushed to believe herself a cog in a giant wheel of expectation on drudgery. She retreats into fantasy in order to cope. It culminates in an unforgettable final scene. I closed this book unsure of exactly what I had just experienced. It's challenging, provocative, and frightening. The voice here is assured. Whether or not this works for all readers, it's undeniable that Murata is commanding voice in subversive literature.

Continuing and expanding upon the themes of CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN, Earthlings questions assumptions about what it means to be a part of civilization. Like CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN, the main character is a woman who doesn't fit in, who finds some solace by partnering with a man who shares her radical ideas about society.

Whereas the earlier book presents a relatable character in a realistic setting whose rejection of societal norms seems rational, EARTHLINGS centers on an individual so deeply damaged by childhood sexual abuse and familial verbal abuse that she entirely disassociates from the world. Her only refuge from trauma is to consider herself alien, a denizen of another planet stranded on earth. Through fantasy and disassociation, she is able to do what the adults in her life fail to do: protect herself. I like that the novel defies easy categorization, as the author bends genre in completely unexpected ways. The turn the narrative takes in the end is logical yet stunning: a horror parable rather than science fiction.

Murata has a tremendous instinct for surprise, for turning a narrative on its head. The simplicity of the language and the innocence of the protagonist carries one along to the shocking conclusion. Yet while Convenience Store Woman is a book for a wide audience, I think many may find this book difficult to finish due to the specificity and violence of child abuse as well as the extreme nature of the ending. EARTHLINGS would make a terrific film in the vein of PARASITE.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an ARC of this book.

I'm torn by this. On the one hand it's an interesting read on the other it's a little bit horrific.
I wasn't expecting the book to be quite so graphic. The way her mother and teacher in particular treat her was very difficult to read. I almost stopped at that point. I wanted to get to the end though and find out what happened.
I'm not really sure. Was it real, a fantasy?
Worth a read if you want something challenging but take note of trigger warnings.

I’m kind of speechless after this, and keeping out spoilers is difficult. I suppose the main thrust of this offbeat novel is ISOLATION, from her extremely unhappy childhood and into her thirties, Natsuki never fit in, not with her family or society in general. And her isolation leads her to believe that she is able to perform magic, and eventually she is convinced that she is stranded on Earth, and actually comes from an alien planet. But this is not science fiction, or fantasy. Plenty of taboos here, lines crossed and tragedy all around. I was not ready for the number of shocks that came out, but the story telling was impressive even if much of the content was disturbing. This was a great, head-twisting story.

This is probably the most peculiar book I've read in years. Earthlings is a gripping, strange, shocking and still somehow wonderful book that probes and troubles your mind. This was my first experience with Sayaka Murata's writing, and now I want to read all of her work because, at least in this story, she really captures society in a way that few can actually describe. Definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year.

I really liked Convenience Store Woman, it was so funny and weird, so I was excited to read Earthlings. It's a weird but much darker than her previous novel that becomes more shocking as the book goes on, towards the end it's a total shift from what I thought the book was going to be. I loved it. A Murakami like novel about a Natsuki is a young girl in Japan who doesn't fit in with her family and the rest of society. She doesn't want to be in the "baby factory" society where she will just grow up to be a mother. When a vacation to the mountains to her grandparents place, her cousin Yuu tells her he's an alien and he's always searching the stars for a ship to take him home. She wonders if there is more to live than this and goes on a search to find it. A novel about girl's places in the world and Japanese society, it's a great book.

I am going to be honest. I started reading this book, got a bit confused, and turned to some other reviews to see if they could help me out. At that point, quite a few of the other reviewers mentioned that there are graphic child sex scenes in this book and that removed my desire to continue reading this book. My apologies to the author and the publisher.

I honestly didn’t know this book was going to be so dark. I liked this one better than Convenience Store Woman but wish I had known the disturbing topics in this book beforehand. It was relatable how the main character Natsuki felt different from anyone she knew and couldn’t fit into society but overall while I was reading this book it was just shocking and at the end I just wanted to move onto my next book.

Sayaka Murata returns! I loved Convenience Store Woman and Murata's voice and unique characters. This book definitely follows up and develops her voice further. It is a wonderful quirky, tightly wound, amusing yet heartbreaking book about experiencing and healing from trauma, about bonds that connect us, about our role in society or the role outside of society. This book will not be for everyone, given that there are heavy trigger warnings for child sexual abuse and incest. However, overall I found myself relishing the book (it is charming yet unsettling the same way Convenience Store Woman was) and the food for thought it provided. 4 stars.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.