Just finished “Vanishing World” by Sayaka Murata and I didn’t think that any ending could top “Earthlings”, but somehow the author was able to surprise me 😬 I mean If I’m not thinking “what the hell did I just read” while reading one of her books, did I even read it????

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book felt like the craziest fever dream imaginable. For such a short book it had a weird pacing being that what the synopsis describes only happens on the last 30% of the book, so it does feel like it drags a bit

In terms of exploring its themes of love, parasocial relationships, sex, motherhood and family structure I feel like this book tried to do to much and it felt quite superficial on some of the themes. The fact that the story was so mind boggling probably didn't help.

I think this type of Sayaka Murata maybe isn't that big of a winner for me and something like convenience store woman is more. Still this is an interesting read.

Ok, I think this is a big ME problem. I have struggled with Murata's work in the past and I'm not generally a fan of "science fiction" however the premise of this story sounded so fascinating that I couldn't help myself. We have a world where artificial insemination is the norm, a kind of strange dystopian commune-y situation... I don't know, it sounded great and for many others, I think it will be but I had a really difficult time connecting with Amane or the plot at all. What I will say about Murata is that her stories are definitely unique, filled with new and intriguing scenarios, and I find it quite refreshing. So while this story is interesting and written well, I am—apparently—not the audience for it.

I still remain immensely grateful for Grove Atlantic for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

More of an idea than a fleshed out concept. “Weird” books shouldn’t be allowed to be this boring; the social commentary was too literal to be intriguing.

A top contender for my weirdest read of the year and it's only February. This book tackles of lot of topics, namely sex, family, and social norms. This book is definitely more abstract than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. I think it really helps the book since it doesn't go into the specifics of how this future society works. I think one of the most interesting aspects is the feeling of being in the middle of a social transition. The world created in this book seems to be moving forward with the main character's mother clinging to the past and the main character trying to assimilate to the future. The writing of this book definitely won't be for everyone, it's very jarring and almost vulgar at times. I think this is part of the author's intention to challenge the audience, but it will likely make some people uncomfortable. The ending especially is a rough read, I would check trigger warnings if you're worried, but I do think it's meant to be that way. It does not feel gratuitous but does teeter on the edge of shock value for me. That being said the book does drag a little bit around the middle, by this point the protagonist is an adult and has a lot of the same thought processes as her younger self. It did end up feeling a little repetitive. But this really isn't a long book, so it didn't bother me too much. I also enjoyed the critique on celebrity culture. In this dystopia it's more common to fall in love with fictional characters than people, and it feels similar to the current treatment of celebrities especially those in eastern countries. I would recommend reading this with someone else, there are so many things to discuss and dissect with a friend. The book has so many nuances that would be fun to go through together.

A weird, unsettling read Vanishing World is the story of an AU Japan where ideas of the family unit have vastly changed.
I found this story to be a quick read that kept me engaged in that special kind of way that only Sayaka Murata can. I didn't love the ending but as a whole this was an incredibly intriguing read.
For a more indepth review please check out my spoiler free youtube review here:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JCBzhxKXjk&t=310s

In exchange for an honest review, I was given this ARC. Unfortunately, I did not love this book. I’ve read other books by Murata that I enjoyed much more. I found the story to be repetitive and difficult to finish. The concept of the books dystopian setting is one of its only redeeming qualities. It’s not with a light heart that I give this review, it was a disappointing read.

Sayaka Murata writes some of the best and oddest books I've ever read. I highly encourage everyone who likes unusual stories to check out her other books, especially Earthlings. This book didn't disappoint.
Amane is unusual in her society because she is a result of her parents having sex, and all other babies are now created through artificial insemination. This leads to a lot of different changes in relationships, such as a different perception of romance and less of a need for sex. Without giving anything away, Amane goes to extremes while trying to understand her place in the world and what she wants.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

A world in which sex between married couples has ended, and all children are born by artificial insemination.

Wow! I don’t think I will ever forget this book—one of the wildest, most entertaining reading experiences I have ever had. I was hooked from the first page. I think the less you know going in, the better. If you have enjoyed Murata’s other work, you will love this. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, prepare for things to get weird. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book by Sayaka Murata I’ve read and I absolutely love the stories that this author comes up with. I was extremely excited to read this book and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read it before it was released publicly to be able to recommend this to as many I people I can. It’s always an out of this world experience with these stories especially this one. This was such a wild read and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Thank you so much Grove Press for providing me this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

"It's a bit like a cat-café, isn't it? Petting them without being responsible for them, and when you've had enough you can just go home"

Set in a parallel world where marital intercourse is seen as an act of incest and having relationships outside of marriage is "normal" and the only way one can bear children is through artificial insemination which has reminded me a lot of Brave New World by Alex Huxley in terms of concept but Sayaka Murata's execution is completely unique to her. uncomfortable, and funny with few elements of horror

This story is, to me, a perfect blend between Open-relationships and obsessive Otakus which had served as a tool to discuss a variety of topics such as the notion of family, the purpose of having children and to what extent is the government willing to go just to keep producing children.

Divided into three parts in which we see Amane's life since childhood until adulthood where she explored her sexuality, her relationships with her lovers, her relationship with her mother and the struggle of understanding what is deemed normal and acceptable by society. Unable to discern between sanity and insanity.

One thing that was occurred often is the meaning her Amane's name and coincidentally her lovers and husband name, with the common theme being water, and after some digging, I realized that her fate was so cruel. she wasn't able to have the thing she wanted the most and ended up doing the thing she was so afraid of.

This was my first Sayaka Murata book, and boy was it a wild ride. The book is intriguing in premise, but I'm unsure how I really feel about the story itself. I'm a huge Black Mirror fan, which is what gravitated me to this, and I think that comparison holds true. Much like Black Mirror, Vanishing World is a story that dissects societal norms and influences through the impact of technology, and leaves the reader slightly disturbed with a "what the heck did I just watch/read mentality." ha.

In short, it is definitely a story that will leave you to ponder.

Vanishing World is split into three parts - the first two explore Amane’s early life, her sexual awakening and the events that led her and her husband to join an experimental city. While the plot is completing, the narrative quickly becomes tedious. Themes and conversations are repeated so often that I sometimes thought I had accidentally flipped back a few pages. The book relies heavily on dialogue and internal monologue rather than plot, which, combined with the circular nature of the discussions, made large portions of it feel stagnant.
The third part is where things pick up, with more action driving the story forward. Murata explores fascinating ideas - parasocial relationships, the emotional legitimacy of loving fictional characters, and the consequences of societal conditioning - but her analysis remains surface-level.
While I can appreciate the endings intent, suggesting that suppressing human instincts only forces them to manifest in more extreme ways, it was so disturbing that it overshadowed much of the experience for me. I can't, in good conscience, rate it higher than one star.

Omg. This author just totally blew up my mind and societal expectations, norms in a massive way. This book is so weird and interesting, challenging relationships, sex, gender, family, just anything you can imagine. And what a bizarre thought experiment but in the best way. Brace yourself for this wild ride!!

As a long-time fan of Sayaka Murata I was so excited for Vanishing World and I couldn't put it down. But maybe that was because I just wanted to finish it. Set in a world where humans no longer copulate to produce children and instead are all artificially inseminated, Vanishing World is an extremely uncomfortable read. I'd argue that it was more uncomfortable than Earthlings which is one of the most memorable books I've read purely based on how wacky it was. I love Murata's writing style and I knew I was in for a bizarre read, but I didn't expect it to be this wild. For Murata fans it's great, but for anyone who hasn't read anything by this author I'd recommend starting with her earlier books and to ease into the weirdness.

Vanishing World is Sayaka Murata's upcoming novel, set to be published in April. Murata, best known for Convenience Store Woman and Earthlings, has gained international acclaim for her sharp critique of social norms and her unique, often unsettling storytelling style. 💯
I first discovered this book through fellow readers on Bookstagram, and the moment I realized it was Murata’s new novel, I knew I had to read it. I love her literary style and the way she challenges conventions. 🥰
Set in Japan, Vanishing World imagines a future where artificial insemination has become the norm, gradually rendering traditional concepts like sex, family, and marriage obsolete. Murata, true to form, delivers another bizarre yet thought-provoking take on societal structures, pushing boundaries in ways that will both shock and fascinate readers. 😳
If you’ve read Murata before, you’ll know to expect discomfort, intrigue, and a deep, unsettling reflection on the norms we take for granted. This book made me think a lot about the shifting role of family and marriage in our own world. I think if the societal shifts Murata explores would take a long time to unfold in reality, likely facing strong resistance. 🤔
I’m so happy to have read this book, and I’ll continue to read whatever Murata publishes next.

Feeling slight disoriented after this one. But in the best way.

What a book!!!! So crazy unsettling but a great page turner

I was truly hooked.

I love this author. And this one def does not disappoint.

I would love to peek into this authors head. Would be a hell of a place to be.

Tq for this opportunity

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy!

I have read three other books by Sayaka Murata and really enjoyed them. Earthlings was the strangest book I’ve ever read but it captured me from beginning to end. Convenience store woman I loved and gave five stars. Because I have enjoyed her other books I was so excited when I got to read this book early. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.

The premise is interesting and could have been a great base to explore social norms, but instead it just felt thin and repetative. We almost get no world building, and the main character Amane really just repeats the same thoughts and actions over and over again. That combined with the writing style and short sentences just did not work for me. I want to be swept away into these strange stories but instead I had to force myself to pick the book up.

I’m still gonna read the authors future books because I’m fascinated by her brain and what she will come up with next. But this one will sadly not be joining her others that already live on my bookshelves.

I’ve had my eye on Sayaka Murata for a while, and I was excited to finally read one of her books. The Vanishing World was unsettling, eerie, and deeply thought-provoking. Murata has a way of immersing the reader seamlessly into her world, and her ability to capture the most grotesque aspects of human nature—the insecurity, insatiable greed, and hypocrisy—is both disturbing and fascinating.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this book was its depiction of family structures. The way Murata presents them feels unsettlingly plausible, as if she’s holding up a warped mirror to our world. Whether her vision of the future is dystopian or just the inevitable evolution of society is left up to the reader to decide.

I also appreciate how direct and unflinching Murata’s writing is—she doesn’t waste words, and every sentence feels purposeful. That said, I found myself irritated with every single character, which I think was intentional. Their flaws are the driving force of the story, making them difficult to like but impossible to ignore. And then there’s Saku—his character felt so odd and disconnected from traditional masculinity that at times, it didn’t even feel like he was written as a man. Which I understand now was an intentional decision.

Overall, The Vanishing World was an unsettling yet compelling read, and Murata’s unique storytelling left a strong impression on me.

I have loved her past books, however this one was a not my favorite. I think my favorite is Earthlings. She indeed goes for the strange and surreal and I love that. When I read, I want to escape to worlds unknown and she knows how to put a person there. I look forward to her next book, as always .