Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

For those who enjoyed Muratas earlier work, Convenience Store Woman, Earthlings takes the same themes of alienation and coming to terms with the rigid expectations of society and launches them into a much darker narrative.

This book starts off as a whimsical tale that follows a young girl, Natsuki, who is perceived as abnormal by those around her. Natsuki finds the structures and confines that shape the society around her, and the expectations they create, to be in conflict with her ability to be who she is. This coupled with an often abusive family life drives her to find refuge with her toy, Piyyut, who is from the imaginary planet Popinpobopia, and discover her ability to cope using the magical powers she cultivates. The only one who seems to understand her is her cousin, Yuu, with whom she pledges to “survive, whatever it takes”, which Natsuki upholds in the face of a very traumatic sequence of events.

The story then follows Natsuki into her adult life, where we can see how she constantly wishes to be “brainwashed” by society so she can just be happy and stop resisting. On a visit to the countryside with her husband however, the story takes a shocking turn that involves all manner of violence, rebellion, and psychotic catharsis. At this point it becomes difficult to know what is truly happening and what is not, and as sure as it is to keep you turning the pages, it’s equally sure to leave you stunned and maybe slightly aghast.

While I found the story to be very weird, it is the kind of story that challenges the readers boundaries of creativity, making it impossible to put down.

Happy reading!

Reviewed by Emma Mikkelsen

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