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Earthlings
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
86 posts | 79 read | 62 to read
As a child, Natsuki doesn't fit into her family. Her parents favor her sister, and her best friend is a plush toy hedgehog named Piyyut who has explained to her that he has come from the planet Popinpobopia on a special quest to help her save the Earth. Each summer, Natsuki counts down the days until her family drives into the mountains of Nagano to visit her grandparents in their wooden house in the forest, a place that couldn't be more different from her grey commuter town. One summer, her cousin Yuu confides to Natsuki that he is an extraterrestrial and that every night he searches the sky for the spaceship that might take him back to his home planet. Natsuki wonders if she might be an alien too. Back in her city home, Natsuki is scolded or ignored and even preyed upon by a young teacher at her cram school. As she grows up in a hostile, violent world, she consoles herself with memories of her time with Yuu and discovers a surprisingly potent inner power. Natsuki seems forced to fit into a society she deems a "baby factory" but even as a married woman she wonders if there is more to this world than the mundane reality everyone else seems to accept. The answers are out there, and Natsuki has the power to find them. Dreamlike, sometimes shocking, and always strange and wonderful, Earthlings asks what it means to be happy in a stifling world, and cements Sayaka Murata's status as a master chronicler of the outsider experience and our own uncanny universe.
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review
KateReadsYA
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

U.n.s.e.t.t.l.i.n.g

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KateReadsYA
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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I love a translated book!

Sleepswithbooks Your mug 🥰 2mo
53 likes1 comment
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KateReadsYA
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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A morning full of reading and exploring the library shelves.

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pdxannie
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

Ok I loved this book until the end. I‘m honestly worried about how frequently Sayaka Murata incorporates cannibalism into her writing.

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Patchshank
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Panpan

Was weird, uncomfortable, and somehow still a bit boring.

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TalesandTexts
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

How much of propriety and morality is enforced by others; and how much of it is innate?

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata forces us to confront our own humanity - or society‘s definition of it, through the heartbreaking and fascinating stories of Natsuki, Yuu and Tomoya.

This book wasn‘t by any means super high on the weird meter. But, it stays with you. It certainly made me pause & take note of how the fractures & disintegration happens within us.

20 likes1 stack add
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rachelsbrittain
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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If I had a nickle for every horror novel that turned cannibal I'd have several nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's still weird it's happened several times.

bookriot.com/cannibalistic-horror/

ju.ca.no Indeed😅 it did come as a surprise for me in this one😅 14mo
rachelsbrittain @ju.ca.no same! I read Convenience Store Woman first and was expecting more of the same. Boy was I wrong! 14mo
ju.ca.no @rachelsbrittain me too! And I had a german translation and there was a quote about the book on the back which said it was funny- but the german word for it does not mean funny in a weird way but more like hilarious. And it definitely was a wrong translation and gave me very wrong expectations 😅 14mo
41 likes3 comments
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reading_rainbow
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

I read this in a day. It was pretty heavy and progressed into some sort of bizarre depravity. I liked it though
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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lumbricuslibri
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

Do not judge a book by its cover.

How to unread? But seriously this was me throughout the book: 🙂🙃😢🤬🥺😭🤬🤬😭🤬🤮🤬😨🤯😭🤬🫤🙃🤨😠😈🤯😵🫥🤬😧🫨🙃😧😠😶🙁🙃🙃🫣🤮 🤮🫠

Check for content/ trigger warnings if you‘re gonna pick this up!

Edit: this was an awesome read! Haha. Don‘t be fooled by my emojis… Or do? 🫠

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lumbricuslibri
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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😭

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lumbricuslibri
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata

18% 😱🤬

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lumbricuslibri
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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The original F-word. 😏

Oh, I love mine but it is hard sometimes.

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Night_Reader
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

3.8/5 🌟

Do not be misled by the cover, nothing cute bout this book. Not sure what to say. It left me speechless. So many emotions and thoughts. Very glad I read it. 👍

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ju.ca.no
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Started this one just now! I‘m not far in but it‘s already painful to read! The way Natsuki is treated by her family is almost unbearable and I don‘t have any hope that this will get nicer🙈 (don‘t get me wrong, it‘s REALLY good, just painfull to read👀)

booksandsympathy I'm curious to hear what you think. I tried the audiobook in May and I am not really a fan of the narrator, so I DNF'd it. I'm still curious about it though. That is a gorgeous cover too. 1y
ju.ca.no @booksandsympathy I‘m now halfway through and it is not an easy read, the themes are really tough, but I think so far it is really good! But I feel you- if the narrator is not one‘s type, it‘s hard to pull through🙈 I will let you know my final thoughts once I‘m done with it🤗 1y
ju.ca.no @booksandsympathy I thought it was very good but also very intense and unsettling! 1y
booksandsympathy @ju.ca.no Thank you for letting me know. I'll have to give it a try in on Kindle or a physical copy. 1y
ju.ca.no @booksandsympathy some books just don‘t work as audio books, when you don‘t like the narrator it can really ruin the book 1y
49 likes1 stack add5 comments
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iaietta
I terrestri | Murata Sayaka
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Pickpick

4.5/5 ⭐️
Un libro a tratti molto crudo ma brillante, che racconta l'assurdità delle convenzioni sociali attraverso gli occhi di Natsuki, una bambina convinta di non appartenere agli esseri umani, e contraria quindi alle loro tradizioni comandate.

giulia.mosna Gli evidenziatori abbinati alla copertina sono un tocco di classe ;) 2y
iaietta @giulia.mosna questa volta volevo essere un po' aesthetic ahahaha 2y
4 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Yuki_Onna
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

A surreal, dreamlike read about childhoods full of abuse - emotional, mostly, but not exclusively – and how that shapes the future of the people affected.
Natsuki is a pensive child who feels she doesn't fit in – into her family as a child, into society and human life as an adult. The childhood friendship/relationship with her cousin Yuu and her family's reaction to an occurrence on a summer night affects & alters her whole life.
...

Yuki_Onna Disconnectedness, aliens, humanity, sexuality, escapism, pressures and expectations of society, family ties gone wrong, fertility, different ways of perception, dreams, murder, detachedness, pure concepts of life on this planet, delusion, cannibalism all blend together in this brutal disgusting gorgeous gem of a book. Dark, brave, gritty.
4,5****
(check for your Trigger Warnings before picking it up - there are tons of them!!!)

(edited) 2y
Eggs Well played👍🏼 2y
26 likes3 comments
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MaleficentBookDragon
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Thank you @actualdisneyprincess for this fun #jolabokaflodswap 🎁
I love it! I‘ve been looking forward to this book and you can never have too many Reese‘s Peanut butter cups! 😍😍😍

actualdisneyprincess You‘re welcome!!! I‘m so glad it got there okay!!! 💖💖💖 Thank you for chairing this excellent swap — I knew as soon as I saw your wish list that it HAD to be the one with a hedgehog on the cover! ;) 2y
Soubhiville I love that book cover. Hope the book is great! 2y
76 likes2 comments
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Yuki_Onna
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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1. Usually like to focus myself on a single book.
When reading anthologies/short story collections or books outside my fave genres that don't hold enough suspense, I might throw in one or two other reads for distraction.

2. The tagged was an absolute - very unexpected - fave, along with the bleak modern classic Play it as it Lays by Joan Didion.
Bailed on The Arrangement by Robyn Harding, 'cause of the topic hitting much harder than expected.

16 likes2 comments
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IhoardBOOKS
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Panpan

This book haunts me. It has haunted me since I finished it and I can't escape it. Somehow, in a book that ends with cannibalism I found that to not be the worst thing to happen in it. I get what the author was doing with this book, I just didn't like it.

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AbstractMonica
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
Pickpick

This book was a lot to take in. It started innocently enough, but then started getting dark and twisted. There‘s a lot of neglect and physical/sexual abuse, so if you‘re really sensitive to those subject matters- I would steer clear.

Overall, I liked that this novel was different from anything I‘ve ever read (although it was pretty obscene). I still found it interesting, and was trying to figure out how it would all play out.

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AbstractMonica
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata

Both mom and my sister kept going on and on about how wonderful motherhood was, as if it were some kind of religion. I was still hoping to be brainwashed. But repeating “motherhood is wonderful” over and over like a Buddhist chant was hardly going to be enough to brainwash me on its own.

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AbstractMonica
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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I‘m reading this one next. I‘m not sure what to expect since I‘ve seen so many mixed reviews. Only one way to find out…

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DebinHawaii
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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#BookMoods

I like a certain level of #Bizarre but this book went way over the edge and was truly BIZARRE! I read it recently & was disappointed as I loved Convenience Store Woman.

Eggs Convenience Store was quirky and good! 2y
41 likes2 comments
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Gleefulreader
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Panpan

Apologies for the cursing, but this is a profoundly fucked up, nearly nonsensical story. CW for basically everything from abuse, incest, violence and cannibalism. While the themes of loneliness and social conformity, particularly in Japanese culture, may be relevant it felt like too much of this book was written purely for shock value. If you are looking for another Convenience Store Woman, go elsewhere.

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DebinHawaii
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Mehso-so

I loved Convenience Store Woman & appreciate how the author writes about characters who are outside the norm but this book was at the really dark end of crazy. I‘m not even sure how to review—parts of it are a pick but at times it was a pan as I felt the author was tossing triggers in there at the end for shock value & the dark humor that I appreciated in CSW was just too dark to be funny to me . I finally ended up splitting the difference with⬇️

DebinHawaii … a So-So rating & that doesn‘t capture it well either. 🤷🏻‍♀️ In the end, I‘m not sure what to make of it & I will probably be thinking about it (& being disturbed by it) for a while. (edited) 2y
lauraisntwilder I had similar feelings. CSW is a favorite, but this went too far for me. 2y
59 likes2 comments
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Nikki_E
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
Panpan

Well, I did finish listening to this but unfortunately I hated it. I understood what the author was trying to do but it did not work for me.

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Nikki_E
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata

This is making me really uncomfortable. Not sure if I will finish.

Reggie It gets pretty crazy. 3y
37 likes1 comment
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CorgiBooks
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Mehso-so

I think unforgettable is probably one of the best descriptions of this book. I'm not sure I get how it's humorous, but it's definitely one I'm going to be thinking about for a while

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vlwelser
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

This started out really strong, possibly better than Convenience Store Woman. Then it went from dark to absolutely bat shit crazy. Still calling it a pick.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
45 likes1 comment
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rachelsbrittain
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Mehso-so

I came into this off of Convenience Store Woman and boy oh boy is this different. It does follow a similarly offbeat protagonist who defies societal norms but the similarities end there. Natsuki is an abused child who believes she's an alien from the planet Popinpobopia and longs to be brainwashed into fitting in as an Earthling. Trigger warnings for everything under the sun but specifically sexual qssualt, incest, child abuse, and cannabilism.

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rachelsbrittain
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Definitely did not know what I was getting into with this one! I read Convenience Store Woman and loved it, which sounds like it is the same way quite a few people come into this one only to find themselves surprised 😅 Definitely planning to get going because I'm intrigued so far but whew does this deal with some intense (and dark) topics.

42 likes1 stack add
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Foragingfantasy
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

Holy Shit. I should have read a few reviews first, but I went into it blind having loved The Convenience Store book… 🤣🤦‍♀️ what did I just read??? As everyone else has said- ALL THE TRIGGERS. What a bizarre book. I guess it‘s a pick, but I wouldn‘t read it again.

26 likes1 stack add
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TheNeverendingTBR
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Mehso-so

The most bizarre novel I've ever read that just gets even more outrageous as you get further into it.

It's well written though but it just got too weird for me towards the end.

It covers a range of disturbing themes including sexual abuse, incest, murder and cannibalism.

Despite the subject matter, there were lighter moments that were nice to read but overall it's a unsettling and heartbreaking read, so beware.

I wouldn't read this again. 😶

EvieBee First of all: wow. Second of all: had no idea she‘d written another book! 3y
RaeLovesToRead Ha, I've chickened out of reading this one so far! I've seen some of the extreme horror you read pop up on GR so if it was too much for you, I predict it will disturb sensitive me 😵😅 3y
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TheNeverendingTBR @RaeLovesToRead I don't know why I read those, i guess curiosity gets the better of me. I need to stop because they're mostly so bad!!! 😂 🙈 3y
RaeLovesToRead Hahaha. My general rule is that if the cover makes me want to throw up, it's generally a no from me 🤣🤣 This one on the other hand is deceptively adorable... it's a good job I read the WATCH OUT CANNIBAL INCEST reviews, lol 3y
TheNeverendingTBR @RaeLovesToRead Yes, the cover on this one is what reeled me in! 😂 3y
Twainy I liked it for its weirdness. I doubt I‘ve read another book like it. Oddly Cage of Souls was a little odd too … hmmm 🧐 3y
64 likes7 comments
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Twainy
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

🎧 Uhhhh what did I just read and why did I like it?

I don‘t know but the ending is insane.

TW: child abuse (verbal, sexual), incest, canabalism, a magical hedgehog … well what more can I say that would scare you away after that … Read at your own risk.

A translated work. Disturbing to say the least. Well written & narrated.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/3

Trashcanman 🤗 3y
Reggie I liked this book but it majorly bummed me out. 3y
Twainy @Trashcanman Hi George! How are you doing? 3y
Twainy @Reggie I know!! I had a difficult time saying I “liked” it … 3y
31 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Bubblebelle
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
Pickpick

I loved Convenience Store Woman- this takes all the same themes and digs deeper and darker into them. If you've ever felt like you don't belong this might be for you. Warning- it does cover the topic of sexual abuse.

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Nerdfins
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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So I just finished this author‘s other book, Convenience Store Woman, last night, and I liked it so much I borrowed her other book from the NYPL. #food

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kellock
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Next up . . . I've read another by this author. I've heard this is weird. I'm hoping not too weird 😕

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Exbrarian
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

I loved Convenience Store Woman, so I knew I would get here eventually. Why didn't anyone warn me?!

TW: uh, if it's taboo or triggering, it's in here, I promise. Incest, child abuse, cannibalism to list the big ones.

It's honestly a sweet book that examines societal pressures and bodily autonomy. I was relating pretty well right up until that unexpected ending. Recommended reading for the right audience.

RaeLovesToRead I'll read this in the future when I'm feeling less delicate! 😂 3y
41 likes1 stack add1 comment
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broughtyoubooks
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Super mixed feelings. CSA warning. A really interesting story moving through a woman's childhood to adulthood that just becomes more absurd but...makes sense?

50 likes1 stack add
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AFrostCauseReads
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

This book starts innocently with an imaginative child, moves into an intriguing coping mechanism for difficult topics (molestation/abuse) and ends (without giving anything away) wildly outlandish, but in a logical way. And with about the same speed and horrific entertainment as a car crash

I severely (yes, severely) enjoyed it, and that makes me worry for myself. This author is a master of the unreliable narrator and mixing charm with the bizarre

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Kaarin
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Panpan

I honestly don‘t know what to do with this. The writing is beautiful, but the story is horrific. I‘m glad I read it, but I would never recommend it. I think I need a hug?!

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BookishRedhead
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

Weird, wonderful and a magical hedgehog.
Be warned there is a tiny bit of incest

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BookishRedhead
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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First time in waterstones in months.
Feels good to be back, I've missed them and the workers have missed me too

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GreenGrl87
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Current read. I picked this one up on Libby after finishing with Convenience Store Woman. I‘m really enjoying Murata‘s storytelling style. Can‘t wait for the #ItsLit virtual book chat on the 19th.

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mklong
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

Don‘t let the cute cover or my cheerful floral background fool you, this is a dark, dark read. It‘s weird and unsettling and just when you think it can‘t get any weirder or darker, it definitely does. I‘ve never read anything like it and probably don‘t need to again, but because it kept me turning pages no matter how grossed out I was, it‘s a pick.

GreenGrl87 For sure!!! 4y
57 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Maude
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

Well that got a bit weird👀 This was not a book for everyone, it had some very disturbing (yet intriguing) scenes that won't be easy to forget. That being said I loved the writing style, enjoyed the book and know this story will linger in my thoughts for quite awhile.

Libby1 Yay! I have this out from the library! 4y
magyklyXdelish This definitely went places I was not expecting. 4y
62 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Kregs
Earthlings | Sayaka Murata
Pickpick

Woah. Fascinating and uncomfortable. Worth your time. There‘s a magical hedgehog too.