TL;DR
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata tells the surreal tale of Natsuki, who believes she is an alien, navigating the stifling constraints of societal norms and seeking ultimate freedom and happiness.
What is Earthlings about
**Earthlings**, authored by Sayaka Murata, is an otherworldly coming-of-age narrative centered around Natsuki, a woman who believes she is an alien. The novel examines themes of nonconformity and societal pressure through Natsuki's extraordinary life. As a child, Natsuki feels alienated within her family and finds solace in her plush toy hedgehog, Piyyut, who claims to be from another planet. During a summer vacation in Nagano, she concludes that she must be an alien, an identity that persists into her adulthood. Living a quiet life with her asexual husband, Natsuki's childhood shadows continue to haunt her, leading her to reject societal norms entirely. Earthlings challenges the reader's understanding of happiness and freedom in a restrictive world, solidifying Murata's reputation as a chronicler of the outsider experience.
Earthlings 6 Key Takeaways
Natsuki's Alien Identity
As a child, Natsuki feels out of place in her family and believes she is an alien, encouraged by her toy hedgehog, Piyyut, who tells her he's on a mission from another planet.
Summer in Nagano
During a family vacation in the mountains, Natsuki's sense of alienation intensifies, and she decides she must be an alien, a belief that shapes her life.
Adult Life
Natsuki grows up to live a quiet life with her asexual husband. However, she continues to feel out of step with societal expectations, haunted by memories from her childhood.
Rejection of Society
Fed up with societal pressures, Natsuki and her husband decide to escape the societal 'baby factory' in search of a freer existence.
Dark Revelations
Throughout her journey, Natsuki faces disturbing and dark memories, including abuse and trauma, which challenge her sense of identity and her quest for happiness.
Final Escape
Natsuki reaches a breaking point where she fully rejects societal norms, leading to a shocking and unforgettable conclusion.
Top Earthlings Quotes
- “I had to be strong. I was the only one who could save the Earth.”
- “I would never be able to live my life as myself. I was just a tool for the Earthlings to use.”
- “The world was a factory, and we were its products.”
Who should read Earthlings?
Earthlings is ideal for readers who enjoy unconventional narratives and psychological depth. Those interested in themes of societal conformity, personal freedom, and trauma will find the book particularly engaging. It's a thought-provoking read for those who appreciate stories that challenge norms and explore the darker aspects of the human experience.
Earthlings Best Reviews
- “Intimate, deadpan, and unflinchingly unhinged... Amid all the hedgehog and alien talk is a novel that asks how happiness and freedom can be possible inside a stiflingly anxious world, and its answers, while grotesque, are worth reading.” —Wired
- “If you’re in the mood for weird, Sayaka Murata is always a reliable place to turn.... Earthlings centers on Natsuki, a character whose story begins in childhood with her cousin in the mountains and spirals ever more darkly (and bizarrely) into adulthood and its many strange reckonings.” —Seattle Times
- “It’s the book’s visceral, grim savagery, and those final shocking pages, that makes this such a vital, powerful novel... Earthlings is the sort of challenging, confronting fiction that wakes you up with a jolt and leaves a lasting impression.” —Locus
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Earthlings FAQs
What is the plot of the book Earthlings?
Earthlings follows Natsuki, a woman who believes she is an alien, as she navigates the societal pressures of conformity and seeks personal freedom.
What is the trigger warning for Earthlings?
Earthlings contains explicit descriptions of child abuse, incestuous sexuality, adolescent sexual abuse, severe dissociation, suicidal ideation, mental illness, murder, starvation, and cannibalism.
Is Earthlings a horror book?
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata is considered an adult horror novel with intense and disturbing themes, originally published on August 31, 2018.