Earthlings – Sayaka Murata

“Maybe she wasn’t functioning properly as one of society’s reproductive organs.”

Breathtaking. Disturbing. Unforgettable.

If Convenience Store Woman was a quiet rebellion, Earthlings is its hardcore, unfiltered cousin.

This book is bold, violent, and unsettling—but in a way that forces you to stop and think. It’s a brutal critique of the social systems we blindly follow—family, school, marriage, even friendship. Murata pushes every boundary to show how society functions like a factory, where women are treated as reproductive tools and individuals are forced to “perform” in roles they never chose.

“Maybe she wasn’t functioning properly as one of society’s reproductive organs.”

That line hit me like a punch. Because the scariest part? It feels real.

The story begins with a young girl being sexually harassed by a teacher, and when she finally gathers the courage to speak up, the adults around her say it’s impossible. Sound familiar? It should. It mirrors the countless times children are silenced, whether by schools, churches, or communities that choose to protect the abuser instead of the victim.

Murata doesn’t sugarcoat anything. She exposes how people are expected to fit into pre-made molds—daughter, wife, mother, employee—and what happens when someone refuses. The result is grotesque, surreal, and often hard to read. But that’s exactly why it matters.

For me, this book is a reminder: use your own brain. Don’t just follow the script.
Because if you don’t think for yourself, you’ll end up playing a role in someone else’s life—never truly living your own.

In the end, Earthlings isn’t asking you to agree with the characters or even understand them. It’s asking you to question everything around you.
And honestly? That’s what makes it brilliant.