Earthling by Sayaka Murata

Earthlings Paperback Edition

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. 

 

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Title : Earthlings

Author : Sayaka Murata

Published year : 2020

Pages : 249

Language : English

Genre : Fiction, Utopia

Age Recommendation : 18+

 

I loved Sayaka Murata right after I finished reading Convenience Store Woman, her quirk and the relatable protagonist have made her name carved into the hall of fame among the great Japanese author. So when her second book lies on the bookshelf, I do not doubt to check out without even checking the spoiler or blurbs.

And I am grateful! This book is one of the things that shouldn't be bothered by spoilers because you won't get excited during the roller coaster ride. 

The story starts with the nostalgic little Natsuki, every summer, she and her family visit their relatives in a wooden house belonging to their grandfather in the mountainous area in Nagano Province. Nagano is famous as the Switzerland Area of Japan, a highland with narrow and winding streets. 

During the summer, all the cousins and nephews gathered together to celebrate the Obon Festival. But her family, especially her big sister and mother despise that routine. Every time, her sister will act up sick so the family can leave early.

But Natsuki loved to be there, the nature, and especially whenever she met her cousin, Yuu. Yuu has the same age as her and is obedient to Natsuki. One day, Yuu confesses that he is an alien that looking for his spaceship to go back to his planet. Natsuki, hearing that confession also wonders if maybe she is an alien also. She has a hedgehog named Piyyut that sometimes talks to her via telepathy. 

Since they feel the same way, stranded on a strange planet and waiting to come back to their habitat, they get along together and make a pack to always come back in the next summer holiday. They promised each other to survive until they meet again next year. 

Because when they come back to their hometown, they must face the reality of life. Yuu with his dependent mother, treat Yuu as his husband. And Natsuki lives with her abusive mother and harsh sister. Her friends also seem very different to her, they adored the part-time teacher at the cram school, that in fact, has harassed Natsuki many times. 

One day, when their grandfather's sudden death, a tragedy happened, after that, the family change drastically, Yuu and Natsuki are not allowed to meet again even until they are both adults.

Twenty-three years later, Natsuki is an adult, she is married to an asexual husband, Tomoya. Their wedding is blanket protection from prying society that demands them to be standard humans. Both called the society the Factory.

Even then, Natsuki still feels that she is not human after all. She tries so hard to be drawn into humanity, but with no success. Meanwhile, Tomoya wants to do anything outside the standard context of humanity. He wants to leave behind his humanity and become an alien.

After hearing so many stories about a wooden house in Nagano, Tomoya asked Natsuki to visit the house and stay for a while. The problem is, that Yuu lives there. Natsuki is unsure if her family will allow them. But finally, after a while, Natsuki and Yuu meet again.

I will stop the story here and let you read the book and enjoy the crazy ride like a roller coaster. Starting from that point, everything will make you jaw-dropping. 

The story aspired when we were a child and thinking that maybe, we are from outer space. What if we didn't grow out of that idea until we are adults? because we always feel didn't fit in society. The dystopia of society, where most person judges us by the standardized life. Not only does marriage or having a baby matter, but also so many rules, and discoveries by a human that shapes our lives. 

Besides the utopia idea, the book carries so many messages that are sometimes neglected by society. When a child cries for help, sometimes, adults-only wants to hear what they want to hear. Sometimes, we are too scared to think differently because the standard of humanity has shaped how our brains work.

I have mixed feelings about reading this book. I love the messages because once again Sayaka-san knocked out the heart by telling an atypical human being, innocently. No, there is no satire or hateful comments towards humanity, as I feel. But what I am uncomfortable with is some of the themes brought to the book. I won't spill it, maybe simply because I never read this kind of book before.

Overall, it is a great book. The book is 249 pages long, but we can read it in a single sit. It is easy to digest and somehow slightly different from most Japanese Authors that I know! I'd say I recommend this book to any reader who wants to enjoy a different perspective when