星が吸う水

by Sayaka Murata, 村田 沙耶香

恋愛ではない場所で、この飢餓感を冷静に処理することができたらいいのに。「本当のセックス」ができない結真と彼氏と別れられない美紀子。二人は「性行為じゃない肉体関係」を求めていた。誰でもいいから体温を咥（くわ）えたいって気持ちは、恋じゃない。言葉の意味を、一度だけ崩壊させてみたい。表題作他一篇。（講談社文庫）

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

Sayaka Murata (in Japanese, 村田 沙耶香) is one of the most exciting up-and-coming writers in Japan today.
She herself still works part time in a convenience store, which gave her the inspiration to write Convenience Store Woman (Konbini Ningen). She debuted in 2003 with Junyu (Breastfeeding), which won the Gunzo Prize for new writers. In 2009 she won the Noma Prize for New Writers with Gin iro no uta (Silver Song), and in 2013 the Mishima Yukio Prize for Shiro-oro no machi no, sono hone no taion no (Of Bones, of Body Heat, of Whitening City). Convenience Store Woman won the 2016 Akutagawa Award. Murata has two short stories published in English (both translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori): "Lover on the Breeze" (Ruptured Fiction(s) of the Earthquake, Waseda Bungaku, 2011) and "A Clean Marriage" (Granta 127: Japan, 2014).

Reviews

[Yuko Shimizu · Rating 3 out of 5]

… and with this I’ve read all Sayaka Murata fiction ever published in Japanese, except for the newest two volume novel that just got published last year.
Just like any other successful author, she’s written great books and not so great ones. This one was… meh. Though I can see her unique weird and original way to see the world and life peeking through (but not well cooked yet).

[CJ Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard Murata Sayaka fair, but some interesting ideas on sex and alternatives that the main characters explore and learn to define themselves. Characters can be a little flat at times and some characters seem to exist just to convey ideas, but still an overall thought provoking read.