Earthlings

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss Earthlings by Sayaka Murata.

Pages: 247 pages

Length: 1 month (May)

Participants: Jen, Rebecca

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

[Jen]

Have you read any other books by Sayaka Murata? I've read Convenience Store Woman and Life Ceremonies. She has more books, but it seems the majority haven't been translated into English.

If so, do you find any themes in common? I find the sense of alienation from society similar to Convenience Store Woman. Right away, Natsuki identifies as a magician and her cousin Yuu is an alien. They retreat to the attic of their grandmother's house to escape the family reunion at Obon. Natsuki hardly knows anyone's name, given that she only sees them in a big group for a couple of days a year and everyone is referred to by the prefecture they live in rather than their names.

If not, what themes are already emerging for you?

[Rebecca]

I have not, but somehow I have acquired copies of both of the other books you have read. 😳

[Jen]

Why does Natsuki refer to society as “the Factory”? What does she mean?

This is another common theme in Murata's books. I read the first part of chapter 2 today, but it's very long, so I'll go with what happens at the beginning. Natsuki is something like 11 or 12 years old, and officially she's on summer break. She's not meant to be going to school. But the only real time off most Japanese take in the year is the 3 days of Obon and a couple of days at New Year. She also says she's not planning to take an entrance exam to junior high school, meaning she's going to her local public school. She will have to take an entrance test to go to high school, but that's 4 years away from where she is now. Yet at age 11-12, she's on her way to cram school in the middle of summer break. Once she's in high school, it will be more studying and more cramming for her university entrance exam. University is a blissful 4 years of relative freedom for the Japanese, but then on graduation, the chances you will end up in a career-track job as a woman are pretty slim because you're expected to work for a few years until you get married, then quit to take care of your family. You can take a non-serious job when your kids get to school, but only one that allows you to do all the housework and cooking and be home for the few hours they're present. This is all generalities of course, and more Japanese are non-conformist than previously.

[Jen]

The rural location of Akishina is central to the story. Why did the author choose this setting? What function does it fulfil?

I think a lot of middle class and above families have a 'country house' that they gather at for special occasions or formal events, but most people of working or school age live in the city because that's where the opportunities are. For Natsuki, I think Akishina is where she feels most grounded. Of all the adults in her life, her grandparents are the closest to being kind to her. Plus it's where she can see her true soulmate, Yuu. I think it needs to be rural because they have space to get away from the adults. Japanese cities are pretty dense and you don't have a lot of space for entertaining at home, let alone hosting your extended family for a few days.

[Jen]

I finished it last night. I can see the connections to her other books, the idea of being alienated to the point where you think you're an alien, Japanese society as a factory, asexuality as a sort of protest and sort of orientation. But boy did this one go dark. I didn't like it as much as her others, but I'll keep reading her new books if they get translated.