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  • Earthlings

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Sayaka Murata
  • Narrated by: Nancy Wu
  • Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
  • 3.6 out of 5 stars (34 ratings)

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Earthlings

Written by: Sayaka Murata
Narrated by: Nancy Wu
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Publisher's Summary

  • Amazon Editor’s Top Pick
  • Bustle Pick
  • Vulture.com Pick

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.

Dreamlike, sometimes shocking, and always strange and wonderful, Earthlings asks what it means to be happy in a stifling world and cements Sayaka Murata’s status as a master chronicler of the outsider experience and our own uncanny universe.

©2018 Sakaya Murata (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing
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What listeners say about Earthlings

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully terrible

One of my favourite books now. Heartbreaking and emotional, I feel like the author really captured how painful the act of survival can sometimes be.

Loved the narration as well, I felt like the voice was perfect for the story content! ♥️

I thank this book for ruining my psyche in the best way.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

NOT what you expect

like literally first half ur like woah that took a turn! the last maybe hour or so its more like hey where did the FUCKING ROAD GO

also nancy wu killed it queen wherever you are you are an artist literally amazing fantastic wonderful i had fully fleshed out visuals of characters based on your acting alone. in addition to there being conversations with many people (some of whom were just introduced or are minor) and not once was i confused or wondering who was speaking. her acting was so good that when she would introduce a new character entirely id be like "thats a new person j havent heard that voice yet" like girl you need to be rich. k bye

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

What a strange novel.

If you think you are not fitting in society, This book might be for you. I enjoyed reading it. Very peculiar book . I’m going to need a full breakdown for this one.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Difficult to proceed

It’s not what I expected. Very traumatising. Before “Earthlings” I’ve read “The Convenience Store Woman” and I was still shocked. Be prepared for disgusting scenes. I don’t recommend it to empathetic people.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected, sad, yet beautiful

A heartbreaking story of childhood trauma and stunted growth, Murata also casts a crititical eye on society's rigid expectations. Though it made me physically uncomfortable on more than one occasion, I did not find it gratuitously shocking. (though I do not mean that it is not shocking and I would abstain from reading if you are sensitive).
It is masterfully narrated. Nancy Wu breathes life into this electrifying and mind-boggling tale. She is one of the best narrators I have come accross.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good start

The first half of the book was great and really explored trauma in an intressting way that made my chest feel tight at times. Second half was kinda stupid and felt like it was there just for shock value. The ending was pretty bad and felt useless.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Pseudointellectual take on the world. Shock value

This novel covers some serious subjects in a very disturbing but well structured way for the first half of the novel. the later half loses most of this charm by having the characters become so unusual and unrelatable that it is more of a shock value bait than anything. the idea of the world being a "baby factory" can be a legitimate concern for some people in what they believe society expects of them, but then the book has to make the people who challenge this status quo the most unrelatable and terrible people that you actually end up thinking to yourself "I'd rather stick with societal norms than subscribe to whatever these weirdos are doing to reject them."

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Waste of time and credit

I spent most of this book waiting for something to happen, it didn’t until the very end lol and then it was just so far fetched. It’s definitely weird and not worth the read imo I wish I would of saved my credit and my brain to be honest. Why is everyone saying this book is good?? XD

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

what did I read?

the first half is great although hard to read. the second half I just don't know. did not enjoy

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