Sayaka Murata's collection of short stories imagines worlds where social norms about love, sex and reproduction have changed. In the title story, set in a future where artificial insemination is standard and sex between married couples is considered incestuous, a young woman called Amane tries to find where she belongs. Murata, who wrote Convenience Store Woman, takes ordinary conventions and warps them, forcing readers to question what seems natural and why.
Readers who like speculative fiction and Japanese literature will enjoy the strangeness and discomfort. It suits those who want to read more of Murata's unsettling take on family, desire and conformity, particularly Earthlings fans.
Thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2015
- Language
- EN
