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edgaranjapoe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Death, Incest, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Sexual harassment
kymzii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
This is a collection of short stories that deal (somewhat metaphorically) with issues surrounding culture, food and lifestyle. However, it is the way Murata approaches these subjects that lift these stories out of banality i.e.
Graphic: Body horror and Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cancer, Eating disorder, Gore, Infertility, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
georgiam06's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Incest and Cannibalism
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content
ciancitt's review against another edition
4.0
This short stories collection does, as expected, deliver her own brand of provocative stories and unapologetic characters - and I could not get enough. Murata takes you on a journey that examines society's biases, that looks at the inevitability of change, and makes you question our current practices. I particularly enjoyed how these women were (mostly) presented as unburdened by social norms, free to live their own realities - being perfectly aware (yet uncaring) of the fact they were at odds with others.
Living in Asia, as a foreigner, queer woman, reading Murata is comforting and hopeful (you know, as much as one can find a story about a human-hair sweater comforting and hopeful).
Honourable mentions in the collection: Two's Family, Life Ceremony, Lover on the Breeze, Hatchling.
ARC REVIEW (Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic)
Graphic: Body horror and Cannibalism
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Stalking