With the release of Vanishing World in April, there are now 4 translated books by Sayaka Murata. I have read them all so let’s rank them!
4. Vanishing World (2026)
In a world, where everyone is born via artificial insemination, Amane stands out as she was born through the taboo act of procreation. She does her best to be like everyone around her but she is unsure of her role and identity. What does marriage, sex and love mean in a world that doesn’t need it?
Score: 4 Stars
3. Life Ceremony (2023)
This is a collection of short stories, including a world in which human remains are used to create objects, a bedroom curtain having a strange relationship, two girls keep a grown man as a pet, and a woman finds new pleasures and freedoms at a life ceremony.
Score: 4 Stars
2. Convenience Store Woman (2016)
Keiko just wants to work at the convenience store she’s worked at for the last 18 years but everyone around her wants her to get a boyfriend and settle down, live a happy life. But Keiko knows what makes her happy, and she won’t let anyone take her away from her convenience store.
Score: 5 Stars
1. Earthlings (2020)
Natsuki never fit in. She might be a witch or an alien, at least her teddy tells her so. The only other person who knows is her cousin Yuu, who she sees once a year during the Oban festival. But when a terrible sequence of events tears them apart, they make a pact to survive no matter what.
Score: 5 Stars
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