Breaking taboo with Sayaka Murata
I just finished my second book by Sayaka Murata, 'Earthlings.' It's a brilliant piece of literature, and I found myself compelled to learn more about this woman whose words have enchanted me through two of her works.
After 'Convenience Store Women' and now 'Earthlings,' I feel as though she has rescued me from a certain loneliness – the kind that is so profound, I'd rather embrace its darkness than sit among others merely to be seen.
It's a loneliness that goes beyond the surface, a solitude where finding someone who not only perceives the world as I do but also openly acknowledges it without fear of societal taboos seems nearly impossible.
Being odd is unconventional, and being considered strange is essentially a rejection of conformity to normality. This reality troubles me.
Through Sayaka Murata's writing, I've finally found a 'home' – a place where I feel connected and can articulate my thoughts without shame. I feel resonated and belong in the worlds she builds in her books. Her narratives, while easy to comprehend, carry a profound impact, portraying the reality of our lives molded by human-made rules and traditions.
Murata delves into deep and dark realities that are often considered dangerous to speak about openly, yet they remain the unspoken truths. She has validated my observations of the world through my lens, as if she read my thoughts.
A Japanese sayings, “The willow bends yet doesn’t break under the snow” - “The pliant is very bendible, so when the snow piles on it, even if its bend it doesn’t break. It’s so supple and it’s strength is that it bends without breaking. That strength was in me” - Sayaka Murata
This video is an interview with Sayaka Murata where she shared her thoughts on how she use novel as a medium to experiment her ideas, her writing process and hint of how she perceived the world around her. I fell in love with this woman’s brain, really!
I’m so ready for her next book, I’ve ordered her other book Life Ceremony just right after I put down Earthlings (booknotes coming up soon).
What do you think of Sayaka Murata writing style? Is there anyone who writes similarly to her that you can recommend?
