Set in a world where marriage, love, and sex are separated and reinvented; this weird exploration of relationships, bodily urges, and fertility is brilliantly unique. Blending slowly into science-fiction horror as seemingly odd relationships are formed. I cannot say too much without giving the plot line away but once it is released in April this is a MUST READ. Overall, this novel of ideas reinforced my love of Sayaka Murata novels (this is her best yet) and would definitely recommend this read to fans of bizarre otherworldly, yet often blisteringly real Japanese fiction.

This was likely the most bizarre book I've ever read. Murata has a remarkable ability to make you believe whatever she wants, forcing you to question what is considered normal or abnormal, while exposing the fragility of societal conventions. It's disturbing, yet incredibly captivating and unpredictable.

This has sat in my towering piles of books to be read for far too long... so today it was rescued and I loved it. Found it totally addictive, weird and thought provoking. But I now know that I absolutely must read her other books. Totally recommended.

'I was in a sex education class in the fourth year of elementary school when I discovered that I had been conceived by an abnormal method.' Sometime in the future, and Amane discovers her family's secret: in a world where everyone is born as a result of artificial insemination, her parents had in fact conceived her the natural way after falling in love. As she grows into an adult and navigates this complex world, Amane finds herself torn between desire and simple physical satisfaction, marrying a man named Saku and trying to be a 'normal' couple. They hear of a town called Eden or Experiment City, where men can grow wombs and children are raised collectively. Moving there, Amane's life changes forever. This is Sayaka Murata doing what she does best, imagining a dystopian future Japan and pushing it to the extreme. It is terrifying and involving at the same time, and Amane's journey is one that draws the reader in right to the astonishing end. One of the best writers around, this is a fantastic addition to her books that have been translated into English. Definitely a must-read. 5 stars. (With thanks to the publisher for a reading copy of this title.)

I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to this book. Since Life Ceremony, I’ve been craving weird fiction that only Murata can create, and it’s no shock to me that she completely lives up to the hype again, this time with a dystopia centred around sexual abstinence and artificial insemination. It’s haunting, it’s humorous, it’s a thrill to read, and I got through the second half of the book in one sitting; it was that well paced. Definitely recommend! Thank you so much to Granta for the proof copy, it was a delight.