Books that change your thinking - Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata

Clare has recently read Vanishing World by Japanese author Sayaka Murata. She really enjoyed the book, set in a world where children are raised in 'clean' sexless marriages and men can have babies, and has this to say

'I have read a few translated Japanese fiction books of late and they have all really questioned my view of the world. In this book, the main character, Amane, who is raised by her mother to believe that couples fall in love, get married, have sex and have babies, discovers that this is not the norm. In the world she lives in, the accepted method of procreation is through artificial insemination and marriage is a sexless relationship and taking a lover is all part of this way of being. 
The book really questioned my thinking about the norms in our society and the fall in love, get married have children, stay together forever narrative that has dominated. There are many, many other options for relationships and this clever, funny and unpredictable story awakens the imagination to think about other alternatives.'

Recently released and available in store and online.