The narrative style of this book was absolutely amazing. Our protagonist tells us her story in a stark, honest way. Shining a light on how the lack of affection whilst growing up, can lead to mistaking abuse for love in a desperate need for attention.
While this book was heartbreaking and covered some dark topics (check trigger warnings), it also had a lightness to the narration.
This book deserves more attention.

The Crustacean is an interesting and at times terrifying narrative, extremely well-written and seamlessly translated. The narrative voice is unlike most other books I've read and the naivety of a young girl is portrayed exceedingly well, and gave an insight into the Lolita-esque narrative that was definitely missing in the classic novel. It definitely poses a lot of interesting questions around the themes of abuse and consent, unafraid to push boundaries and showcase the reality that nothing is black and white, and how not all abuse victims see their situation in the same perspective that an outsider would. A short novel jam-packed with witty and delightful observations on life and society.

Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC/ALC!

I read this book by alternately listening to the audiobook and reading the e-copy, depending on what device I was on. Most of it was read by listening to the audiobook, but as both the writing style/translation and the narration were amazing, the format had no bearing on my review, and I would recommend both, depending on personal preference.

This book has been compared to Lolita, My Dark Vanessa and similar books, and I can see where the comparison is coming from. Still, I don't want to just lump this book together with those works, as it also features, for example, social exclusion and family dynamics in a way that (as far as I remember from when I read Lolita and My Dark Vanessa) was not present in those other works. I actually wondered why people compare these books until about the 50% mark, as the first half of the novel focuses on Chichirim's dynamics with her surroundings, making it clear why she was so vulnerable to the Assistant Director's grooming. He already features earlier, but the focus really is more on everyone else, and with how her family and schoolmates treat Chichirim, the first comments by the Assistant Director feel almost harmless, as he is just... kind towards her. This quote, I think, shows pretty well why Chichirim was so vulnerable to him: "For the first time in my life, I had been told that I was pretty. [...] Me, who had only heard the halfhearted compliment _you're so patient_.", after the Assistant Director calls her pretty randomly while she is in his car. She then thinks about how pretty girls are treated well even without putting incredible amounts of efforts into it. Of course this girl would believe that the Assistant Director wants well for her, even when he prohibits her from speaking during sex, from saying anything other than "I'm sorry", even when he treats her everything but well, and even when he shouldn't even be talking to her in the first place. He is the first person that makes her feel like she might not be worthless, and that is why she insists on their love until the very end, why she refuses to acknowledge at all that she might have been groomed or raped. It is why I don't think a "revenge narrative" is the correct description for this - she does not want revenge on the Assistant Director. Until the very end, she tries to defend him, she believes that she is to blame.

It's an impactful novel, maybe even BECAUSE until the very end, Chichirim continues to believe in their love. Until the very end, she views the Assistant Director as the only one who cared enough about her to buy her beef, or to call her pretty. Until the very end, her family fails to be there for her (they cannot even confirm her actual birthday in court!). Until the very end, she is alone, ostracised, and has to cling on to this fantasy of love, because without it, she has nothing.

Love blunt matter of fact humour?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

What do you get when you have a sardonic older sister and parents too preoccupied with work and each other? A very eventful adolescence trying to process it all!

If you are a fan of Sayaka Murata’s work, I think you will love this too!

We flip back and forth from present day teenager living in South Korea who gives us a matter of fact take on growing up in a mediocre high school and her obsession with friends and boys. Also, we don’t really get to her experience with her relationship with the older man unlike 60%+ into the book, I feel like the blurb made me think it was going to be a bigger part of the novel.

Some quotes, mostly to get the tone across!
‘I was a temporary best friend. A best friend until only until she got a new best friend.’
‘The other kids treated us like we were mentally deficient.’
‘Being ethical formed the foundation of my pitiful self respect. It was the only way to feel superior to anyone else.’
‘I was obsessed with misfortune. I collected awful memories in the keepsake box inside my heart.’
‘Recently each day has felt vaguely familiar, as though I am living the past at the same time as the present’