Life Ceremony

Also by Sayaka Murata

Earthlings

Convenience Store Woman

Translated from the Japanese by Ginny Tapley

Takemori

Grove Press

New York

Copyright © 2019 by Sayaka Murata

English translation © 2022 by Ginny Tapley Takemori Jacket design by Gretchen Mergenthaler

Jacket art: Sukiyaki, Ivan Ryabokon / Alamy; heart © Shutterstock All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Scanning, uploading, and electronic distribution of this book or the facilitation of such without the permission of thepublisher is prohibited. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Any member of educational institutions wishing to photocopy part or all of the work for classroom use, or anthology, should send inquiries to Grove Atlantic, 154 West 14th Street, New York, NY

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Originally published as Seimeishiki. Original Japanese edition published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Ltd., Tokyo. English language translation rights reserved to Grove Atlantic, Inc.

under license granted by Sayaka Murata arranged with Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Ltd.

through The English Agency (Japan) Ltd.

Published simultaneously in Canada

Printed in the United States of America

This book was set in 11-pt. Berling LT Std by Alpha Design and Composition of Pittsfield, NH.

Designed by Norman E. Tuttle at Alpha Design & Composition First Grove Atlantic hardcover edition: July 2022

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available for this title.

ISBN 978-0-8021-5958-8

eISBN 978-0-8021-5959-5

Grove Press

an imprint of Grove Atlantic

154 West 14th Street

New York, NY 10011

Grove Atlantic gratefully acknowledges the support from the Japan Foundation for this publication.

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