What to Read If You’ve Watched Netflix’s “Alice in Borderland”
In December 2020, Netflix released the dystopian narrative, Alice in Borderland (Japanese: 今際の国のアリス), directed by Shinsuke Satō. For the uninitiated, the live-action series is an adaption of the original manga series written and illustrated by Haro Aso.
The show revolves around three young men, each exemplifying the grim and depressing realities of modern Japanese society. Ryōhei Arisu (or Alice, his alias), is a NEET who spends his days playing video games. Joining him are his best friends, Daikichi Karube, a hot-tempered delinquent bartender, and Chōta Segawa, a timid, mild-mannered office worker.
A mysterious power outage transports them to a parallel universe featuring an abandoned Tokyo known as “Borderland”. The trio’s search for answers leads them to a gaming arena where they must solve escape-room style of puzzles. Losers or unlawful escapists are killed by traps or lasers, while winners receive a visa that grants them reprieve for a few days until the next round. The battle royale goes on until participants are pushed to their emotional and physical limits while gradually losing sight of their own humanity.
The release was met with largely positive reviews and a mere two weeks after, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.
If you’re still craving provocative and titillating stories of survival after watching the first season, here are some books that’ll help scratch that Borderland itch until the next season arrives.
1. The Last One by Alexandra Oliva
Zoo and 11 others are sent into the woods for a new reality TV competition which pits their endurance and survival skills against each other until only one remains. The ordeal quickly turns into a nightmare when a pandemic strikes and the contestants become alone and estranged from the rest of the world. Reality TV becomes reality.
Get the book here: Physical Copy, eBook
2. The Long Walk by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)
Each year on the first of May, 100 boys enter “The Long Walk”, a race where one winner gets whatever his heart desires. Breaking any rules gets you a warning, receive three strikes and you’re out of the race and must face the consequence: death. But as the death march continues and fatigue builds, strikes become more and more common as the boys spiral into madness and despair.
3. If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura and Eric Selland (Translator)
A postman is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and has days to live. As he prepares his bucket list, the Devil appears with an enticing offer — his life can be prolonged one extra day for each thing in the world he is willing to sacrifice. The catch: the thing sacrificed disappears forever. If Cats Disappeared from the World is a sentimental tale of a man who must face his own mortality and decide what truly matters to him most.
Get the book here: Physical Copy, eBook, Audiobook
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Text by
Meryl Chin
National Library Board
