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brianreadsbooks 's review for:
Convenience Store Woman
by Sayaka Murata
I was recommended this book after enjoying Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa. I finally bought it for #APIcelebrasian this month. Both reflect on contemporary society in Japan. I have almost no knowledge of the culture and they made me want to learn more.
Synopsis:
“Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her…in the convenience store she finds a predictable world mandated by the store manual, which dictates how the workers should act and what they should say, and she copies her coworkers…so she can play the part of a normal person. However, eighteen years later…she is still in the same job, has never had a boyfriend, and has only few friends. She feels comfortable in her life but is aware that she is not living up to society's expectations...”
My brief thoughts for this brief book:
I loved the character of Keiko, and found her extremely relatable. My uneducated assessment is she lives with undiagnosed autism, and the book does a great job of portraying her as confident in her own life. The store gives her an environment that gives purpose and helps her thrive. And she’s really, really good at her job! But her family and the world want her to be “normal” and as she gets older (36 really isn’t that old!) they begin to question her life and push her toward other paths.
While I loved Keiko, I hated the character of Shiraha. I can’t say much more about that without spoilers. I understand his purpose in the story, so I’ll accept it, but it made the second half less enjoyable.
While not my favorite read of 2019, it was decidedly different than anything I’ve read before, and I liked the lead and the message. I also know that this book may be received completely differently by a Japanese reader, who lives and understands the culture. So, I feel unequipped to give it a number rating.
Follow me on Instagram for more book photos and reviews: @brianreadsbooks
Synopsis:
“Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her…in the convenience store she finds a predictable world mandated by the store manual, which dictates how the workers should act and what they should say, and she copies her coworkers…so she can play the part of a normal person. However, eighteen years later…she is still in the same job, has never had a boyfriend, and has only few friends. She feels comfortable in her life but is aware that she is not living up to society's expectations...”
My brief thoughts for this brief book:
I loved the character of Keiko, and found her extremely relatable. My uneducated assessment is she lives with undiagnosed autism, and the book does a great job of portraying her as confident in her own life. The store gives her an environment that gives purpose and helps her thrive. And she’s really, really good at her job! But her family and the world want her to be “normal” and as she gets older (36 really isn’t that old!) they begin to question her life and push her toward other paths.
While I loved Keiko, I hated the character of Shiraha. I can’t say much more about that without spoilers. I understand his purpose in the story, so I’ll accept it, but it made the second half less enjoyable.
While not my favorite read of 2019, it was decidedly different than anything I’ve read before, and I liked the lead and the message. I also know that this book may be received completely differently by a Japanese reader, who lives and understands the culture. So, I feel unequipped to give it a number rating.
Follow me on Instagram for more book photos and reviews: @brianreadsbooks