Last Updated on August 3, 2024
Book Blurb:
“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. … However, eighteen years later, at age 36, 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 and causing her family to worry about her. When a similarly alienated but cynical and bitter young man comes to work in the store, he will upset Keiko’s contented stasis—but will it be for the better?”
My Thoughts:
Keiko is a woman in her late 30s that feels alien to the world. Through her job at the convenience store, she discovers what it means to be a functioning member of society, but can’t imagine a life outside of said store.
It is the start of another day, the time when the world wakes up and the cogs of society begin to move. I am one of those cogs, going round and round.
page 9, convenience store woman
This book was wonderfully weird! Keiko’s struggles with ambiguity and reading social cues. These struggles created an atmosphere that was endearing and awkward.
I thought he was probably right about that, and I couldn’t even imagine what a perfectly functioning society would be like. I was beginning to lose track of what “society” actually was.
page 93, convenience store woman
The writing style was more ‘telling’ than ‘showing’, but for a story so short, I didn’t mind it as much. This style of writing forced the reader to see the world as Keiko does: for the bare-bone facts and objects.
The characters were also a bit hard to connect to, but again, this was done on purpose for the sake of Keiko’s perspective.
Overall, I rated it 3.5 stars!
Who Its For:
If you are looking to read a book from the perspective of a neurodivergent character, this book could be for you! Many of the main character’s struggles are close to or mirror Autism symptoms.
If you are looking for a quick read to get you closer to your book goals this year, this book is for you! It’s only about 180 pages, which roughly translates to a 2 to 3-hour read.
If you’d like to read a book translated from Japanese, this book is for you!
Would you recommend any other books from Sayaka Murata? Let me know in the comments below!
Happy Reading!
