Convenience Store Woman: A Novel Paperback – 17 Sept. 2019

This is a nice short read at 163 pages, I binge read it in one sitting. I actually really liked it, even though it was quite a bizarre read at times. Keiko is a very unique character, I adored her, I would definitely say she’s on the autistic spectrum somewhere, she doesn’t quite fit in to society’s norms, but she loves and excels at her job in the store where she works.I didn’t like any of the other characters in the book, they were way to judgemental of Keiko and I didn’t like the way she was treated by them, they kept trying to get her to conform to what fit in with their views and kept telling her what she should be doing with her life and some people were clearly taking advantage of her, it really got on my last nerve, I hated them for that. I did however love how Keiko stood up for me herself and I did love the ending of thisOverall this was a really good read, I’m not sure I would say this was hilarious, but there was a slight touch of humour to it and I did like the weirdness of it, I’m a sucker for that, I would definitely read another book by this author.

I was looking for a novel to read that was set in modern day Japan and this one kept coming up on various lists so I thought I would try it.It's 163 pages with no chapter breaks but plenty of pauses in the narrative. This little novel is printed in a well spaced font which gives the impression of being an easy read.The story is narrated by Keiko. She is 36 and has worked in a convenience store since she was a student. She loves her job and it fills her world.Keiko is aware she is different from other people and is able to (mostly!) celebrate that. There are many techniques she finds to connect with those around her in ways that are not obvious to them.She shows less emotion to her world than you would expect but is very observant about details. As you are reading she is hard to predict, occasionally coming out with a very insightful comment by looking at a situation from an unusual view "speech is infected by those around us which is how we maintain ourselves as humans".With her innocent view of the world she is sometimes oddly perceptive "the normal world has no room for exceptions and always quietly eliminates foreign objects. Anyone lacking is disposed of".There is no doubt this is a strange book and I loved it. It recreates the world through Keiko's eyes and may give a reader the opportunity to think differently about those around them. As well as this the book is tender, funny and life affirming.

I enjoy books written by a huge range of authors from various backgrounds and I felt like I needed a short, quirky book with a different subject matter and I discovered ‘Convenience Store Woman’ on my Kindle and it seemed to fit the bill.Our main character is 36-year-old Keiko, who has worked at the same convenience store her entire adult life. As she nears 40, the pressure from her friends, family and society to find a “real” job or get married is mounting. Keiko is an excellent worker – a dream employee who loves her job – so much so that she even comes in on occasion, unpaid on her time off, to help out. She can’t even help herself from straightening things out in other stores she doesn’t even work in. She has built her whole life and routine around her convenience store job, she even fuels her body and ensures she gets enough sleep with the convenience store in mind. Her world is disrupted when, whilst feeling the pressure to conform, she unwittingly invites Shiraha, a convenience store colleague who is fired for his laziness and unwillingness to pull his weight into her life. She makes a wild proposal to Shiraha, who is quick to take advantage of her naivety.I was sucked into Keiko’s world immediately. Her life is not exciting but, to her, she is important and she takes huge pride in doing things right and she holds others to her own high standards. Although there is not much that really happens in this book, it’s actually a big story. The writing pace and style is good and easy to follow and the characters are enjoyable. The book is about a character who doesn’t change, a society that doesn’t change, and how both have found comfort in conformity but this is also about a woman who doesn’t know how to be human in the way others expect her too. At times funny, at times sad but always compelling.

A different character who reflects at society around her. Also tells a lot about japanese culture. Really interesting to read

A brilliant "Unreliable narrator" novel that was both funny and also really sympathetic. Sayaka Murata somehow manages to make the internal workings of a convenience store completely compelling. One of those books where you''d love to read it in the original language.

This is billed as being 'dark' and 'haunting', but having read this book I can't work out why. It is a brief exploration of Japanese cultural expectations and the experience of somebody who sits outside of these. Keiko takes pleasure in her symbiotic relationship with the shop in which she works, and this was surprisingly enjoyable to read about - the different products and the fluctuations in their sales. This was the more gentle side to the book, and paints Keiko as a simple but thorough person. Then the reader realises she is very isolated and lost in a world of mimicry and confusion. There is an odd paradox where she seems to be impervious to the opinions of others, but is also a slave to trying to fit in. However, I also found her co-workers rather strange, especially their reactions to Keiko and they way they treat her, whilst she is clearly excluded from their social lives, their reactions when she hands in her notice are bizarre.My favourite observation of the book is that people love to make up their own narratives of other peoples' lives, and often don't even realise they are doing it.The book, like the protagonist, is simple and unusual, and draws on the pleasures of minutiae without being overly dull.