JohnPartTimer reviewed Convenience Store Woman by 村田沙耶香
Easy, interesting, satire
4 stars
Fun, quick read. Bit of satire on Japanese societal structures but a bit too light to have any heavy commentary.
paperback, 163 pages
Published Feb. 22, 2018 by Granta.
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. For her part, 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' style of dress and speech patterns so that she can play the part of a normal person. 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 …
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. For her part, 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' style of dress and speech patterns so that she can play the part of a normal person. 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?
Fun, quick read. Bit of satire on Japanese societal structures but a bit too light to have any heavy commentary.
The comical and deadpan delivery of this store hooked me in as did the social commentary
No particular reason...I just keep not feeling like listening to this one.
I honestly thought I'd enjoy this book a lot more. it did have some interesting ideas that I share and it was quite easy to read but not much stood out tbh..
I really like this small novel. Will be rereading it when the Danish translation by Mette Holm is published later this year.
Thanks, Christina, for lending it to me!