Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

241 reviews

kajoreads's review against another edition

3.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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There’s some interesting commentary on conformist society and capitalism, but reading this was kinda tedious. I don’t get why people are calling it fun.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Stalking, Acephobia/Arophobia

Minor: Violence

zombiezami's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism, Acephobia/Arophobia, Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

basil_touche's review against another edition

2.25

lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I find this book is just too short to actually fully explore the themes it introduces. It's quick to read but almost all characters feel very flat and are very unlikeable. They just don't feel like actual people. The ending itself just sort of happens, leaving me very unsatisfied. Also, apparently this book is supposed to be comedic? I didn't find it very humerous, but perhaps deadpan doesn't really do it for me.

I would have enjoyed it more if Keiko's character was explored more (it does some interesting things at that start with having her be undiagnosed neurodivergent & asexual but it still felt lacking by the end) and the premise itself isn't a bad one; but there's just not enough meat on its bones.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Violence

q_bert13's review against another edition

4.0

mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A short, entertaining read. I  enjoyed the character of Furukura, and felt frustrated for her at the disconnect between her and the story’s other characters. Overall a fun read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Classism

Minor: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Stalking

hihet's review against another edition

3.5

funny reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Stalking

rnbhargava's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is about the psychology of a woman who’s worked at a convenience store inside a Metro/Subway station for much too long. It leaves quite an impression given it’s only 163 pages, not counting the short afterword essay by the author. You see the character struggle with things and expectations from childhood to adulthood. It’s fascinating and also kind of tragic. Well worth a read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Classism

This short book is largely about a character that feels perpetually maladjusted and has used long term part-time work in a convenience store as a coping mechanism. It’s fascinating and tragic. Well worth a read.

extraaardvark's review against another edition

3.5

challenging reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking

robinks's review against another edition

5.0

funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I really enjoyed this short novel. As someone who used to live in Japan (and is currently visiting!), so many of the little snippets of convenience store happenings were super nostalgic. I also enjoyed the larger commentary on conformity and what is deemed “normal.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism, Acephobia/Arophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Pregnancy

Minor: Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual content

emmieanna's review against another edition

3.75

reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I thought the premise of this book was extremely interesting. It raises a lot of questions surrounding anonymity, societal expectations, the idea of ‘normaitivity’, purpose and happiness. Her peers’ obsession with stagnation and propriety was very telling

and I am so happy that she figured out in the end that she is completely fine living her life in a way that makes sense to her, not other people.

Keiko is so unusual and it was refreshing to be inside her mind. Seeing how analytically she thinks was a great insight into how some neurodiverse people process the world. Despite that it is never explicitly discussed, I feel that Convenience Store Woman could be considered authentic representation of neurodiversity and would recommend this book as a diverse narrative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Pregnancy

lethargicbat's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Sexism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment