Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - Convenience Store Woman

Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

117 reviews

sarah_thebooknerd's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful 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: Complicated

Reading Around the World Challenge: Japan

This is a short book about a woman who begins working at a Convenience Store when she is 18 years old and continues to work there and finds it to be a place of refuge. It is never stated that the FMC is neurodivergent but based on the masking, social que needs and having a hard time navigating friendships and relationships because everyone continues to think that she is "odd" or "not right" makes me think that she definitely is and the convenience store allows her the space to find her masks to be able to participate in society the way that works for her. She is faced with pressure to get married, find a partner or find a more successful job and is even faced with someone who is trying to take advantage of her situation and desperation for that. Its a very character driven book and may not be for everyone.

Content Warnings

uparrowhead's review against another edition

4.5

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

A wonderfully strange book that does for quite a fast but comfortable read, Convenience Store Woman shows the hopefullness in the hopeless. I really enjoyed the overarching message of the story that heavily focused on how people are influenced and perceived by society when it comes to normality and conformity.

This isn't the kind of book that I tend to find myself reading, but it was very enjoyable while also being simple. There were times where I found the protagonist, Keiko, being very relatable in the ways in which she strays from what is considered normal in humans.

The overall message of the story, despite the hardships that lead up to it, is just a classic tale of "Be yourself, even in a society that opposes you." The story wasn't exactly ground breakingly major, but I feel like it carried it's message really well and proved to be an entertaining read. Definitely recommend to people who might feel outcasted in this world, one way or another.

Content Warnings

dillsbookdiary's review against another edition

2.75

reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I can’t believe so many people voted this as a funny book??? This book is a wildly depressing commentary on the experience of an autistic woman trying to find her place in society. I’m personally not a huge fan of books with chapters organized like this, so that also took me out of the story a lot. This is easy to read in one sitting, for people who like to do that.

Content Warnings

luckyonesoph's review against another edition

3.0

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: Complicated

Very no-plot-just-vibes. Keiko (and her story) make some interesting points about the role of employees under capitalism and societal norms and expectations for women, but the misogyny of one if the main characters made it annoying to read at some parts. But, it was short and fast-paced enough that I read it in one sitting, so I can’t complain.

Content Warnings

violettiaras's review against another edition

4.5

funny reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

bunny18's review against another edition

3.75

funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I hope Keiko lives happily ever after with her convenience store.

Content Warnings

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

2.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Content Warnings

mayaism_01's review against another edition

5.0

funny 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: Complicated

Such an interesting representation of how someone with a disability or who is just generally seen as 'different' can be shunned by society - I think this would especially resonate with neurodivergent folks. It's bizarre seeing how the idea of being 'normal' is so ingrained in the way we interact with other people, a 'normal' way to react in conversation, a 'normal' way to progress in your life, and a 'normal' way to achieve success or happiness. Keiko is satisfied and happy with her life, she doesn't need to change but everyone around her butting in to tell her how to be 'normal' is what makes her life difficult.

I also enjoyed the introduction of Shiraha as a foil to Keiko, while Keiko is happy with her life and doesn't understand why everyone wants her to be 'normal', Shiraha desperately wants to be 'normal' but feels so far from it that he warps his desperation to hatred and resentment of anyone and everyone he perceives benefits from the way society is structured. Though both characters could be categorized as 'different', why they choose to live the way they do are incredibly different.

The autistic/neurodivergent rep in this is really special and the way Murata injects witty humor and uses an absurdist tone makes the writing both intelligent and genuinely funny. I think this story will really stick with me for the way Keiko represents a version of myself I aspire to be, Keiko doesn't fit in and she doesn't want to!

And here's a quote that really stuck with me:
“She’s far happier thinking her sister is normal, even if she has a lot of problems, than she is having an abnormal sister for whom everything is fine.”

Content Warnings