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A review by miglena
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I haven't read a book that has made me this angry in a long time. I hated everyone other than the main female lead, Keiko Furukura. Keiko is a 36 year old woman and I wanted her to be accepted and live in peace at her beloved convenience store. It angered me when her family couldn't muster any enthusiasm for her life or what she wants. It was a pretty depressing book to be honest. I listened to this while commuting to work, and I yelled at the characters multiple times. Well done, Sayaka Murata, this made me seethe. The end came quick and I appreciated that Keiko got a happy ending for herself finally, she deserves the world. The whole time it felt like she was neuroatypical (and asexual) and the people around her never bothered to communicate authentically with her; it would've been so easy to communicate more clearly with her. Instead, they only lessened my faith in humanity. I really enjoyed the reflections on what is and isn't normal in society and how we all are a blend of the people around us, I bet I'll look back on this in the future to reflect on it.
I would punch Shiraha if I ever met him in real life. why is he spewing this caveman shit? I thought he might turn out redeemable in the end, but my hate for him just kept increasing. He disrespected Keiko so many fucking times, was mysogenistic, and never actually saw her as a human being. The cognitive dissonance on this man-child was astounding. What a piece of burning trash.
Favorite quotes:
-"at that moment, for the first time ever, I felt I'd become a part in the machine of society. I've been reborn, I thought. That day, I actually became a normal cog in society."
-"however hard I work, however dependable I am, when my body grows old, then no doubt I too will be a worn out part, ready to be replaced. No longer any use to the convenience store."
-"our society doesn't allow any foreign objects. I've always suffered because of that."
-"you eliminate the parts of your life that others find strange. Maybe that's what everyone means when they say they want to cure me."
-"I would carry my genes carefully to my grave, being sure not to rashly leave any behind. And I would dispose of them properly when I died." 😠fuck all of you for making Keiko think this!
-the ending when she told shiraha that there is more meaning in being a convenience store worker than being with his dusty lowlife self 😂 loved that!
I would punch Shiraha if I ever met him in real life.
Favorite quotes:
-"at that moment, for the first time ever, I felt I'd become a part in the machine of society. I've been reborn, I thought. That day, I actually became a normal cog in society."
-"however hard I work, however dependable I am, when my body grows old, then no doubt I too will be a worn out part, ready to be replaced. No longer any use to the convenience store."
-"our society doesn't allow any foreign objects. I've always suffered because of that."
-"you eliminate the parts of your life that others find strange. Maybe that's what everyone means when they say they want to cure me."
-"I would carry my genes carefully to my grave, being sure not to rashly leave any behind. And I would dispose of them properly when I died." 😠fuck all of you for making Keiko think this!
-the ending when she told shiraha that there is more meaning in being a convenience store worker than being with his dusty lowlife self 😂 loved that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Stalking and Sexual harassment