Remarkably, this really IS as weird, dark and surreal as everyone says it is. Not “the new Eleanor Oliphant” at all, and shouldn't be sold as such. Keiko is a fantastically odd protagonist: there are a few moments of real disturbance, such as when she eyes her sister's crying baby and a nearby knife, and thinks "If it were a matter of making him be quiet, it would be easy enough." Murata is a confident and subtle enough writer to leave it at that, but we get just enough glimpses of Keiko's real difference from those around her to build a bigger picture: one of a woman whose family and friends can't understand who she is, whose final victory is even harder-won because no one else wants her to have it. Excellent.

I loved this book (though it's quite short so is more a novella). On the surface it's the story of Keiko, who has never fitted in or managed to appear normal, but who has flourished working in a convenience store - for 18 years - so that it has become her entire life. It's wryly amusing rather than sad, but at the same time is a strong critique of the way in which we react to anyone who is substantially different from the norm, and who appears to ignore the conventions we all live by. I have read that this book is a huge hit in Japan where it's seen as a comment on the more rigid societal norms that operate there.
I hope I haven't made it sound too worthy as it's a great read.

I found this book unusual and a bit different. I found the main character likeable. A quirky book that I would recommend to customers. Also I love the cover as it is unusual and eye catching.

Keiko is a convenience store worker who feels she is born for her job. She is attuned to the store's needs more than she is that of other people, and cares for herself because the success of the store depends on her health and well-being. She cannot understand why her family and society at large, who approved when she took this part time job while at University, are so opposed to her still working there in her thirties. She is unmarried and  sees nothing wrong with devoting her life to this 'dead end' job, but sees that she must change in order to keep the people around her happy.

This book is fascinating, and such an unusual read. I don't remember ever reading a book and thinking 'actually, I don't need any plot or tension, or even much back story'. I was endlessly intrigued by Keiko's life which revolves around the convenience store, and the peaceful life she leads, despite everyone's disapproval. Her past problems with empathy marked her as different, but in becoming homogeneous with the other workers of the store she finally fits in. This is such an unusual book, and I'm so glad I read it.

Keiko has worked at the convenience store her entire adult life. But as she nears 40, the pressure to find a “real” job or get married is mounting – what sort of life awaits Keiko outside the comfort zone of the store and will she step out to meet it?

I feel like there’s a good novel somewhere in Convenience Store Woman but Sayaka Murata didn’t realise it. Her commentary on conformist society and the individual is inane and unoriginal though far worse is her muddled placement of the main character within that commentary.

It’s never explicitly stated but Keiko is obviously autistic. She doesn’t understand human behaviour, talks repeatedly about the mask/disguise she wears and takes her cues from her peers, mimicking their body language, speech patterns and dress to pass as “normal” – not that she cares all that much about being “normal” but she feels life is easier if that’s how people perceive her. She comes off as robotic and unemotional. She has no interest in sex or relationships in general. She works, thinks and lives mechanically. She even has her sister come up with lines for her to repeat in social situations to seem like a “normal” person.

She’s practical to a fault. An anecdote from her childhood (which also shows that her behaviour is not the result of working in a convenience store): two boys are fighting in the schoolyard, someone calls to break them up, so Keiko grabs a shovel and smacks one of the boys on the head, nearly killing him. She doesn’t understand – she broke up the fight didn’t she? Later on, her sister’s baby is crying and she briefly thinks that she knows a way to permanently stop it making noise and stressing her sister out. There’s no malice behind the thought of killing a baby, she’s just thinking practically without understanding appropriate social behaviour (though she knows enough not to act on it).

So I would definitely say that Keiko’s autistic, or at the very least somewhere on the spectrum. Not that anything’s wrong with that of course - but then what’s the novel’s point? Murata seems to be critical of a conformist society where certain jobs relegate people to cogs within a machine – dehumanised, essentially – in a society with far too rigidly-defined roles with no room for individual expression, leading to unsatisfied lives.

Except Keiko is happy to be a cog in a machine because of the way her brain is wired. And it wasn’t society that did this to her, she was simply born this way. She fully embraces the role of convenience store worker, as it’s clearly defined and therefore understandable. She could do without societal rules with its grounding in complex human behaviour, which she’s never understood.

Her character arc is non-existent. She knows her place in the world and she’s satisfied with it. She starts and ends as a convenience store worker. Something happens – which was completely arbitrary and never explained - along the way that takes her out of that setting but it only confirms her contentment with her lot in life and puts her back where she started. Is the point then that society should accept that some people are fine with/don’t care about “low” status? Or that the rules should be different for someone who’s autistic/on the spectrum, who clearly can’t handle/doesn’t want the complexities that come with more traditional ideas of success – high paying jobs, lots of material possessions, families, etc.?

I found Convenience Store Woman underwhelming as its ultimate message – you’ve got one life to live, it’s yours, don’t waste any time worrying about what other people think and live it the way you want – isn’t just a mundane, obvious observation but is something I took to heart years ago and I think is how most people live anyway. At least that’s what I took the meaning to be seeing as Keiko affirms her place in the world, regardless of what people think, and is more than ok with it. Unless it’s meant to be tragic as she tried and failed to “climb the social ladder” by getting a new job? But if she’s autistic, then she probably wouldn’t be able to handle anything else so isn’t she already doing the best that she can?

And that’s why I don’t think the conformity critique – if that was what Murata was going for – works well alongside an autistic character. Because conformity, regularity, mindless, repetitive labour, etc. actually fits an autistic person who can’t handle change. Maybe that message would’ve been more effective if Keiko had started out as a girl with hopes and dreams for a fulfilling career, a nice house, a husband and kids, and ended up a single convenience store worker. Except the novel is actually about how someone found their place in life right out of high school and has continued to be happy with it; it’s everyone else who has a problem with that.

So the novel is about a character who doesn’t change, a society that doesn’t change, and how both have found comfort in conformity, and the author’s conclusion to all this is… who knows? At any rate it doesn’t add up to much!

People seem to really dig autistic fictional characters these days – like the gay professor in that wildly successful yet desperately unfunny sitcom, and Don Tillman in Graeme Simsion’s bestselling The Rosie Project – so I can see why this would be popular. And Japanese convenience stores really are incredible. Their food culture is light years ahead of what we have in the west. Convenience store food is delicious and the selections are many and mind-bending – if you ever visit, you’ll be blown away with the treasures inside these ubiquitous shops.

Still, it’s generally a well-written book that’s easy to read and, for a novel mostly set in somewhere as ordinary as a convenience store and its day-to-day machinations, it’s never boring so credit to Sayaka Murata for that. Maybe it’s messaging is more relevant to close-buttoned Japanese society but I wasn’t impressed with it and found it left a confused impression. If it had been clearer and more focused, this would be a decent novel; as it is, it’s a jumbled mess.

This is an excellent short novel which depicts very clearly the mind of someone who is most likely on the autistic spectrum. Keiko, the protagonist, is a young woman who has never fitted in with society's expectations of her. She has known she was different from a very early age. Her school and her mother were horrified when instead of mourning a dead bird found in the playground she suggested taking it home to eat it. This was a logical conclusion for her. And so she continues in life, doing things she thinks are logical while other people look on in despair. Eventually she takes on a job in a convenience store and finds that the strict rules and regulations there suit her very nicely. She studies and takes on the speech patterns of others and in this way manages to fit in. For eighteen years she manages quite nicely, working hard and socialising with her sister and the few friends she has. Her sister helps her with presenting herself socially. But when another misfit joins the store, Keiko's stable world is disturbed and her happiness starts to slip away.

I loved this novel. The best literature helps us understand the lives of others and this does just that. Keiko may not live up to what is expected of her from her family and from society but she is content. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I enjoyed this short story about a woman who cannot (and does not want) to fit into society's norms. She has worked in a local convenience store for 18 years and despite her family's wishes has no desire to find a career or a husband. I read a lot of Japanese fiction and I always love trying out new authors so I'm so glad I got the chance to read this. It's a tale of love (between a woman and a convenience store!), societal pressure and self-acceptance. It's a really quick read and I encourage everyone to give it a go.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the simple story of a woman who doesn't quite fit in where her family expects her to, but she does fit perfectly into the life she has chosen as a convenience store woman. Keiko seems like a quiet individual, but she is weirdly obsessed with her convenience store to the point where she even seems to think it's a living thing with wants and needs. She feels its her job to cater to those needs, to make sure all the shelves are stocked perfectly, all depending on the weather and what she is meant to be promoting that week or month. Her whole life revolves around her life in the convenience store and when she's not there she is merely passing the hours until she can go back. But the thing is she really is the perfect convenience store woman, she does her job to the best of anyones ability, the store and Keiko have the perfect relationship. Then along comes a young man who messes up her whole well planned life, along with the wishes of her family and friends that she should settle down a live a "proper" life.
I loved all the descriptions of the store and the different foods being sold. Also the descriptions of the people and how Keiko interacts with them in the perfect convenience store woman way. Keiko was really interesting as a character, i didn't know if she was slightly autistic because of the way she seemed to only be able to interact with people by copying others. She also had some really odd thoughts that were really inappropriate but she seemed to know to keep those to herself. I hated the pressure she felt under to become a more usual person, to have a relationship, children and a more grown up job. I feel like she had a much better life than a lot of her friends, she did exactly what she wanted and she really loved what she did, isn't that the perfect life?

A fantastic, quirky insight into Keiko’s personal version of "normal". Keiko’s deadpan feedback of society is severe yet hilarious; it's the perfect anecdote for anyone that's ever felt different to the norm. Her ideas are solid and unnerving; her want to survive as a regular citizen is at times heartbreaking - her sister and mother are desperate for her to become normal, ingrained, and as regular as possible. As a commentary on the strict social adherence of Japanese society, I think CTW hits the nail on the head. Keiko makes you question your own role in the world. Are we just cogs? Are we all ultimately happy that way? 5/5 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

An interesting quick read. Very thought provoking about how society need to "fix" people, especially people with mental health issues, because they don't conform to the norm.

I enjoy Japanese literature and keep an eye on new and popular books through online sites and groups and this one kept coming up time and time again so I was thrilled to see the arc come up on Netgalley.
Keiko our main character is quirky and a bit of a loner who lives by herself with no real commitments other than her job at a convenience store where she is completely and utterly dedicated and always in earlier than her shift time.
Her job gives her a real sense of purpose and her sleep and physical and mental health are all based around what she feels should be correct for a successful employee. On her days off she will turn down events/possible late nights etc (on the few times she is asked) if she thinks her body would maybe not be as productive at work the next day as normal. In her free time her mind is still always on the stores routine eg. when the delivery will be arriving, the stock rotation because of the weather, promotions, the cleanliness, the staff rota and when she visits another store she can see everything wrong compared with where she works. Keiko is the employers dream.
Although she is aware that she is slightly different and looks at others in the store management and takes note of the style of clothes, speech and mannerisms and tries to replicate it in her own way to appear similar.
As time has moved on Keiko's few friends and family have married and had children or sought careers and they keep reminding her she should be doing the same and not settling for what she currently has.
This is why she takes a few drastic changes when she allows a male employee to live with her.
Shiraha is quite similar to her in a away but dictates a lot to her and tells her their arrangement to everyone else will look like what is "expected' of them & that it will" keep people off their backs". I didn't like this character at all and squirmed as he often put her down, I willed her to argue back but ultimately he does not get the better of her in the end!.
Although the book is short and you could argue simplistic in its style it packs a punch with the underlying message of how societies pressures and expectations can shape your life and how people look at and treat those who they do not think are conforming. It really gives you a taste of Japanese culture. And although Sayaka Murata chose to write about a simple subject such as life as a convenience store worker she managed to captivate me and I found it hard to put down reading it in a couple of hours and that is a sign of a talented storyteller!.
I will be sure to look out for other books by this author who funnily enough still works herself in a convenience store so I could only imagine all these thoughts & feelings have been whirling around her head whilst she is working which kind of adds a spin reflecting on this book this that gets you thinking.....
My thanks go to the author, publisher and netgalley for receiving this arc in return for a honest review.
A book I would highly recommend for those who enjoy this genre.

Just finished : Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Synopsis : Keiko Furukura has never really fit into the world her friends and family try to mould her to. Still working at a convenience store, a job she took during college, Keiko is happy with her life but aware that she’s not living up to societies expectations. When an alienated young man begins working at the convenience store, Keiko thinks this might be her chance to pursue a conventional life.
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Review : This book was really fantastic. At under 200 pages, it’s a little gem of a book that I got so much from. Keiko is such an intriguing character and I really warmed to her. Constantly put down by family and friends for not living up to societies expectations, she has nevertheless carved out a life for herself that she is happy with and gives her purpose. It was hard to read how much her (alleged) loved ones put her down, the misogyny she had to face for being her own person and the shame that they tried to force on her for not conforming but Keiko is such a force to be reckoned with in her own quiet way. I really recommend this book for those who are looking to read something a bit different, it’s quick and empowering and will leave you with a lot to think about.
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Thanks to @netgalley and @grantabooks for the advanced copy for review!

Keiko has worked at the same convenience store for the past 18 years, and she's happy with that fact - or at least, happy according to what she understands happiness to feel like. To everyone else, Keiko is an oddity; how can she be content with no husband, no money, no ambition, no 'real' job?

The convenience store is the only world Keiko really understands - there are roles, rules and scripts to follow, attitudes and characteristics to mimic, and functions to be fulfilled. But while Keiko sees herself as a useful cog in the societal and economic machine, her family sees her as in need of a "cure" and her friends pity her spinster life. Convenience Store Woman takes a unique, quirky and humorous look at what it means to be abnormal in a world where "normal" is everything. Unflinching and awkward, we see the world through Keiko's eyes and the tragic unfairness that of societal expectations - expectations Keiko can never hope to meet, except superficially. After all, we're all playing roles in the end, right?

What a refreshing novel!!
I knew I was going to love this book from the first page - the description of all the noises you hear in a store that we take for granted. I am always a bit nervous of books that have been translated but this was brilliant. It doesn't matter where you live or what period you live in if you don't conform to what people consider to be 'normal' you are considered to be an outcast.
Furukura/Keiko is a worker who is dedicated to her job and who tries her best to 'fit in'. She is proof that working in a supermarket/convenience store doesn't have to be a lowly job which people sneer at. You just have to be the best you can and it can become a career.
When Shiraha appears on the scene feeling so sorry for himself he too undermines Furukura and abuses her kindness and trust.
Seems to me the failing is in the senior management who don't see the manager potential of Furukura.
This book reminded me of the work of Haruki Murakami in his IQ84 series.
Thank you so much to Netgalley/Granta Publications for a digital copy of this wonderful publication. Look forward to reading more by this author. All opinions expressed are my own.

Having visited Japan I am working my way through books by Japanese authors. As soon as I read the words "Irasshaimase!" I was instantly transported back to Japan. This is the greeting that you hear on entering any store - it means "welcome to the store". For foreigners it is easy to want to shout it back, thinking it means hello.

Some of the things in the book may seem strange to you if you have never been to Japan. Such as the attentiveness of those working in convenience or Konbini stores and the fact that the staff bow to you. The book is only 176 pages long so I easily read it in a couple of hours. Don't be put off by the shortness of the book - this is no usual short story. The author has packed so much meaning and nuance into the words that it feels like you've read a full length novel.

The book is set around Keiko - she is what we might think of in the West as on the autistic spectrum. She has never married and to those in Japanese society she is "not normal". Keiko is happy to continue in this world of hers, existing only to serve in the convenience store she has worked in for 18 years. She has stock answers to probing personal questions so that people will leave her alone. Unfortunately the answers are beginning to fail - she needs to find another way for people to let her be. She is perfectly happy - but it seems they are not - why does she not conform!

Beautifully written and a little quirky this is a book that will stay with me.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley and Granta Books for a copy of the book for review.

I liked this book very much!

First of all- ignore the blurb. This isn't anything like Han Kang writes. Just because they're both women writers from far east doesn't mean they write similar guys! Come on... Style and atmosphere is very different.

Anyway, our heroine, Keiko is clearly autistic. I haven't been to Japan, but from the books I have read it looks like people are ashamed of family members/friends who doesn't fit in, doesn't follow the rules of society. So as you can imagine, Keiko isn't a good fit and always struggles to make people happy. Until she starts working in a convenience store! From the peaceful hum of the fridges to indecisive customers, Keiko loves being a convenience store employee.

Not too much happens, this is a very short book, borderline novella. But it can be sat in one reading, very much liked it. Would definitely read again from Murata.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you love witty conversation, wry humor and quirky characters then Convenience Store Woman is the book for you! 

Originally written in Japanese, Convenience Store Woman on the surface is a story about Keiko Furukura, a woman whose own parents labeled "a strange child." Slow to develop, Keiko's parents were worried about her ability to "fit in" and be a "normal" adult. They wish for Keiko to have a "real job" and a boyfriend. However, Keiko loves her job at the convenience store and her only worry is the pressure to live up to her parents' expectations.

As the characters come and go through the store, we soon realize that perhaps Keiko is the one who comes closest to "normal."

Convenience Store Woman is an endearing story, a character study of a myriad of personalities and a tale of acceptance that will warm your heart and leave you wanting more. It also is a wonderful, subtle opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Japanese culture.

This is a beautiful, very short piece of fiction by Sayaka Murata, who still works part time at a convenience store.

My thanks to #Netgalley, the author, Granta Publications and Portobello Books for the opportunity to read this intriguing book.

This is a really different book, telling the story of a convience store worker it highlights how members of society have to fit in and how difficult it can be for someone if they don't measure up to societies norms.
The book is set in Japan I think and is interesting in the details that are included, descriptions if merchandise and food.
In the story the main character finds a place she feels comfortable in due to the rules imposed on the workers, she melds in with her workplace and becomes a part of it. However her family and friends feel she could do better in her job, even though she is happy in her life.
It's a thought provoking story and shows us another culture and the expectations of it's members.

I just loved this quirky little book. It tells the story of Keiko, a woman who has never fit in with her peers and the pleasure she has at finding her niche working in a convenience store. The premise is so simple and it is exquisitely understated in the delivery. Just as Keiko struggles to understand the interactions of the people around her, so we as the reader experience this dislocation vicariously through her. The musings on society and the way in which it dictates how one should behave, where one should be at any point in their life are fascinating and ring very true indeed. The prose is really clean and the translation is excellent, really allowing us to look through Keiko's eyes. The way she views the world is strange and not 'normal' but then the world she is viewing is strange and never normal! All in all, I found this to be a delightful exploration of what it means to fit in, stand out or live your own truth and I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Keiko Furukura does not require much outside of the rhythms and structures of working part-time in a convenience store, but her few social acquaintances say that she needs to fix the way she lives her life. This smart and funny translation by Ginny Tapley Takemori follows Keiko as she continuously works towards finding her own way of gaining society's approval and acceptance. It's a wonderfully refreshing story about a young woman's journey towards self-acceptance, the discarding of ingrained societal norms, and creating your own version of happiness. I absolutely loved it.