Review: Convenience Store Woman

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Grove Press and Sayaka Murata for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Rating 3.5 stars

This is a gem of a novel. It might be small in page numbers but it is big on pleasure! It is quirky and offbeat just like the main character. Her name is Keiko and she is an odd duck. She doesn’t understand the world in the same way that most people do. She has to learn how to behave by observing those in her environment and these are things that don’t come easily for her. Keiko watches videos and copies people’s facial expressions and tone of voice but doesn’t understand the feelings behind them. Her logic, however, is impeccable, if not always appropriate. When she was small, two boys were fighting in the school playground. Everyone was telling them to stop, so Keiko picked up a shovel and smashed it over the boy’s head. She thought she solved the problem and expected people would be happy but was surprised her parents were called into the school and she got into trouble. Her parents are so sad for her. They had high hopes that she would be more like her sister but as Keiko got older she never changed. In high school Keiko found a job at a convenience store. She made an excellent employee, a hard worker, alway on time, never missing a day. Here she is today, at age 36, not married, no children and still working at a job most people would have left behind years ago. Keiko is very happy with her life, but is starting to feel pressure from those around her to succumb to societal pressures and be more “normal”. Should she upend her life just to fit in. Who is to say what is the right way to live? Is there only one right way? Set in Japan, where there is a stricter code of what is acceptable in society, Keiko is faced with a real dilemma.

I really enjoyed this book and I thought it raised a lot of provocative questions. The story is told simply and doesn’t delve deep, never giving us too many answers. Rather, it allows the reader to think for themselves. It is a slice of life with some humour mixed in. I found the style of writing interesting because it reads in almost a broken English. It reminds me of the way a person who speaks Japanese might speak if English was their second language. All the characters in this story are delightful even when don’t root for them. We never learn why Keiko is different. She is never labelled with, for example, autism, which I think is awesome. She just is who she is. People exist on a spectrum with a wide range of emotions and behaviours. Who are we to interfere with anyone’s right to live the life they choose. Dropping in on Keiko’s life reminds us that everyone has their own definition of happiness and if you are brave enough you can live your best life.

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