Eine Außenseiterin findet als Angestellte eines 24-Stunden-Supermarktes ihre wahre Bestimmung. Beeindruckend leicht und elegant entfaltet Sayaka Murata das Panorama einer Gesellschaft, deren Werte und Normen unverrückbar scheinen. Ein Roman, der weit über die Grenzen Japans hinausweist. Keiko Furukura ist anders. Gefühle sind ihr fremd, das Verhalten ihrer Mitmenschen irritiert sie meist. Um nirgendwo anzuecken, bleibt sie für sich. Als sie jedoch auf dem Rückweg von der Uni auf einen neu eröffneten Supermarkt stößt, einen sogenannten Konbini, beschließt sie, dort als Aushilfe anzufangen. Man bringt ihr den richtigen Gesichtsausdruck, das richtige Lächeln, die richtige Art zu sprechen bei. Keikos Welt schrumpft endlich auf ein für sie erträgliches Maß zusammen, sie verschmilzt geradezu mit den Gepflogenheiten des Konbini. Doch dann fängt Shiraha dort an, ein zynischer junger Mann, der sich sämtlichen Regeln widersetzt. Keikos mühsam aufgebautes Lebenssystem gerät ins Wanken. Und ehe sie sichs versieht, hat sie ebendiesen Mann in ihrer Badewanne …
Eine Außenseiterin findet als Angestellte eines 24-Stunden-Supermarktes ihre wahre Bestimmung. Beeindruckend leicht und elegant entfaltet Sayaka Murata das Panorama einer Gesellschaft, deren Werte und Normen unverrückbar scheinen. Ein Roman, der weit über die Grenzen Japans hinausweist. Keiko Furukura ist anders. Gefühle sind ihr fremd, das Verhalten ihrer Mitmenschen irritiert sie meist. Um nirgendwo anzuecken, bleibt sie für sich. Als sie jedoch auf dem Rückweg von der Uni auf einen neu eröffneten Supermarkt stößt, einen sogenannten Konbini, beschließt sie, dort als Aushilfe anzufangen. Man bringt ihr den richtigen Gesichtsausdruck, das richtige Lächeln, die richtige Art zu sprechen bei. Keikos Welt schrumpft endlich auf ein für sie erträgliches Maß zusammen, sie verschmilzt geradezu mit den Gepflogenheiten des Konbini. Doch dann fängt Shiraha dort an, ein zynischer junger Mann, der sich sämtlichen Regeln widersetzt. Keikos mühsam aufgebautes Lebenssystem gerät ins Wanken. Und ehe sie sichs versieht, hat sie ebendiesen Mann in ihrer Badewanne sitzen. Tag und Nacht.
This is one of the most delightful and quirky books I've read in some time. The protagonist of the novel, Keiko, is neurodivergent, 36 years old, has never had a physical relationship with anyone, has been working at the same convenience store since she was 18 and has a sister who hopes that one day Keiko will be 'cured'. Her relationship with the convenience store is everything. It regulates her sleeping patterns, the food she eats and her personal appearance. It even provides her with a script on interacting with the customers.
However, working in a convenience store is not seen as a real job and besides, at her age, Keiko should be considering marriage and children. These things mean nothing to Keiko. Instead, she spends her days copying mannerisms, expressions and dress styles from her coworkers to build a repertoire of social normality so that her circle of …
This is one of the most delightful and quirky books I've read in some time. The protagonist of the novel, Keiko, is neurodivergent, 36 years old, has never had a physical relationship with anyone, has been working at the same convenience store since she was 18 and has a sister who hopes that one day Keiko will be 'cured'. Her relationship with the convenience store is everything. It regulates her sleeping patterns, the food she eats and her personal appearance. It even provides her with a script on interacting with the customers.
However, working in a convenience store is not seen as a real job and besides, at her age, Keiko should be considering marriage and children. These things mean nothing to Keiko. Instead, she spends her days copying mannerisms, expressions and dress styles from her coworkers to build a repertoire of social normality so that her circle of friends continue to suspect nothing.
Convenience Store Woman is told through Kekio's eyes and so we see the world as she sees it, in all its confusing glory. The writing style is, like Keiko herself, honest and to the point. I read this book as a humorous commentary, if not satire, regarding Japanese working culture. On another level, it serves as a general critique of Japanese society and those, particularly women, through no fault of their own are doomed never to fit in. For someone like Keiko, not fitting in could be perceived as real freedom. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who like a bit of quirk with their fiction.
One Sunday, a month after I’d called her, my sister turned up to lecture Shiraha.
She is generally a sweet, gentle person, but she was extremely tense as she demanded to come in. “I have to say something. It’s for your own good, Keiko,” she said.
I told Shiraha he could wait outside, but he merely said, “It’s okay. I don’t mind,” apparently resolved to stay in the apartment. This was surprising, given how much he hated being raked over the coals.
“My husband is looking after Yutaro. As well he should, from time to time,” she said as she came in the door.
“I see. It’s a bit cramped in here, but make yourself at home.”
It was the first time in ages I’d seen her without her son, and she looked as though she’d somehow mislaid something.
…
A sample of the text:
One Sunday, a month after I’d called her, my sister turned up to lecture Shiraha. She is generally a sweet, gentle person, but she was extremely tense as she demanded to come in. “I have to say something. It’s for your own good, Keiko,” she said. I told Shiraha he could wait outside, but he merely said, “It’s okay. I don’t mind,” apparently resolved to stay in the apartment. This was surprising, given how much he hated being raked over the coals. “My husband is looking after Yutaro. As well he should, from time to time,” she said as she came in the door. “I see. It’s a bit cramped in here, but make yourself at home.” It was the first time in ages I’d seen her without her son, and she looked as though she’d somehow mislaid something. “You didn’t have to come all the way over here. If you’d called me, I’d have gone to your apartment as usual.” “It’s okay. Today I wanted to take my time talking to you. I’m not disturbing you, am I?” She glanced around the room. “Oh, but what about the guy living with you? Is he out today? I hope I didn’t scare him off.” “What? No, he’s here.” “Oh! But where is he? I must say hello!” she said, jumping up. “Don’t worry about it. There’s really no need. Oh, but it’s about feeding time anyway.” I took some boiled potatoes and cabbage from the cooking pan and put them along with some rice into a washbasin I kept in the kitchen and took it to the bathroom. Shiraha was sitting on cushions he’d stuffed into the bathtub and fiddling with his smartphone. I held his feed out for him, and he took it. “The bathroom? Is he in the bath?” “Yes, it’s really cramped when we’re together in the room, so I’m keeping him in there.” My sister looked incredulous, so I explained further. “I mean, this apartment is really old, isn’t it? Shiraha says that taking a coin-pay shower is better than getting into such an old bath. He gives me small change to cover the cost of my shower and his feed. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s convenient having him here. Everyone’s really happy for me. They’re all congratulating me. They’ve all convinced themselves my new situation is great, and they’ve stopped poking their nose into my business. So he’s useful.” She looked down. Maybe this time she finally got it, now that I’d explained it carefully to her. “Oh, by the way, I bought some custard puddings that were past their sell date. Do you want one?” “I never imagined it was anything like this,” she said, her voice trembling. Surprised, I looked at her and saw she appeared to be crying. “What’s wrong? Oh, I’ll go get some tissues!” I said immediately, using Sugawara’s speech style. Then I stood up. “Will you ever be cured, Keiko ...?” She looked down, not even bothering to remonstrate with me. “I simply can’t take it anymore. How can we make you normal? How much longer must I put up with this?” “What? You’ve been putting up with me? If that’s the case, you needn’t have gone to all the trouble of coming to see me, surely?” I told her honestly. She stood up, tears pouring down her face. “Keiko, won’t you come to see a counselor with me? Please? Let’s get you help. It’s the only way.” “I went to see one when I was little, but it didn’t do any good, did it? And I don’t even know what it is I need to be cured of.” “Ever since you started working at the convenience store, you’ve gotten weirder and weirder. The way you talk, the way you yell out at home as if you were still in the store, and even your facial expressions are weird. I’m begging you. Please try to be normal!” She began crying even harder. “So, will I be cured if I leave the convenience store? Or am I better staying working there? And should I kick Shiraha out? Or am I better with him here? Look, I’ll do whatever you say. I don’t mind either way, so please just instruct me in specic terms.” “I don’t know anymore ...” She kept crying uncontrollably without responding to my request. Lost for something to do I took a custard pudding out of the refrigerator and ate it as I watched her sitting there sobbing. Just then there was the sound of the bathroom door opening. I turned in surprise and saw Shiraha standing there. “I’m so sorry. To tell you the truth, your sister and I just had a ght. I made a real embarrassing spectacle of myself, didn’t I? You must be really shocked.” I stared openmouthed at him. It wasn’t at all like him to be such a smooth talker. “The fact is that I’d connected with my ex-girlfriend on Facebook and we went out drinking together. Keiko was furious when she found out. She refused to let me sleep with her and shut me in the bathroom.” My sister stared at him for a while as if mulling over the meaning of what he was saying. Then she clutched hold of him and stood up, her face the picture of a believer who had just come across the priest in church. “So that’s what happened ... I see, so that’s it!” “And when I heard you were on your way up to the apartment, I thought I’d better keep out of the way. I didn’t want to be lectured to.” “Yes ... absolutely! When I heard from my sister that you’re just loafing around without a job, I was worried that she was being duped by some weirdo ... but now I hear you’re unfaithful too! That’s really inexcusable!” She looked as happy as happy can be as she started laying into him. So that was it: now that she thinks he’s “one of us” she can lecture him. 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. For her, normality—however messy—is far more comprehensible.
I love it. Slice of life, heartwarming story of a woman the same as my age. I may not have the same work and passion as her, but the pressure for her to fit within the society is real and I can relate to it somehow. I am looking forward to reading more of the author's other works in the future.
I love it. Slice of life, heartwarming story of a woman the same as my age. I may not have the same work and passion as her, but the pressure for her to fit within the society is real and I can relate to it somehow. I am looking forward to reading more of the author's other works in the future.
It is a really unusual tale of a middle-aged part time worker completely satisfied with her life being confronted with different expectations of the people around her. This books highlights how people completely comfortable with their life get looked down upon by people viewing them as a 'failure'. I thought it gave a great reason to show how a good life not adhearing to the societal expectations can turn terrible by adhearing to them. It is partly cold partly funny and I loved every word from it.
However it might be a bit different from other books. Due to its' short length I still recommend this book to anyone interested in societal topics and simple living.
It is a really unusual tale of a middle-aged part time worker completely satisfied with her life being confronted with different expectations of the people around her. This books highlights how people completely comfortable with their life get looked down upon by people viewing them as a 'failure'. I thought it gave a great reason to show how a good life not adhearing to the societal expectations can turn terrible by adhearing to them. It is partly cold partly funny and I loved every word from it.
However it might be a bit different from other books. Due to its' short length I still recommend this book to anyone interested in societal topics and simple living.
Review of 'Convenience Store Woman' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
"As far as I was concerned, though, keeping my mouth shut was the most sensible approach to getting by in life."
Keiko has always been different. Growing up she had problems understanding social norms, and her parents were concerned that she would always require an extra hand in life to get by. But soon after Keiko started going to university, she stumbled upon Smile Mart, a new convenience store opening up outside her train station. She was hired on, and spent the next 30-something odd years employed as a convenience store clerk. The same-ness of convenience store life appealed to Keiko, where there was an understandable pattern and flow to a workday. But everyone around her, from her parents to her friends to even her coworkers, felt that there was something wrong with her for not wanting something more for herself. Where was her permanent job? Her husband? Her kids? …
"As far as I was concerned, though, keeping my mouth shut was the most sensible approach to getting by in life."
Keiko has always been different. Growing up she had problems understanding social norms, and her parents were concerned that she would always require an extra hand in life to get by. But soon after Keiko started going to university, she stumbled upon Smile Mart, a new convenience store opening up outside her train station. She was hired on, and spent the next 30-something odd years employed as a convenience store clerk. The same-ness of convenience store life appealed to Keiko, where there was an understandable pattern and flow to a workday. But everyone around her, from her parents to her friends to even her coworkers, felt that there was something wrong with her for not wanting something more for herself. Where was her permanent job? Her husband? Her kids? Troubled by this, Keiko decides to try and change these things about her to better conform with societal expectations... but things don't go as planned.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book! The thoughts and ideas the author puts forth about conformity and fitting in and "fixing" oneself were appealing to me, as was the description of Keiko's convenience store. Everything is the same, day after day, but not really when the product is constantly moving off the shelf and there's newness everywhere each day. This would have been a favorite of mine, if only...IF ONLY...Shiraha didn't exist. I know why he was needed in the story, but he was grating, he was dismissive, and his attitude really stunk. As soon as he was introduced and I saw where the author was going, I started losing steam in this book. Surely there were other ways of getting the same points across without having to read through his rantings about the Stone Age.
But this is a short book, and honestly the themes were really interesting to think about. As someone who is also in a part-time position voluntarily (but not for the same reasons), I identified with what Keiko was dealing with.
