Ova

Who needs a boyfriend when you have the Supermarket?

The normal world has no room for exceptions and always quietly eliminates foreign objects. Anyone who is lacking is disposed of. So that’s why I need to be cured. Unless I’m cured, normal people will expurgate me. Finally I understood why my family had tried so hard to fix me.

This is my review of The Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata.

I liked this book! I am glad to be curious enough to discover quirky books like Convenience Store Woman.

40778245First of all- ignore the blurbs that compares it with Han Kang. 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, genre 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 around her happy. You see, it’s the women’s global struggle to satisfy her loved ones. Find a husband to be owned. Find a good job and juggle house chores, motherhood and career. Be a good girl and do the expected.

Keiko starts working in a convenience store a.k.a a supermarket as we all know it. Her family and friends aren’t impressed. From the peaceful hum of the fridges to indecisive customers, the sterile emptiness to business of the peak times, Keiko loves being a convenience store employee. She doesn’t need a marriage, she belongs to the store. Will her life be spent like this, as a store employee? Or is she ever going to try being someone else?

Not too much happens to be honest, 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.

4 stars

4star

32 comments

  2. This is not something i’d normally read, but considering how short it is, i might just try it.
    The topic is interesting, and what you said about how it’s always down to women to try and please everyone… yea… that stuff need to stop, really. :/

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  5. Sounds like the kind of book where the narration/character is compelling so it doesn’t matter if there’s not much plot? I like shorter books so I’d read this one if it came my way.

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    • Yes, Keiko’s view of the world and her stand is explored, and it’s quite interesting to read about an autistic woman in a society like Japan.

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  13. This is a really great review. ❤️I think I am going to buy this book! You are a very talented writer. 😊❤️😘 xxxx

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