Scan barcode
A review by paperportals
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is my first Murata, and what a curious story.
Nevermind that I usually prefer to read fiction via physical books instead of audio ones; I was gripped by this story, and didn't know where to place myself: Do I like it? Am I scared? Is this going to take a very dark turn very soon?
I read this in tandem with a friend who wanted to read it during a long car ride from Wales to England. I don't think I would've picked it up on my own. But I'm glad we went through it and I'm glad I went through it blind.
The Good:
- Keiko as a character! (Her voice and her thoughts are vivid and fleshed out. I remember asking my friend a couple of listening minutes in, "Is she... is our narrator a psychopath?") But a sociopath is more likely.
- The themes! (Societal norms, the world that shapes us, being "reborn", humans as social creatures, diverse while simultaneously homogenous...)
- The deep dive into a place of great familiarity for city dwellers: the convenience store! (I enjoyed getting to feel 'behind the counter' and the author talked about how convenience stores in her head are all about "sounds"? Loved that.)
- The writing! (Obviously, as my first Murata, I didn't know what to expect. But having finished this book, I do think that it's a classic case of a simple, forgettable storyline becoming remarkable because of good, sensory, 1st POV writing. I've never been in the head of someone with a mental disorder - well, I've read some Edgar Allen Poe and D.H. Lawrence, so maybe that's not true - but Keiko might be the one I felt for the most.)
The Bad:
- None of the characters are likeable! (Keiko, the book's protagonist and objective "outcast", will turn out to be the character you root for among a host of other more "normal" everyday people, so interacting with the cast can be tiresome... but that's testament to good writing? The author makes Keiko feel like the more "normal" character, despite her undiagnosed (?) behavior)
- I wish this book explored Keiko's background and what could be done for people like her who are scared of being "found out"; would've been nice to gain insight on what Keiko would deem as help or freedom (so maybe some scenes with her talking to a specialist or a professional would've helped?)
Overall, not the kind of book I'd reach for, but would still recommend for the experience. It helped articulate a lot of societal norms, especially for women, in my head that I've long sensed but had not scrutinized. Murata has, and we're blessed that she wrote about it.
It may be more pronounced in Japanese society, but trust that Filipinos will definitely relate to the invisible script and pressures we've so casually taken on as "normal".
Nevermind that I usually prefer to read fiction via physical books instead of audio ones; I was gripped by this story, and didn't know where to place myself: Do I like it? Am I scared? Is this going to take a very dark turn very soon?
I read this in tandem with a friend who wanted to read it during a long car ride from Wales to England. I don't think I would've picked it up on my own. But I'm glad we went through it and I'm glad I went through it blind.
The Good:
- Keiko as a character! (Her voice and her thoughts are vivid and fleshed out. I remember asking my friend a couple of listening minutes in, "Is she... is our narrator a psychopath?") But a sociopath is more likely.
- The themes! (Societal norms, the world that shapes us, being "reborn", humans as social creatures, diverse while simultaneously homogenous...)
- The deep dive into a place of great familiarity for city dwellers: the convenience store! (I enjoyed getting to feel 'behind the counter' and the author talked about how convenience stores in her head are all about "sounds"? Loved that.)
- The writing! (Obviously, as my first Murata, I didn't know what to expect. But having finished this book, I do think that it's a classic case of a simple, forgettable storyline becoming remarkable because of good, sensory, 1st POV writing. I've never been in the head of someone with a mental disorder - well, I've read some Edgar Allen Poe and D.H. Lawrence, so maybe that's not true - but Keiko might be the one I felt for the most.)
The Bad:
- None of the characters are likeable! (Keiko, the book's protagonist and objective "outcast", will turn out to be the character you root for among a host of other more "normal" everyday people, so interacting with the cast can be tiresome... but that's testament to good writing? The author makes Keiko feel like the more "normal" character, despite her undiagnosed (?) behavior)
- I wish this book explored Keiko's background and what could be done for people like her who are scared of being "found out"; would've been nice to gain insight on what Keiko would deem as help or freedom (so maybe some scenes with her talking to a specialist or a professional would've helped?)
Overall, not the kind of book I'd reach for, but would still recommend for the experience. It helped articulate a lot of societal norms, especially for women, in my head that I've long sensed but had not scrutinized. Murata has, and we're blessed that she wrote about it.
It may be more pronounced in Japanese society, but trust that Filipinos will definitely relate to the invisible script and pressures we've so casually taken on as "normal".