on one hand, this is a nice little story about someone wholeheartedly pursuing what they want in life--that which makes them feel valuable--even if that something isn't in line with what society expects of them.

on the other hand, i can't help but feel that this is a much more depressing story than that. i think the main character, keiko furukura, is neurodivergent or at least heavily coded as neurodivergent. she lacks the ability to empathize with her peers at a very young age. because of this, she's been shunned by society as she is seen as "not normal." when she grew up, she found solace in the comforting monotony of life as a convenience store worker. this work eventually fulfilled her and made her feel "normal," even as she isolated herself more and more from other people.

so doesn't that just make this book not a feel-good story of self-acceptance (like what most people are saying about this book), but actually a story about commodification and alienation under a late-capitalist society, and how non-neurotypicals cope with that? god i'm too stupid for this tbh