Convenient Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Submitted by NotBorris t3_z58raf in books

I found this book to be eerie, IMO. Having the character try her best to go unnoticed in this world that finds the stranger only to ridicule and crucify it. For some reason, having had to deal with that kind of situation first hand, it was upsetting for me to have to re live that. Not to say I hated the book, I really liked it, I jus felt both empty and suffocated after I completed it. I also read her other book, Earthlings, which I also enjoyed. It being both one of the wildest books and one of the few that actually made me turn my head and take a deep breath.

I'd love to know what anyone else who read it thinks about it.

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ihateburgers t1_ixupdwh wrote

I liked it. The main character kind of came off as someone on the spectrum and I liked seeing the world through her eyes. It was an interesting perspective. Then how her “otherness” is received in her social circle. Her family wants her to “fit in” so bad they don’t mind that she’s living with a really abusive man-child. People can be cruel to others that they perceive as different and I feel that reading about it from the point of view of the victim helps build empathy.

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Kitsik_ t1_ixvla3p wrote

Haven't read the book but since some people want to analyze and categorize her, proposing another idea between ASD and ASPD – schizoid PD. Some potential characteristics being: preferring to be alone (extreme introverion), indifference to social conventions and criticism, flat affect and/or stunted emotions, apathy towards relationships, introspection, secretiveness, not wanting to stand out, possible lack of empathy, lack of goals and aspirations etc. Usually not violent or impulsive or lacking the ability to read facial expressions, often confused with ASD...

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Ilikeitrough69xxx t1_ixvx6jv wrote

She comes up on lists for avoidant PD as well. Haven’t read it yet though, so I’m not sure how accurate that is!

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foundationsofvnm t1_ixy1wjn wrote

I agree with this. I’m autistic, and while I do think she shows a lot of symptoms, I don’t think that’s the only thing she has (if she is autistic at all). It’d be fascinating to hear a psychologist’s thoughts on her

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Tea_4_thee t1_ixvzmtg wrote

I think you’re on to something here, Almost all of these traits fit the character to a tee (the exception being secretiveness).

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[deleted] t1_ixv43c6 wrote

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Tea_4_thee t1_ixvb6jo wrote

A lot of the people I’ve seen speculate that that Keiko is autistic are autistic themselves so I don’t know if saying people see her that way because of harmful stereotypes is a fair assessment. For whatever reason a lot of autistic people see themselves in the character.

Keiko definitely doesn’t strike me as a sociopath, one of the main symptoms of ASPD is a disregard for rules and Keiko’s main comfort in life is following rules she cares about rules deeply. So deeply she structures her whole life around rules, that would be incredibly out of character for a sociopath.

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communityneedle t1_ixw9b44 wrote

Autistic person here. She's the single most relatable character I've ever encountered in all of literature so far. (Except the part where she considers killing the baby.)

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SonofBeckett t1_ixw44zk wrote

The only sociopathic part to me was her casual willingness to violently silence a child. It’s a quick moment, and she doesn’t act on the impulse, but I had to rewind the audiobook to make sure I caught it right. She definitely sees violence as a viable solution to everyday problems. I read her as having tendencies towards and antisocial personality disorder rather than being a true sociopath.

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[deleted] t1_ixvel8q wrote

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Tea_4_thee t1_ixvhnoc wrote

No, I wouldn’t consider traditional gender norms (oppression) to be the type of ‘rules’ (I don’t think that can even be considered a rule) that ASPD diagnostic criteria is referring to. If that was the case the entire feminist movement would check that box.

Even if those were the types of rules that the diagnostic criteria was referring to Keiko does not disregard those rules. She doesn’t understand them but she doesn’t disregard them either. she tries very hard to follow those rules. So hard she lets a random man take over her apartment in an attempt to follow those rules.

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[deleted] t1_ixvj07g wrote

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Tea_4_thee t1_ixvp2cl wrote

Yes that is mostly what I was responding to, you included it in your interpretation so I don’t think it should be surprising that somebody may have thoughts about that part of your interpretation.

>she also never cares about social norms, she only does those things to get people off her back so she can live quietly

That wasn’t my interpretation, if that was the case I don’t think Keiko would frequently seek out her sisters counsel which results in attracting more attention to her ‘weird’ habits. Regardless I don’t think social norms and rules can be considered the same thing. Of course everybody will look at things differently that’s just the nature of discussing books. I just don’t think she could be considered a sociopath, she doesn’t present the key symptoms (irritability, manipulation, risk taking behavior, arrogance, hostility, etc.) and that was my main point.

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IceFireHawk t1_ixviqln wrote

I read convenience store woman and loved it. I just started reading Earthings. I find her writing to be enjoyable and it conveys a lot of emotion without many words

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bevvloyy t1_ixyznyu wrote

Earthlings is a wild ride. The whole of the final act my jaw was on the floor and I literally dropped the book when I finished the last page.

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11nocturnal11 t1_ixw9h1o wrote

Long answer but here's my two cents on it:

It would be an insult to say Keiko was mentally ill or on the spectrum. I feel the author's intent was to show how people are able to lead any type of life they want if they pay no regard to adhering to the pressure of societal expectations.

It raises a lot of questions about how these standards came to be and why people feel the pressure to follow them. We aren't here on this Earth for long, and are only given a single chance at life, so why can't people choose how they want to spend their time. Who cares what anyone else thinks or why should we care how another person lives there life if it doesn't affect ourselves in any way?

Why do we need to be married and have children at a certain age?

What does it mean to have a "real" job?

Why do we need to regularly hang out with people?

Why do we always have to be dating or be in a relationship?

Who established these rules and why are they considered the blueprint and dictating they if they are not to be followed- you would fail to live a meaningful life?

Keiko was perfectly content and happy with her life at the convenience store. She found her purpose and didn't let others define it for her. Most people fill all of these expectations society doles out- or at least try to- and are still dissatisfied and lost. One of the reasons for this is that they do all these things to make others content or think think these expectations draft the answer key to their own happiness. Yet, nothing is guaranteed and things don't work out the way you want them to.

Shiraha's character served as a metaphor for society. He would openly as Keiko questions that would highlight her differences from her peers. People always have to put a label on things they don't understand when how others choose to live their lives is a concept that doesn't need to be understood by you and only matters to the person making their own decisions. That doesn't mean Keiko has to be autistic.

It's rare to see someone passionate about what is considered a "simple" job when most people complain about work, their kids, marriages, etc. Keiko was able to figure what she liked right away and didn't have any reservations about the decisions she made. Most of us wish we could go back in time and change things if we could. It was almost like she couldn't let herself think any other way.

I thought it was a refreshing take on expectations of women in society as well as how simplistic the plot was about someone who dedicated themselves to their passion in life no matter how meaningless or bizarre it may come across to others.

TLDR; just because someone chooses to live their life differently than the usual norm of society doesn't mean they to be labeled as mentally ill.

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BernardoBruschetta t1_ixwjmw3 wrote

I agree with almost all of what you said, except she is pretty clearly portrayed as neurodiverse

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11nocturnal11 t1_ixwkso4 wrote

Anything's possible. If the reader feels a stronger connection interpreting the book from that angle more power to them.

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Conscious_Smile3813 t1_ixxp1xw wrote

I don’t see how it is an insult in any way to say Keiko may by on the spectrum. Certainly it is a consideration. I don’t see why asking any of that would be insulting. It doesn’t change the fact that someone can prefer and enjoy a different lifestyle regardless.

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agitprop66 t1_ixvccim wrote

I’ve been reading a lot of Japanese fiction, mostly by women, and Convenience Store Woman is emblematic of a theme of severely broken/damaged women that runs through many novels. Earthlings is representative of a common theme of sexual violence and deviation. I don’t know if these are reflective of the society at large, but I’m beginning to wonder. I thought the US had a poor view of women but Japan may be worse.

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Tea_4_thee t1_ixvgsdn wrote

Japan is socially conservative especially in regards to gender roles. The world economic forum ranked Japan 120th (out of 156 countries) in gender equality. Sexual assault is also a big problem in Japan, it’s prevalent enough that they have women only train cars because sexual assault on the subways was so rampant.

Based on what I’ve read on the topic, Japanese youth are rejecting a lot of the traditional values that have been prevalent in Japanese society. I think that’s why so much Japanese fiction has started to question these ideals.

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Amy14here t1_iy1ei5r wrote

All societies are oppressive to women in one way or the other. I understand your comment was based on a specific concern which is valid but I think not every country has to be compared to the US and portrayed as far worse. I absolutely agree that Japan is a very traditional society with certain gender based roles still negatively impacting the lives of Japanese women but I think for a society to go from war obsessed jingoists to one that prefers peace and mutual coexistence in a single generation is an achievement. Americans have not achieved the same. In my opinion, like you said, the youth of Japan is actively shunning the more sexist aspects of their culture which is a great thing.

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2rabbitears t1_ixv3z3p wrote

I enjoyed the different perspective on the world the convenience store woman has. Odd book for sure…but not nearly as odd as Earthlings. When I finished Earthlings I said to myself, “That was the weirdest book you ever read and I can’t believe you finished it!”

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garylapointe t1_ixw8y28 wrote

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

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ministryof t1_ixvdean wrote

One of my new favorite books.and authors. What resonated to me. When working at a place long enough you start to feel like part of the store.

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sarkastikbeggar t1_ixv20ky wrote

loved it and found it very affirming for my own experiences with autism

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BitOCrumpet t1_ixvun0n wrote

It was unlike any other novel I've ever read, very hard to forget, and the character is certainly one that will remain with me. I really enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes and experiencing her life. I guess that's the joy of fiction for me -- experiencing other lives.

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Herbacult t1_ixw25jr wrote

Loved it. Thought the comment she made about >!her sister’s baby!< was morbidly hilarious. Hated that she >!kinda sorta dated that asshole guy!<. Wish it was longer, honestly!

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Motoreducteur t1_ixunksj wrote

Basically I hated it

The character development is as poor as the ideas that are brought out. The story itself is plain depressing and is a simple loop. It feels unfinished.

The characters themselves are interesting though, and the story could have been.

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communityneedle t1_ixw9lf1 wrote

If you're autistic like me, the main character is very well developed and one of the most relatable characters in all of literature

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Motoreducteur t1_ixwcgmr wrote

Sure, she’s well built. But she experiences no development throughout the story. In the end, it’s all meaningless; the one time experience of someone who was already on track.

Also you being autistic has nothing to do with the book so not too sure of what you’re trying to convey.

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BernardoBruschetta t1_ixwjc3n wrote

> But she experiences no development throughout the story.

Except for the part where she confronts her own relationship to the gender norms set upon her by friends, family and colleagues, tries to live up to them, albeit only on the surface, and then returning to her true nature after realizing her own agency.

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LiliWenFach t1_ixvrdz6 wrote

I didn't hate it. I was intrigued by the premise but felt quite underwhelmed by it. I probably missed a layer of subtext.

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Ghost-Paladin t1_ixvacqx wrote

Getting downvoted for an opinion r/redditmoment

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Motoreducteur t1_ixvdrf4 wrote

>r/redditmoment

Well I knew it was going to happen, I was prepared for that lol

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walkinmybat t1_ixup0d8 wrote

might be interesting to see how you compare it to Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison - similar idea

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Traditional_Lead_97 t1_ixwi3r3 wrote

{The Woman in the purple skirt by natsuko imamura} had the same vibes at this .

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polly8020 t1_ixwna08 wrote

I loved how fresh Convenience Store Woman was. Don’t believe I’ve read anything like it before.

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PolkHerFace t1_ixwyzpj wrote

I enjoyed it, and I had sort of the opposite reaction that you did. It made me feel peaceful and validated for wanting a more simple life.

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batikfins t1_ixx16ir wrote

I thought this book was engrossing, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny. I was literally highlighting passages and sending them to my friends. Yadda yadda yadda a few years later I'm diagnosed as autistic. They should just put a sticker on the front of the book, sheesh.

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random_varchar t1_ixwimq1 wrote

It was a very interesting read indeed and thought provoking too. I liked the eerie-ness too because what the protagonist wanted was completely reasonable but no one around her was able to accept that. The eerie-ness kind of highlighted this in a unique way.

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FarragoSanManta t1_ixwiyv4 wrote

I loved this book. She had to quit her job at a convenience store after its publishing.

Sayaka quickly became one of my favorite authors after I read Earthlings by her. The writing is fantastic, though the subjects may be a bit heavy for some readers. I highly recommend it

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kuhnnie t1_ixwzp7b wrote

Earthlings has stayed with me for a long time…

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throwawaffleaway t1_ixx1nx2 wrote

I think a huge detail in the book that’s easy to lose is the MC’s childhood behavior. Those events are described so quickly at the very beginning (I finished the whole book in like 3-4 hours) that I closed it and remembered “ohhh yeah… that’s what the context is for her needing a place so badly…” it is extremely eerie, even if that WASN’T part of her backstory

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Sufficient_Pizza7186 t1_ixxe7pn wrote

I came away feeling quite uplifted by her end discovery that she always knew who she was - that being a convenience store woman is indeed a significant part of her reason for living and perhaps, life satisfaction. I think a lot of our feelings about Keiko are projections of our own fears and her family's fears, not hers. I definitely has initial projections I had to chip away as I read.

I loved all the details of the convenience store work. There was quiet pride in her way of describing things that were clearly important to her.

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BillRevolutionary101 t1_ixy3zsk wrote

I enjoyed Convenience Store Woman. It was dark, I agree, but I believe that was intentional. From my experience there isn’t a lot of sugarcoating and/or oversimplifying in Japanese literature. I’ve read some that were even darker.

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hellpyeah t1_ixy54wt wrote

I read this after reading Earthlings so I expected the same sort of wild. So I was mildly disappointed. I did enjoy the main character and agree with other commenters that she seems to be on the spectrum.

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Girl_with_a_Dragon t1_ixzpun9 wrote

I really liked this book. It was strangely calming to read. I liked how she packed so much into such a small space - our ways of looking at life and what we are led to expect from it by society, as well as how influential societal norms can be, especially for women.

I found it thought-provoking, and after reading this I wanted to read more of her books, so I read Earthlings. I want to put that book in the back of the freezer and hide from it.

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BookyCats t1_iy01df3 wrote

One of my favorites ❤

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Traditional-Fan-6494 t1_iy0pevw wrote

I really liked this book. I read it several years ago but I remember it being short and it felt like an interesting glimpse into the life of someone

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kukulakala t1_iy1tosg wrote

Honestly I despised this book and I'm always shocked hearing other people's reactions to it because it's like we read two completely different works.

I think maybe if it was three times longer it could have said something of value in the style it committed to but as it's written, few books I've read this year have left me feeling so....empty. Regardless of what it was intending to say I don't believe it achieved saying much of anything at all. Was it making a point about how we should accept people like Keiko and their "fringe" lifestyles? Because then why did it treat her predicament as so bleak, and her lack of progress in the end as so uncomfortable? Was it commentary on work culture, and the way people are remade into cogs to fit into a machine? Well then, why did it use an autistic character for whom that lifestyle genuinely and in a positive manner makes it possible to be a functioning adult?

I too consider myself to be someone who lives "outside" of society and even then couldn't find anything to connect to. The one thing that does jar me the most to hear people say is that they found this book funny. What was funny about this book, that the MC was autistic and asexual and therefore out of the norm for you?

Idk. A frustrating read for me.

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RealisticMaterial515 t1_ixwkg1i wrote

I read both. I really liked Convenience Store Woman. The main character might have been on the spectrum? Earthlings was a little too far out. It took such a turn at the end- it freaked me out!

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Secretly-Fluff t1_ixwwxix wrote

I liked it, I understand stand it, and I've worked with people in the same positions. I thought the protagonist was autistic. Interesting read but not my favorite Japanese novel (Tokyo Ueno Station I loved far more)

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yokyopeli09 t1_ixx1rwl wrote

I enjoyed it and Murata's other work. As an autistic person I strongly relate to her characters and wonder if Murata herself is on the spectrum. There's such nuance written into the characters and how they behave and see the world that resonates so deeply with the autistic experience that it's difficult not to see them as autistic.

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Ok2BYt t1_ixw7lqc wrote

Is it actually called that or is it grammatically correct?

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