Convenience Store Woman

A Novel

By: Sayaka Murata, Ginny Tapley Takemori - translator

Narrated by: Nancy Wu

“An exhilaratingly weird and funny Japanese novel about a long-term convenience store employee. Unsettling and totally unpredictable—my copy is now heavily underlined.” —Sally Rooney, The Guardian

Selling over a million copies in Japan and named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, BuzzFeed, and many other publications, Convenience Store Woman is both delightfully strange and oddly heartwarming. Keiko Furukura is thirty-six, and she has been happily working at a Tokyo “Smile Mart” for eighteen years, fitting in by copying her colleagues’ dress and mannerisms, playing the part of a “normal person” excellently—more or less. But her packaged idyll is threatened by mounting pressure to find a husband and a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action to protect her peaceful world. Charming and unforgettable, Convenience Store Woman is an international sensation by a brilliant writer whose work is finally being recognized outside of her native country.

Enjoyably unique

I can’t quite figure out if I’m offended or deeply moved by this book. Initially I was taken aback that a character that seemed on the spectrum felt she had to be with a childish, aggressive, and hateful man (that was possibly also on the spectrum). As a single middle aged woman I can relate to society pressuring women to abide by their standards. Even though I’m not Asian I grew up in Asia with mixed western and Asian culture. Ultimately, I really liked the main character particularly that she was confident in her career, self, and life. I’m still perplexed at a few potential themes in this book, but overall enjoyed this book.

Two people who have it all figured out!

This book was delightfully hilarious about the disturbing reality we live in. Logically funny and real.

Preach to the choir

If you hate being told to get married, this is the book for you. It’s kinda of all anyone talks about. It’s comical how much the dead beat talks about the Stone Age. Tbh the writing is kinda repetitive and a good few people sound the same. I read it as part of a book club with a bunch of old ladies, I have to wondering if being unmarried is an identity they feel. The essay at the end was nice. Wish the book was more like that. At least it was short. If you are on the fence, I say go for it.

Out of the ordinary

I was captured by this book from the first 10 minutes! To learn about this unique character from her peculiar perspective was a delightful experience.

Definitely for neurodivergent people who care about routine and predictability

Definitely some relatability with the main character but also a lot that wasn’t relatable. But an easy cozy novel with low stakes, which was what I was looking for.