Convenience Store Woman (by Sayaka Murata)

I had never heard of Sayaka Murata, a Japanese novelist. I very much doubt if I would ever have come across her novel ‘Convenience Store Woman’ under normal circumstances. But it was this month’s chosen novel for the reading group I recently joined, so I ordered it from ‘AwesomeBooks’, and have just finished reading it.

It’s described on the front as ‘Haunting, dark and often hilarious’, which almost makes me wonder if I read the same book as this reviewer. It was a little dark in places, perhaps; but I didn’t find it at all haunting, and I certainly didn’t think it was hilarious.

The story is told in the first person by a woman in her thirties called Keiko. She works in a convenience shop in Japan, a place that sounds very much like an American 7-11 shop, or possibly a Cyprus ‘periptero’, although it’s clearly much better arranged and organised. At least, it is if Keiko is involved.

Although it’s not stated overtly, it seemed clear to me that Keiko is on the autistic spectrum. She grew up not knowing how to behave, and made some rather serious errors of judgement in handling situations in ways which - to her - were logical and obvious. She didn’t want to upset her family, so she listened when they told her what she had done wrong, and didn’t repeat her mistakes.

And then, at 18, she applied for and was given a job at a convenience store. She liked the training very much; for the first time it told her how to smile, how to put on particular facial expressions, and exactly how to behave. She felt that she had been acting all her life anyway, and now, finally, she’s been given not just the script but some clear directions.

The story takes place when she has been working at the same store for eighteen years. She’s a model employee; she always knows what needs to be done, she mimics other people’s intonations and phrases, and she has her life well-ordered. She earns enough to rent a flat, to eat, and to travel to visit a friend or her sister on her days off. She’s very content and has no ambition to do anything else. She’s never had a boyfriend, but has little interest in a romantic relationship.

But society, and in particular her family and friends, want her to be ‘normal’. The whole book is very cleverly written, showing the unrealistic expectations of society, at odds with Keiko’s self-supporting problem-free way of life.

There’s a kind of anti-hero, a most unpleasant young man who works at the store for a short time, stalks some of the customers, doesn’t do the job well, and is very sexist in his attitudes. He’s full of anger and bitterness… and Keiko feels a connection because he, too, is a misfit.

I loved the way that Keiko thinks, the way she is entirely logical, showing - without being overt - the ridiculous expectations of so many people. I didn’t really understand why she was considered a ‘loser’ for working in the same job for 18 years, or why ambition was supposed to be a good thing. But perhaps that’s how life is in Japan. I certainly didn’t understand why the unpleasant young man insisted she was a parasite on society when she was earning her living, not asking for anything from anyone. Perhaps it was intended ironically; he is the true parasite in this story.

It’s light-hearted, a quick and easy read with considerable depth and a great deal to think about. I hope this book has opened people’s eyes to the way some autistic folk think, and why they feel as if it’s the rest of the world that is off-balance.

Definitely recommended.

Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews