Book Review: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

“The normal world has no room for exceptions and always quietly eliminates foreign objects. Anyone who is lacking is disposed of.”

A very short read about Keiko Furukura, a 36 year old Tokyo resident who doesn't fit in with the norms of the society. She's struggled with socializing ever since she was a child but by the time she was 18 and got the chance to work at the convenience store she learns the different types of social reciprocity. She worked at the store for 18 years; managers and her colleagues have come and gone but she still remained.

It's amazing how this story portrays how each one of us are actually made up of all the other people around us. You know the quote that says, you are the 5 people you spend most of your time with? Well, that was Keiko. She was trying to be somebody by being a little bit of everybody. Moreover, it's funny how a person is always categorized to a certain group depending on his/her life status. Example, if you had no husband, you wouldn't be invited to certain social gatherings or conversations. If you had a child, you'd suddenly be a part of parent conversations. If you were a convenience store worker, sometimes, you were looked down upon. If you worked in a corporate world with a good position, you had more respect. If you reached a certain age and you have no life partner, you were also questioned as to why.

Sometimes, we don't notice it. But as we grow old, the environment around us never changed. We're still kids unconsciously categorizing and grouping ourselves and others to where we or they should fit in.