By Dahl Botterill
Keiko Furukura has always found people confusing. As a child, she was disciplined for reacting strangely to social situations, and while she would eventually understand that her actions were considered socially unacceptable—dead budgies on the playground weren't potential dinner, and a shovel wasn't the ideal way to end a fight between fellow schoolchildren—she could never understand why. She was loved and cared for, but she didn't feel those emotions herself. She withdrew, toed the line, and avoided drawing negative attention until she stumbled upon a part-time job at a convenience store.
To say Keiko thrives in the convenience store would be an overstatement, but it does provide a place where she can fit into contemporary society. The job comes with detailed instructions pertaining to every aspect of employment, from customer interactions to personal health and hygiene. The biggest problem for Keiko when we meet her in Convenience Store Woman is that she's been at the convenience store for 20 years, and thus, once again finds herself at odds with the societal expectations of those around her. She's reached an age where she's expected to have either a husband or a career and having no interest in either is once again causing friction in her life.
Convenience Store Woman reminded me of Camus' Outsider in a lot of ways. Keiko doesn't just find herself incapable of fitting in, but the people around her can't fathom why this is the case. In many ways, this inability of those around her to understand how Keiko relates to the world reflects her inability to understand how she's supposed to—the difference is that she doesn't expect them to. She devotes a tremendous amount of effort trying to fit others' expectations and lessen the discomfort of those around her, often at great detriment to herself, but very few other people expend the same energy into accepting her the way she is.
This book is a quick read and quite unlike anything else I've read recently. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, Convenience Store Woman introduces a protagonist that merely wants to exist. Keiko isn't seeking romance or adventure or success; her greatest drive is to fit into society, not necessarily well, but just well enough that her existence isn't troublesome to those around her. Convenience Store Woman is a great read about a fascinating character, and I enjoyed it very much.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata has been translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori.