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"Love Letter to a Convenience Store"
Last week, J and Diane brought to my attention that some books have a special Sayaka Murata "Love Letter to a Convenience Store" (also translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori). My edition of the book didn't have it, but don't worry, you can read in on Lit Hub.
A taste, if you like:
When it was time to go home, I suddenly had the urge to see you look embarrassed, so I asked, “Do you think a convenience store and a human can have sex together?” thinking it would make you blush and get all flustered. But you answered smoothly, your face utterly serious, “What are you talking about? We’re already doing it, aren’t we? You enter me every day.” I think that’s the moment we became lovers.
I don't know if I can coherently form a question about this. Discuss amongst yourselves.
***************What were your overall thoughts on this book?
- I love this book. I love Keiko and her weirdness, I love how deftly Muraka has such a biting commentary on life and social expectations in Japan, and I love the ending.
- I would love to know about how much of this book is autobiographical. Muraka did work at a convenience store and it seems to echo a lot of her family life and somewhat unhappy childhood, but maybe I'm reading too much into that.
- This was a reread for me, but I was surprised at how funny I found it to be. I don't remember that much humor when I read it before.
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Pop culture:
There's not much here, I'm afraid. Wikipedia tells me that the novel was adapted into a radio drama on NHK-FM's FM Theater and was broadcast from 22:00 to 22:50 on 30 November 2019. Chiaki Kuriyama voiced the role of the protagonist Keiko Furukura.
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Overall questions to consider:
1) Do you think the pressures that Keiko is feeling to get a "real" job and/or get married is unique to Japanese culture? Is this need for conformity universal? Is it the same for men and women?
2) Did you find this book as humorous as I did? Did you think the satire is understated, overstated, or just right?
3) Last week a lot of us were disappointed in the hypocrisy of Keiko's co-workers and friends who were happy for her to be in a relationship with Shiraha, a man who only pages before had been fired for stalking someone. Is this book fundamentally about how we, as humans, prize conformity and/or conventionality above actual happiness?
4) I tend to think the ending is a happy ending. Keiko is back to doing what she is good at and finding fulfillment and self-acceptance. But some people see the ending as a nod towards assimilation within the capitalistic hegemony. Where do you stand on this debate? Is Keiko empowered at the end of the book or is she exploited?
5) I don't care for Shiraha, but does he have a point? Are the expectations for men and women different and men have the short end of the stick? Or is it just an excuse for laziness on his part?
6) Which character:
a. Do you think is happiest?
b. Would you most like to hang out with for an afternoon?
c. Do you most relate to?
d. Would you most like to suggest go to therapy?
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Most iconic line:
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That's a wrap on 2026 CBBC! Thanks for joining and participating.
As always, if you have ideas for books for next time or suggestions about how CBBC is run, I'm happy to get some feedback.
This book was a delight. I adored it. So funny! So weird!
ReplyDelete1. I think in some ways this is universal
2. Hilarious! Omg.
3.Yes
4. Yes, happy for her, but also there's no way for her to be happy in a culture that cannot understand her choices, so also... no happy?
5. Probably the SIL-- just doing my part to reinforce hegemony on the daily
6. Keiko for all
JUST DOING MY PART TO REINFORCE HEGEMONY ON THE DAILY. Hear, hear. *sigh* Teenage me would be so disappointed.
DeleteI certainly didn't dislike this book, but I can't say I enjoyed it, either. It reminded me in some ways of Swift and Voltaire, although much darker because it felt so relatable. I agree with you that it was humorous; I don't know if I could have gotten through it without the humor.
ReplyDeleteKeiko was my favorite character and I do think (hope?) this was a happy ending for her. Being able to recognize oneself and move forward into that self despite external pressure feels like a win. I hope she can tune out the noise from her friends and family, because I don't think they changed for the better at all.
Shiraha most definitely needs therapy and maybe some deprogramming. He does have a point though - I think the expectations ARE different for men and women, and he is under a lot of pressure to be/act a certain way. If only he could rebel against those expectations in a way that didn't torment the people around him!
Thanks for heading up another great book club, Engie!
Oh, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it, Suzanne. I honestly did love every second of it. Keiko is a fascinating character to me.
DeleteI hope Keiko is happy, too. I just worry that as she continues to get older, this will become a theme over and over because I think you're right and her friends and family will continue to be disappointed in her. I wonder if they've ever seen her working. Like, if they went into the store when she was working and saw how good she was at it? Would that change their perspectives?
Oh gosh, no apologies! I'm glad I read it! It was weird and different and thought-provoking. I just hated Shiraha so very much, and felt really upset by Keiko's friends and family and coworkers and society at large.
DeleteI wonder what her friends and family would think if they saw her in her element! I guess I don't have a lot of faith that they would SEE that she's in her element. One of her friends or her sister mentioned that her affect and way of speaking was bizarre, and that was just more thing that made me feel like they just didn't GET IT at all. I'd like to think that they could learn to accept her, to see that her happiness trumps societal expectation... but I don't know that they could see her "deviance" as happiness.
Shihira is a lazy jerk who has some brains , so he strings together these vaguely philosophical ideas about men/women/society, and uses them to justify his lameness. His business ideas, he'll make money, he'll have women throwing themselves at him,... these are all adolescent tantrums. I would despise him but it's not worth it. He thinks he's using and manipulating Keiko, but she has her reasons. She hasn't fallen for his half-baked rhetoric or dubious physical charms.
ReplyDeleteKeiko is happy- she hadn't sold out. She has a place which values her! She'll be manager one day
The book was painful for me at times. I've used phrases similar to "why can't you just be normal" with one of my kids. -why can't you just follow directions/do what everyone else is doing/listen to the teacher..." So I understand Keiko's family's frustrations with her. Trying to value someone's good qualities while helping them grow and succeed in the real world can not work if the kid's brain is wired differently. I wish my kid could find a job/role/friends like Keiko manages to do.
So great book, but I probably won't read it again.
One more thought- Keiko notices that other people momic each other- or adapt their behaviors to those around her. P.25 with some workers, p.33 with her friends, for example. So I think shes just consciously chosing what other people do without realizing it. So not so weird after all.
DeleteI don't know if I'm as confident as you are in Keiko seeing through Shiraha. She does say he has a point! But I think the end of the book made it clear that she's done with him.
DeleteYes, I definitely heard a lot of "why can't you be normal?" as a kid and I do understand the frustration. But it's tough because your version of happiness/success might not be someone else's version.
I think it's really weird that she's mimicking others consciously, BUT I also think it's a really smart coping mechanism.
Hi, I wasn't able to find this book until last week and I'm only about 50 pages in, so I haven't been able to fully participate. I am enjoying it so far, though, and I look forward to looking at the posts once I'm finished. Thanks for hosting the club, the book this time was a great choice (for me at least)!
ReplyDeleteWelcome! I do hope you engage with the other posts as you continue reading.
DeleteYes, I also loved this book. I think some of it is specific to Japanese culture, but also the need for conformity is universal. I liked the parts of the book where Keiko noted that everyone seemed happier when she mimicked their opinions, like when she joined in getting indignant or upset about a person or situation. Everyone is definitely more comfortable when people around them are thinking the same way.
ReplyDeleteI was relieved at the ending. I think Keiko will be happy going back to convenience store work. People who DON'T like this ending are... perhaps... doing the same thing as the people in Keiko's life who feel like she needs to be "cured." She's fine! She's happy! You wouldn't be happy with that life, but you're not her.
Great job as always, Engie! I really enjoyed this book and the way you ran the book club.
"Everyone is definitely more comfortable when people around them are thinking the same way." Wow, Jenny, I think this is really profound, especially in light of what's going on in the political world right now.
DeleteI am super torn on the ending. I think it's great if it really does my Keiko happy! But...shouldn't her identity be more than a store?
I thought the book was hilarious and sobering at the same time. I don't know if it was a happy ending, but it was a very satisfying ending to me. I was delighted that Keiko kicked Shiraha to the curb! Shiraha complaining that men have it tougher than women was one of the things I found so funny. I don't deny that men do have some tough things to deal with, but women have the extra annoyance of having men like Shiraha stalking them. Who will he go bother next? Creepy!
ReplyDeleteThe short story at the end was very odd. It made me uncomfortable and cringy! I could've done without it!
Yes!! Hilarious and sobering. It really does have the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
DeleteDo you mean the Love Letter to the Convenience Store or was there a different story?
Yes, I did mean the Love Letter.
DeleteI enjoyed the book and did find it quite funny. I liked the ending and think Keiko will be content as long as she follows what feels right for her. Shihira was an awful person who had a lot of excuses for not getting on with his life, although I do agree with him that there is pressure to conform to a certain societal standard for men as well as women. I liked Keiko's sister as she had empathy for her sister, and tried to help her adapt in a way that had her friends back off with questions at times. She wasn't totally accepting of who her sister was but I felt her concern for her was coming from wanting the best for her.
ReplyDeleteI read an article in The Guardian about the author, and while there are some similarities between Keiko and the author, it is not a strictly autobiographical tale. Murata said, "She (Keiko) is strong-willed and doesn't care what people think - that is not me at all." She admires Keiko's ability to resist social pressures. She adds, "To me she is a hero." It does take a lot of strength to resist what is considered the norm and I think that really is what the book is about.
Thank you for hosting another great read, Engie!
BTW, I just finished reading The Vegetarian and you mentioned you bought it. I hope you will post your review sometime as I would be interested to know what you thought of it.
Oh, interesting. Do you think Keiko is a hero?
DeleteI have The Vegetarian up next on my list after The Tainted Cup! I will definitely report back.
I still don't know if I liked the book, and that is bizarre for me!
ReplyDeleteI feel the satire was so understated that it might have been over my head in some areas. Honestly, I started to wonder about myself since so many people enjoyed the book and I was over here thinking it was the weirdest thing I read. *giggle*
My book did have that last part, where she talked about her relationship with the convenience store.
I feel that the need for societal conformity might be particular to Japan.
Yes, this was a happy ending for our protagonist — she's back in her element, her happy place, where she feels she is doing good work and she is valued. Most of us just want to know that what we are doing is helping someone else.
You know what? I do not recommend anymore Japanese translated fiction for you if you thought this was weird. There are some very strange books out there!
DeleteDo most people want to help others? Hm. I don't know.
Dare I admit I really, really want to do Anne of Green Gables sometime for CBBC? Is that horribly lame?? I also really loved The Enchanted April. It's SO calm and soothing and nothing major happens, but I kinda like that in a book sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI got about 2/3 through The Vegetarian and decided it was Not Safe for Elisabeth. I have read—and liked—I Who Have Never Known Men but it is also incredibly depressing.
This is so ironic I'm suggesting a mellow book because mostly all I read are depressing books. But you asked and I feel like I have given you perhaps more than you might have wanted :)
I think it was a happy ending in Convenience Store Woman, but I'm with Suz in not really knowing if I liked the book or not.
You're not lame for wanting AoGG to be an option, but it's probably not going to happen because I do not like Anne. Sorry. It's maybe my hottest bookish take. Maybe tied with my opinion that Little Women is too preachy and moralistic.
DeleteI've never heard of The Enchanted April, but I'll add it to my CBBC list.
1. I don't think the conformity pressure is unique to Japanese culture, but I do think it's stronger in Japan than where I am in the U.S. I think it's a human thing, or at least a thing of social creatures; there's always a tension between the need to conform vs the need to be unique. And I do think that's true for both men and women. If you look at different societies, the particulars of what to conform to, the expected gender roles, are different, but the fact that roles exist is universal. I am thinking of "The Island of Sea Women" by Lisa See, here.
ReplyDelete2. The book was hilarious and uncomfortable. Which is probably about right for the satire I thought this was.
3. Yes, conformity v. happiness.
4. Keiko is making the best out of the world she lives in and who she is. Go Keiko!
5. Shiraha is a lazy lump. Yes, the expectations for men and women are different. Men don't have the short end of the stick, though; patriarchy and capitalism can be blerg for everyone.
6. I am not sure about any of these. Maybe Keiko's family should go to therapy to work on acceptance. It would improve things for them, and for Keiko!
Gwen
How right you are about patriarchy and capitalism being blerg for everyone! Maybe that's the true message of this novel.
DeleteI’ve never been to Japan, but my understanding is that the pressure to conform is MIGHTY. Is it harder, more difficult for men? I guess if we’re considering a man who doesn’t want to/is unable to get a job vs a woman who doesn’t want to/is unable to get a job, then yes, the pressure on men is likely stronger. It’s much more socially acceptable for a woman to stay home, especially if she is married and has kids. I don’t think that means women have it easier than men though, just that the expectations are different.
ReplyDeleteOverall I really liked this book. I liked that she is back at a convenience store at the end, though I also think the same skills she learned there could transfer easily to other jobs that might make her more money and be more socially acceptable as she ages. I don’t think she considers that possibility though, so it won’t happen. Maybe someone will recognize her talent and promote her.
I liked Keiko a lot. I feel like she had a good read on people, understanding that they are more comfortable if she is angry at what they are angry at, and so on. I laughed so many times at this book, I really enjoyed the wry social commentary.
I don't know. The birth rate in Japan is super low, not replacing the number of people who die each year, so it's clear that at least conforming to the expectation of having children is not happening there. But I do think you're right that there is a pressure to be "successful" professionally.
DeleteI don't think she should be promoted? She's only really good at what she does because there's a pattern and a script. I feel like any job above hers would require people/problem solving skills she doesn't have. I don't know. I don't think her skills are transferrable.
I loved this book! It was such a strange, but fun read, and my heart really went out to Keiko. There were times I could really identify with her and times when she just made me laugh. I had the love letter at the end of my book, and it reminded me a lot of Linda from Sky Daddy. It was a little uncomfortable so I quit after a few minutes in, lol.
ReplyDeletePlain and simple, I adored this book. Keiko rules, and Stephany is right that there is quite a bit of Sky Daddy here, just without the plane fetish and with a very different ending. Let me be clear that the endings to both this book and Sky Daddy were perfect, and they are opposites.
ReplyDeleteI listened to the audio book of The Vegetarian after this and...oof. I'm not sure if I was intelligent enough for it, but i also appreciated it. Totes recommend the trilogy of I Who Have Never Known Men - CSW - The Vegetarian.
Many thanks for hosting another round of CBBC!
I wish I had the time to re-read the book so I had some fresh memories.
ReplyDeleteI remember that I had mixed feelings. I liked it in the beginning and than just like Elisabeth had some rage when the guy moved in. What a loser and annoying character. And Keiko putting up with it for so long. I had all the feels.
A book that makes me think and feel and which I can still recall 6 years later however is a pretty good book. So overall I say it is one of the better ones I read.