Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Convenience Store Woman

This felt like a tragicomedy because of the hypercapitalism just bleeding into everything but the delivery was so FUNNY sometimes. She banished an incel to the bathtub because he was just so stinky in every sense. Lots to pick apart with this and it was very worth the read

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clovetra's review

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challenging lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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pm_me_book_recs's review

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challenging informative sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Eeehhhh, very mixed feelings on this one. An important critique, but as a neurodivergent it was extremely triggering to read? The lectures forced onto the obviously ASD main character Keiko by neurotypical society are so long and painful and FREQUENT. UGH. I mean, the constant masking to fit in and not be critiqued or othered is so real, the rude comments made at us are spot on, but it started to feel a lot like trauma porn. Don't even get me started with Shiraha, what the barf. I try to be empathetic -and maybe this was an origin story for incel ideology- it was very difficult to read something trying to humanize his mindset without reaaaally pushing back on it. I do also catch these prejudice, ableist, and misogynist undertones in A LOT of Japanese media I consume, so this novella did a great job of showing the cultural context from the reciever of abuses' view?

Idk, hmm... maybe stay away from this one if you've received bullying or abuse due to neurodivergence?

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livimack's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

It was strange listening to this book, because, for all its themes, it seems to be the closest depiction I’ve read of how my brain thinks (though more exaggerated). Note, not necessarily what my brain thinks, but how, at least in some part.
It’s almost funny because, within that, you get to see some of my “flaws” not as flaws but as issues inflicted by an unaccommodating world. One quote stood out on this.

“There was nothing to guide me over whether an action was rational or not.”

To me, the book just leaves a lot for thought, generally, about the brain, and my brain, and whether that brain is good enough to be considered not good enough by others. Convoluted, but I valued reading this book for that.

Aside from that, though, a really fresh take on self-discovery, society and personal values, that also chucks in some incel-representation. Worth reading!

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