Description

‘A gem of a book. Quirky, deadpan, poignant and quietly profound’ Ruth Ozeki

The unexpected international bestseller.

Meet Keiko. She’s 36 years old, has never had a boyfriend, and she’s been working in the same supermarket for eighteen years.

Keiko’s family wishes she’d get a proper job. Her friends wonder why she won’t get married.

But Keiko knows what makes her happy, and she’s not going to let anyone come between her and her convenience store…

A cult hit around the world, Convenience Store Woman is both a feminist rallying cry and a must-read oddball comedy.

‘Exhilaratingly weird and funny… Unsettling and totally unpredictable – my copy is now heavily underlined’ Sally Rooney

‘Darkly comic’ Observer

‘[A] short, deadpan gem… A true original’ Daily Mail

‘What a weird and wonderful and deeply satisfying book this is. Sayaka Murata is an utterly unique and revolutionary voice. I tore through it with great delight’ Jami Attenberg

Publisher Review

For literary refreshment, try the playful, artful Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata — Best Summer Books * Observer * Exhilaratingly weird and funny … Unsettling and totally unpredictable – my copy is now heavily underlined — Sally Rooney * Guardian * A sure-fire hit of the summer… quirky and profound * Irish Times * Fascinating… universally familiar * Guardian * [A] short, deadpan gem… This is a true original — Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail * A new book from an incredible woman… from this dark and delightful [novel] springs a feminist rallying cry: trust yourself * Emerald Street * Murata’s fascinating Convenience Store Woman, a tale about a happy misfit that’s equal parts wily and disquieting — ‘Best Summer Books’ selected by Lisa McInerney * Irish Times * I picked up this novel on a trip to Japan and couldn’t put it down. A haunting, dark, and often hilarious take on society’s expectations of the single woman. As an extra bonus, it totally transformed my experience of going to convenience stores in Tokyo — Elif Batuman, author * The Idiot * A darkly comic novel — ‘Best Summer Books’ selected by Viet Thanh Nguyen * Observer * Poignant, darkly comic and wonderfully uplifting, this novel will resonate with anyone who has ever felt out of kilter with the world around them — Summer Reads * Herald * This novel made me laugh. It was the first time for me to laugh in this way: it was absurd, comical, cute… audacious, and precise. It was overwhelming — Hiromi Kawakami, author * Strange Weather in Tokyo * Convenience Store Woman is a gem of a book. Quirky, deadpan, poignant, and quietly profound, it is a gift to anyone who has ever felt at odds with the world – and if we were truly being honest, I suspect that would be most of ‘us’ — Ruth Ozeki, author * A Tale for the Time Being * An offbeat, tongue-in-cheek read… a tale of finding one’s own path to happiness — Laura Waddell * Skinny * The compelling English-language debut from Sayaka Murata … enthralling — Elsbeth Lindner * Book Oxygen * When the protagonist [of Convenience Store Woman], a social outcast, is placed within the box of the artificially normalized convenience store, we begin to vividly see the strangeness of the people in the world outside — Yoko Ogawa, author * The Housekeeper and the Professor * Witty, wily, and astonishingly sharp, Convenience Store Woman proves that the deepest gouges can come from the lightest touch — Lisa McInerney What a weird and wonderful and deeply satisfying book this is. Sayaka Murata is an utterly unique and revolutionary voice. I tore through Convenience Store Woman with great delight — Jami Attenberg, author * The Middlesteins * I was really amazed by Convenience Store Woman and the particular reality it exquisitely portrays… I am sincerely delighted that such a novel has come into being — Ryu Murakami, author * In The Miso Soup * Convenience Store Woman is snarky and tender. It shows a woman trying to puzzle out how to be normal. This brilliant book will resonate with all of us who find life a little strange — Rowan Hisayo Buchanen, author * Harmless Like You * Adorable! * Before Brunch * Quirky, funny and beautifully observed * Daily Mail * I love it…Everyone has time to read this book! * The Gloss * It’s rare to find a relatively static narrative evoke such an intense atmosphere * Cherwell Online * A short yet exciting read * Bath Magazine * [Keiko’s] story will resonate with readers who wish they could be content in their own little worlds * Sun *