Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori
Okay, number one: Is this the cutest book cover you've ever seen, or what?
This was an interesting short novel about a woman called Keiko who seems to have some form of undiagnosed autism, and who works at a convenience store, of course. Keiko loves working at the store and doesn't understand why everyone thinks it's not normal to keep doing the same part-time, "dead-end" job for eighteen years.
Keiko feels safe and at home in the store, where the expectations are clear, but she is less comfortable in the outside world, where people seem to have so many unwritten rules about who she "should" be. Even her family hope for her to be "cured" so she can be "normal," which apparently means: Get a real job and pursue a career, and/or get married and start a family.
I loved the character of Keiko! I just wanted to jump into the book, give her a hug, and tell her it's okay to just be who you are. But of course she has to figure that out for herself...
I recommend this quick-read novella! I did wish it were longer.
