Sayaka Murata

A quirky novel about a young Japanese woman who doesn't quite meet with anyone's expectations of the norm (we would probably describe her as 'on the spectrum') until she finds herself working in a a local convenience store, where she does everything to the highest order. But 18 years on and still working there her family and friends still perceive her behaviours as strange, and in a bid to become more acceptable she gets caught up with an even stranger young man who wishes to manipulate her for his own, lazy, ends.

Read for my local RL book group. I've read a couple of other younger generation Japanese authors, but haven't found them especially engaging, but then I don't read many comedic books, which generally they are. This one worked a little better for me.… (more)

To be completely honest, I'm not sure if I like this book, because it made me feel oddly calm about really disturbing things and I'm questioning my sanity. But I would blame it on the writing style (which I thought was soooo good), that made me sympathize with literal murderers, because they sounded so reasonable in the narration. This book didn't alter my moral compass, that's certain. I still know what is right and wrong in this world, but in this book everything was turned upside down. And that's why I think this is a five star book. Because it was gross and cruel and really disturbing, but it made so much sense.
It took the approach of: What do we value and normalize in this society and what if there was someone who truly did not want to conform to that?
And the reason this works is because that actually happens in real life and even the examples in this book are not unrealistic. They are just exaggerated.
And I also want to add that this book is kind of about asexual and aromantic people and I love it for that. Even if it doesn't openly suggest that and at some parts even denies it, I think it was written for aro and ace people and noone can change my mind about this. :)… (more)