Native American Heritage Month
ROBYN MARKOW asked this question about Convenience Store Woman:
Does Keiko have ASD?
Tom For me, yes, unequivocally and undeniably. For me, that is absolutely what the story is about. In your comment a little lower, you mention the idea th…moreFor me, yes, unequivocally and undeniably. For me, that is absolutely what the story is about. In your comment a little lower, you mention the idea that this is a caricature of the Japanese Workaholic... but, she isn't a workaholic. She works reasonable hours and goes home. She has her days off, and sees her friends. The moments where she goes in to work on her days off, it's clearly not because she's worried about her workload, it happens at specific moments of social anxiety: the workplace is a place where the rules are clear and she knows what is needed of her and she doesn't have to worry about meeting other people's expectations that she can't understand.

The description of the functioning of my mind is so accurate that I have told my wife she needs to read it urgently. There are many things I've tried to express to her over the years that this book explains very powerfully. On finishing, I assumed that Sayaka Murata either has ASD herself, has a very close friend or family member who does, or has done a lot of research. Everything's in there, even the sensory acuteness.

As Frances Porter says below, in a reply to Danni (Vivid Reads), this is the most accurate description of autism/my autism that I've ever seen in a book. L'Etranger is the only rival. And I strongly disagree with the posters who have said that Keiko is a psychopath. If you read the The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), a list of 20 salient traits that a psychopath might have, it's only possible to find a close match with Keiko if one misunderstands her in exactly the way the book is about.(less)
flag
More questions about Convenience Store Woman…
Image for Convenience Store Woman
Convenience Store Woman
by Sayaka Murata
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more