Cookie's Comforts Novella read. discussion
Mid Month catch up
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Convenience Store Woman is a bit of an odd novel to me. I’m almost done and I just can’t decide how I feel about it. It’s so emotionally disengaged (as is the narrator) - perhaps that is the point, but it does make it difficult to enjoy.
Hey! I'm autistic and have TONS of thoughts about this book. I finished it, so my thoughts contain spoilers. Basically, I take this a big metaphor for how society will be able to notice you as Other no matter what you do or how hard you try to personality-mirror, and they will take advantage of you because of it. Keiko was highly qualified to be the manager, as is seen in every page and especially when she enters the other store at the end, and the book hinted twice at the fact that she asked for a salary in the past. "the manager made me realize my wages were designed to cover the cost of getting my body fit for work" or something like that, and this is repeated verbatim twice almost as if Keiko is parroting it back in her head to convince herself again. I think this means that Keiko asked for a raise (beyond deserved) at about the two year mark of working there and was denied. She took it is a definitive answer and did not try after that. This echoes her shutting down behavior after being denied and criticized for her behavior as a child. As an autistic person who has worked in food service jobs for over ten years (psych student now), a lot of this rang heartbreakingly true to me. You do the job so well, and its sense memories soak into your bones and your body and brain even when you aren't working, and you are still denied from growth within the company. I think the awful character of Shiraha was meant to show how little Keiko thought she deserved after being shocked to learn her behavior as a child wasn't appreciated and since she NEVER got the help she deserved, she shut down without further assistance. I think Shiraha is also meant to be a laughable extreme of shunning society, while Keiko is obviously embracing it with not enough autority questioning. This book made me a little annoyed because it showed a very stereotypical view of deadpan, robotic autism, and didn't show any of the complexities of autistic life. What were her hobbies? She really didn't care about the taste of food? This is really stereotypical and the perpetuation is harmful, but as I think the novel served as a metaphor, I can let that slide a bit. Just to let you know- I am autistic and I am hyper-empathetic, have hobbies that fill me with joy, and squeal over seeing ducks in the park and such. There are very colorful autistic people out there- we exist!!! Check out the hashtag #actuallyautistic on tiktok and you will see. Give BeckSpectrum a follow on tiktok specifically. Anyways, I thought this book really worked. Somehow, it evoked a strong feeling for me atmospherically and emotionally with such mundane material. I have lots more thoughts but can't keep rambling. Haha! I love the idea for this bookclub and love your videos, Cookie!
Hi. yeah I thought this was a strange novel. I thought it was going to be funny but it wasn't (well not to me). I loved the main character Keiko and just really wanted people to leave her alone to live her life the way she wanted. Overall I enjoyed the read. I agree Kri, Keiko so should have been the manager of the store. Looking forward to the next pick !
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just checking in to see how the Novella is going?
Any thoughts?