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Zala's Reviews > There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job

There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura
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really liked it
bookshelves: contemporary, one-time-faves

“Walking back down the corridor it occurred to me that ‘We’re counting on you!’ and ‘You should rest!’ were actually contradictory messages, and a lump formed in my throat. Which did she really mean? Or did she mean neither?”

There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job follows the story of an unnamed woman in her thirties, who is looking for an easy job after having experienced burnout at her previous workplace. She goes on to work for a surveillance company (observing an author whose editor gave him some contraband in a DVD), write ads to be played on the city buses, write copy for rice cracker wrappers, put up posters (and unwittingly get into a poster competition with a sort of cult), and pick up anyone who gets lost at a rather large public park. Each of the jobs had a chapter dedicated to them, and I enjoyed reading about them all. My favorite was definitely the bus advertising job, in which one of the coworkers had some positively magical abilities. I did feel that the narration occasionally lingered too long on some random minutiae, but it was easy to get through since I was listening to the audiobook. I also loved the main character's deadpan humor and practical yet surprisingly caring attitude. Some time has passed since I read the book now, and seeing as I still remember it quite well - with the addition of some nostalgic feelings for it - I've decided to bump up the rating. It has proved itself memorable, and that's something I tend to look for in books.
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Reading Progress

July 16, 2022 – Shelved
July 16, 2022 – Shelved as: to-read
August 26, 2022 – Started Reading
August 27, 2022 –
18.0% "he could've just put it on the "keep" pile, instead of a separate one"
August 27, 2022 –
34.0% "wait what about the shady ads?? why is it all about the kids and her maybe leaving this job now?"
August 30, 2022 –
83.0% "yea ofc squirrels don't pull chestnuts apart with their bare paws, they do it with their teeth"
August 31, 2022 –
100.0% "hm so back to the same"
August 31, 2022 – Shelved as: contemporary
August 31, 2022 – Finished Reading
February 1, 2025 – Shelved as: one-time-faves

Comments Showing 1-3 of 3 (3 new)

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message 1: by EdIsInHell (new)

EdIsInHell Excellent review, thank you.


message 2: by Luffy Sempai (new)

Luffy Sempai What a great way to reup your rating.


Zala Thank you both!☺️


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