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Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell'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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I was so excited to buddy-read this book with s.penkevich. I've admired their literary-fiction reviews for a while and thought the idea of checking out this surreal work of Japanese literature with such a book friend was really fun. Especially since the listlessness and ennui of the heroine can be overwhelming at times.



Our heroine is a thirty-six-year-old woman with burnout who repeatedly goes to the same employment agency over the course of the novel to request more jobs. She wants something close to home with no reading or writing involved and, ideally, very little thinking.



Her jobs get progressively weirder and weirder. Her first job is in video surveillance, watching a man who may be in unknowing league with a contrabander. Her second job is working for an advertising agency for a bus company. Her third job is writing trivia that go on the packets of fried rice snacks. Her fourth job is putting up environmental awareness posters in a small community. And her fifth job is manning the cabin in the middle of a man-made park filled with fruit trees.



THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN EASY JOB is such a strange book. It's so strange that several times, I would set the book down and think, "Do I really like this book?" I considered DNF-ing even, but was unable to stop reading. There's an almost supernatural bent to some of her jobs, which can sometimes make them feel creepy (especially in the case of the bus advertisements and poster jobs), but it's never outright scary or anything, just in a way that makes the reader feel uneasy.



For once, I think the comparisons in the blurb of this book are on the mark. This really is like a cross between MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION and CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN. The comparisons are rarely that apt, so I'm actually impressed, because that's how I probably would have described this book, too. It's a book about how our jobs shape us and vice-versa, a criticism (I think?) about hustle/gig culture, and just a really interesting story about a disaffected woman trying to live her life as best she can. For people who enjoy character-driven stories, this will be quite the treat.



3.5 to 4 stars
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Reading Progress

March 21, 2023 – Shelved
March 21, 2023 – Shelved as: wishlist
March 21, 2023 – Shelved as: literary-fiction
March 21, 2023 – Shelved as: poc-interracial
March 21, 2023 – Shelved as: kindle-clean-out-club
March 22, 2023 – Started Reading
March 22, 2023 –
11.0% "Was this book sponsored by a yakisoba company? LOL"
March 22, 2023 –
20.0% "This should feel boring but so far I'm weirdly fascinated by the minutiae of the character's job lol"
March 24, 2023 –
33.0% "Some of the paranormal-but-maybe-not-really scenes are kind of reminding me of Vampire Princess Miyu. Did anyone else watch that show? I used to be OBSESSED."
March 24, 2023 –
40.0% "Omg this is really making me crave salted rice crackers"
March 24, 2023 –
47.0% "(yokozuki) As in the phrase ‘heta no yokozuki’, meaning a person who is passionate about something they show no particular talent for.

Wow, if you learn enough languages, there really is a word for everything"
March 25, 2023 –
64.0% "IT'S A CULT, ISN'T IT"
March 25, 2023 –
70.0% "HE THREW THE CAKE WRAPPERS AT HER

LOL"
March 25, 2023 –
71.0% "Inari-zushi is high key one of my favorite Japanese foods"
March 25, 2023 –
76.0% "That was SO weird but I loved it lol"
March 25, 2023 – Shelved as: magic-realism
March 25, 2023 – Finished Reading
July 31, 2024 – Shelved as: asian-author

Comments Showing 1-22 of 22 (22 new)

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s.penkevich Yesssssss are you going to read this soon? I might join you, I've put this one off for too long


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "Yesssssss are you going to read this soon? I might join you, I've put this one off for too long"

I'd love that! I'm going to start it as soon as I finish THE BLOOD CONFESSION. I can comment on your review when I'm done and give you a heads up when I'm ready, if you like. :)


message 3: by TL (new)

TL Ooooh


message 5: by TL (new)

TL Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "TL wrote: "Ooooh"

ikr?"


Looking forward to your review 👍:)


s.penkevich YES! I love how I'll be reading much of this while quite literally at work, does that make this meta-reading?


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "YES! I love how I'll be reading much of this while quite literally at work, does that make this meta-reading?"

So meta and very apropos! I'll probably read some on my lunch break :)


Aoife - Bookish_Babbling Erm, watching other people as a job is like a nosy introverts dream employment!


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell Aoife - Bookish_Babbling wrote: "Erm, watching other people as a job is like a nosy introverts dream employment!"

This is TRUE


s.penkevich I finally got some reading time in today and this book is kind of hilarious right? How far along are you?


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "I finally got some reading time in today and this book is kind of hilarious right? How far along are you?"

I'm 20% in! As a nosy introvert who works in tech, I love how dry her observations are. Not sure if you got to the bit about the discount sausage, but that is SO ME when I come across an expired ad LOL.

How far are you??


message 12: by s.penkevich (last edited Mar 23, 2023 07:22PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

s.penkevich Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "I finally got some reading time in today and this book is kind of hilarious right? How far along are you?"

I'm 20% in! As a nosy introvert who works in tech, I love how dry her..."


Oh wow we are at the exact same spot haha, go us (Im reading it both through the library digital app while on the library desk and in physical form otherwise). YES, that cracked me up! She’s so pissed haha and then woman bragging about having too many to fit was great.
But yea, the dry observations are perfect. I feel like you can pick up on like, deeper connections between them that she’s laying right out there but doesn’t connect herself and I love that. But how she starts to like, adopt his habits and be jealous of his perceived freedom is great. I’m curious if the dvd names were changed for the translation too


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "I finally got some reading time in today and this book is kind of hilarious right? How far along are you?"

I'm 20% in! As a nos..."


Oooh, that's a good point. I've sometimes wondered if there's any localization in Japanese novels. But I imagine they'd have Western DVDs there, just dubbed.

YES. The commentary about social class is really interesting.


s.penkevich Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "I finally got some reading time in today and this book is kind of hilarious right? How far along are you?"

..."



Yea thats true, I think it was Javier Marias in an interview said he picked different actor references that a character was said to have looked like for each different translation because he wanted to ensure the reader would have an image he was sure they'd know, and I always thought that was kind of cool.

Did you ever read Temporary? This book has some similar vibes, though a lot more grounded in like...well, reality haha. I'm just cracking into the next job now and, having studied marketing this is really hitting all the right notes haha. I feel like even though it's also very specifically japanese work culture shes managed to make it feel very universal as well?


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "I finally got some reading time in today and this book is k..."

That would make sense since pop culture references can really say a lot about the mood or what they are trying to convey about a person (for example, having them like the band, My Chemical Romance lol).

I have not read that but I just added it to my list! This book is also reminding me a lot of CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN, too, which I think you've also read?? I'm still on job #1 but I'm almost off work and then I'm going to read more of it. >:D I'm excited to see her get into marketing!


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell Oooh, her advertising job is getting a lil' creepy. I don't know if you were ever an anime watcher, but this is kind of reminding me of some of the ordinary-turned-paranormal scenes in Vampire Princess Miyu that I watched as a young girl.


s.penkevich Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "Oooh, her advertising job is getting a lil' creepy. I don't know if you were ever an anime watcher, but this is kind of reminding me of some of the ordinary-turned-paranormal scenes in Vampire Prin..."

Oooo looks like a great review! I sort of lagged due to work all weekend but am at 80% and should finish soon then I'll read the review! Really loving it though, is it me or does each job get progressively more interesting, I'm like constantly being sucked in


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "Oooh, her advertising job is getting a lil' creepy. I don't know if you were ever an anime watcher, but this is kind of reminding me of some of the ..."

YES! Each job does get interesting and also more surreal, except for the last one, I felt, which was probably the least interesting to me (although still interesting!). My two favorite jobs were definitely the postering job and the rice cracker trivia job. What about you??


s.penkevich Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "Oooh, her advertising job is getting a lil' creepy. I don't know if you were ever an anime watcher, but this is kind of remindin..."

SAME. The like ominous loneliness club had me rolling. I feel like having worked so many odd jobs is making me really love this as like...the emphasis on how surreal and unique any workplace dynamic is hits home.
Okay, is it just me or is this book always sort of unexpected? Everytime I thought I knew where it was going it sort of subverted that in a way that felt kind of mundane but also made me like it more? Like (view spoiler)
Okay, I am curious if we ever find out exactly what her job that burnt her out was? I keep taking notes every time it comes up haha


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ wrote: "Oooh, her advertising job is getting a lil' creepy. I don't know if you were ev..."

You do find out what job she had that burned her out! I think it's towards the end?

The loneliness club and the POSTER WARS!!!! I kept thinking, this has to be a cult, no way is this not a cult.

Yeah, it's a very gentle read. Me and my twisted brain kept mentally injecting all of these horrible outcomes and then the author would shake her finger at me and just make it weird but like comforting weird. I felt a bit like a psycho afterwards LOL.


s.penkevich Okay I finally finished and could read the review and it is great! I need to finally read Year of Rest and Relaxation now! But yea I agree, I kept thinking I knew where this was going and then it just wouldn’t, which I sort of really dug. Was it me or did you think they were going to erase the bus ad about the predator and then he’d be found dead or something? Also when Ms Eriguchi showed up in the last story I literally squealed haha. Because…and hear me out…that guy vanished into the woods and returned based around her articles about the fútbol player right? Is that the joke that goes unspoken?


Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell s.penkevich wrote: "Okay I finally finished and could read the review and it is great! I need to finally read Year of Rest and Relaxation now! But yea I agree, I kept thinking I knew where this was going and then it j..."

OOH LIKE THE AD THING CAME FULL CIRCLE. I bet you're right.

Yeah, I thought that was going to happen or she was going to find out that her boss was the predator. Something dark and weird lol.


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