店長がバカすぎて

店長がバカすぎて #1

by Kazumasa Hayami, 早見和真

谷原京子、二十八歳。吉祥寺の書店の契約社員。超多忙なのに薄給。お客様からのクレームは日常茶飯事。
店長は山本猛という名前ばかり勇ましい「非」敏腕。人を苛立たせる天才だ。ああ、店長がバカすぎる!
毎日「マジで辞めてやる! 」と思いながら、しかし仕事を、本を、小説を愛する京子は──。
全国の読者、書店員から、感動、共感、応援を沢山いただいた、二〇二〇年本屋大賞ノミネート作にして大ヒット作。
巻末にボーナストラック&早見和真×角川春樹のオリジナル対談を収録!

Genres: Fiction, Japan, Japanese Literature, Contemporary, Books About Books, Literary Fiction, Asian Literature

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2019

Reviews

[Mai H.]

Japanuary TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons

[Mylove4book · Rating 5 out of 5]

這本還蠻出乎我意料的, 因為劇情算蠻好看的, 但主角的個性讓人厭煩.
可能是因為她實在太像我在三次元的一些同事了吧. 很標準的負能量, 下班和朋友聚餐也是在抱怨連篇&倒情緒垃圾, 身邊的同事相繼離職/轉職, 但整天吵著要辭職的主角依然沒辭, 還升了正職XD 真不知道該說勵志還是莫名其妙啊。

印象中好像有個網路書評說"看了很想去書店工作!", 那我簡直懷疑這真的有看嗎, 時薪已經不高了還要自掏腰包買無聊雜誌幫衝業績, 面試時還明白告知希望員工住老家(因為低薪還要付房租的話會很拮据)......這種利用員工對書的熱情自願被剝削的產業真的讓人看了很難受. 妙的是主角周圍的親友居然都勸她不要辭職, 真是無法理解, 只有其中一個人說了公道話:「無論甚麼工作都沒有不能取代的人，一定會有下一個人填進那個洞。」但她最後也是勸退主角XD

平心而論, 主角一直唉卻沒有辭職的理由也不難理解: 愛書人、做這個行業算是從小的志向, 也就是興趣的延伸. 再來就是金錢上雖說拮据嘛, 但其實是有避風港的(經營居酒屋的老爸), 回老家的話基本吃住不成問題, 所以也沒甚麼轉職的急迫性啦.

這本書我最後還是決定給五顆星是因為, 他筆下的主角和配角們的個性都很真實, 每個都像是活生生的人一樣思考、彆扭、徬徨, 惹人討厭的部分也很真實. 劇情安排很有趣, 小小的懸疑算是畫龍點睛. 比較令我好奇的是, 日本人真的會像這樣, 請店員推薦書, 或是講些很朦朧的形容詞(紅色書皮、內容關於XXX之類)就讓店員去拼命找嗎? 我自己買書這麼多年從來沒跟店員這樣互動過, 頂多問某本書有沒有現貨. 寫到這裡突然想起三O書局, 那些一臉厭世、但還是去倉庫翻了很久找到某本快絕版的書的店員; 或是大門維修時, 在門口面無表情的指引客人去側門的店員, 突然覺得他們也蠻可愛的XD

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really took me by surprise. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.

Usually, I find translated fiction can sometimes be a bit too sweet and often repetitive, but this wasn’t like that at all. It was very easy to read, the story was well paced and everything flowed easily.

I was fully absorbed and before I realised it, I had finished it in one sitting. I would fully recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

[Jenn Odd · Rating 5 out of 5]

* My Manager Is An Idiot *

I am so happy I read this book. I honestly wasn't expecting to like it that much but I think it's one of my fabourite novels of the year so far.

I loved that main character's internal voice juxtaposed with her speaking voice as she tries to deal with idiots on all sides, quelling her internal rage as she put on a professional face. The audiobook along with the novel was exceedingly good and made these moments even better.

I love how she wasn't perfect either. She just felt human.

And I was honestly surprised with how good the story unfolded. It felt like a complete story instead of individual stories like so many Japanese character novels do. Even small things I didn't think were a big deal came back in unexpected ways.

I found myself laughing out loud a lot reading this, and even gasping a few times in rage and/or surprise. A really fun novel.

[حَلا · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew I wouldn't like the book from the title, but I still decided to give it a try. The beginning was okay, but it became very dull as I continued, mainly because both the plot and characters felt flat and didn't catch my interest. On the other hand, the book covered some interesting topics related to Japan's work culture and book industry. Although I enjoyed these topics a lot, I still didn't like narration and the characters, so I'll give it 2/5.

[Chia-In Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

很有意思的一部「輕推理」小說！雖然是以書店為背景的故事，卻也是職場百態的縮影。各種書店工作日常os讓人會心一笑、點頭如搗蒜！結尾令人莞爾又充滿張力！

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I may have just found my newest obsession thanks to How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?: books set in bookstores. Japanese bookstores, to be exact.

Kyoko Tanihara is a bookseller at a small bookstore in Tokyo. Though she loves books—to the point of prioritizing buying books over having enough money left at the end of the month to buy groceries—she is quite disillusioned with everything else surrounding them. The state of the book industry and its absurd practices, rude customers, egotistical authors, and, most of all, having to deal with her stupid manager make her want to quit her job constantly. But her love of books and recommending them always wins out.

Told through a series of vignettes in which we see her dealing with all of that, I found this story to be absolutely charming and a love letter to bookstores and book lovers. Kyoko is so relatable that you can’t help wanting her to succeed. The rest of the characters are all in service of Kyoko’s story, and just a couple of strokes are enough to characterize them and give us an overview of the Japanese book industry and bookselling.

Though for most of the book there’s no defined plotline and it’s more of a slice-of-life novel, the last couple of chapters introduce a new and meta subplot that manages to wrap the story up in a beautiful, not overly saccharine way.

A nice surprise that has opened up a new subgenre for me. I can only hope we get a sequel because I don’t think Kyoko and her stupid manager’s story is over.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoko works at a small bookstore. She is overworked and underpaid; she loves books but she is beginning to burn out. Everyone is stupid: customers, publishing sales reps, authors, her manager.

This is a charming, lighthearted read that will appeal to anyone who loves books and bookstores. Kyoko faces the same work struggles that many young people do, but she keeps trying to hang on to her joy and remember what drew her to working in a bookstore in the first place. I enjoyed the depiction of work culture in Japan and found Kyoko very funny and relatable. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.

[Tyler Hancsak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little too spot on for me. It was really cute but became a little too simple.

[誠一 加藤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

読んだ結論を先にいえば、笑えて、グッときて、ハッとして、いろんな感情が揺り動かされた。

なぜこんなバカなレビューになってしまうのか？
これは読んでみなければわからない！と至極当たり前のことをいわざるおえない本である。
見事なまでの伏線回収に鳥肌がたった。
ヒントは二面性を楽しむ。
前半部分のほのぼのテイストはリアルな僕らの等身大を照らす。
後半は笑いとちょいサスペンス（笑）が入り混じってくる。
単純な感想で申し訳ないが、めちゃくちゃ面白かった。
1ページ読むにかかる時間は、結構な割合で人それぞれのパーソナリティに既存していると思っていた。
同じ文字数なのにある本はまったく進まなかったり、ある本は水を泳ぐ魚のようにスイスイ読めることもある。
一般的に、大きな区切りでそれらの現象を感情移入というらしいのだが、店バカ（勝手に訳）を通して僕が感情を動かされたのは後半部分に差し掛かる主人公の淡い思い。
僕もバカにハマった。
これが僕のパーソナリティ。
きっとあなたもハマる。
バカは最高だった。

[Peregrinja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even have words.
But I will try anyway.
The main character so relatable, she was the same age as me, works where I want to work and is as negative as I am sometimes. She just felt very real, no too perfect heroine here.
It's very daily life, nice and easy-going, engaging, until all the twists and turns hook you and hold you until you finish the book because YOU HAVE TO KNOW.
Loved it.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love books? Each story brings readers on an adventure. They can make us laugh, cry, angry, or even contemplate something. Stories that resonate with us hold a special place in our hearts, and one day we hope to find others where the story will resonate the same. In Kazumasa Hayami’s How Can My Manager Be So Stupid, we follow Kyoko Tanihara as she deals with her life and her manager’s oblivious nature while trying to keep her love for books alive.

Kyoko Tanihara loves books so much that she decided to work in Musashino Bookshop. But her love for stories and sharing them with others has dissipated and is hindered by the day-to-day workings of the bookstore. For years, she struggles to make it to the end of the shift while trying to figure out how her manager, Takeru Yamamoto, is stupid. He has to see that some of the things he says and suggests aren’t worth the time and effort. Still, a job is a job, but it’s hard to quit when things keep reeling you back in.

Honestly, I related to Kyoko on a personable level. When I first got my job, I was excited because it was in a place doing something I love and sharing that passion with likeminded individuals. As the years have gone, the excitement wore off, and now it’s a place where you need to make money. It can be hard to retain that initial excitement for a workplace, but still having that love, the spark for your passion helps make it slightly more tolerable. Still, you don’t notice how much of an impact you have until someone points it out to you, even if you yourself don't. As the story progresses, you start wondering whether Kyoko will succeed in what she wants to do and figure out what is happening, or continue to simmer with all of their pent up emotions and resentment.

For anyone who has worked in customer service, this story may speak to you in that you encounter an array of characters. Sure, you have your coworkers, and they can vary in age and personality, but the customers that walk through the door are certainly colorful. There are always those few characters that stand out from the rest, and your interactions with them will either have you remembering them with fondness, anger, laughter, or maybe curiosity. Just like the books in a bookstore, each person has their own story to tell, we just have to give it a chance and read it.

While we follow Kyoko in this story, it’s the side characters that help add some color to her life. Without them, her life would be much less intriguing and monotonous. They each add something to her life that helps her come to certain conclusions about herself and her life. While she may view Yamamoto as stupid, it isn’t until she decides to read a book that has her looking at him in a whole new light, and those she meets along the way. The question is if she is able to figure out what is happening.

All in all, Hayami is able to capture that existential dread while having readers go through several emotions and contemplate their own lives in the process. Every story has a purpose, whether it’s to make you laugh, cry, fall in love, or help you in some fashion. Hayami has managed to make it that the reader will contemplate your own life and find that thing that’ll make you feel joy again. Hopefully, his story will help spark that joy in you.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from Kazumasa Hayami and Putnam Books via NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.

[Ely · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

The Main Reason I requested this book in the first place was its title. I expected the main character (MC) to constantly complain about her manager. Since it is a translated Japanese novel, I also expected interconnected multi-perspective stories, as is often typical of the genre. However, it exceeded my expectations.

The storyline follows the MC, Kyoko Tanihara, and her daily life as a bookseller. Through her perspective, the title reflects how she views and understands the other people tied to each chapter’s narrative. It was truly eye-opening, particularly regarding different professions and how much our perception depends on our vantage point and personal interpretation. This applies to people in general—a gentle reminder that we are all human. It touches on how we navigate passion for a dream job and how to cope when things don't turn out as planned. That feeling of being down and having nowhere to go, which the MC experiences throughout the book, closely reflects what many people feel as they approach their 30s. The social issues and Japanese workplace culture are subtly and beautifully woven into the narrative. They aren't explicitly pushed to the forefront, but you see them reflected clearly in small, quiet moments.

A few compelling themes that can be drawn from the book include:
⚛ The unexpected, impulsive habits people adopt when something sudden happens.
⚛ The greed that stems from feeling special, and what lies beneath it.
⚛ How larger, well-known companies can breed arrogance in their employees through brand prestige alone.
⚛ The "so-so" employee who is actually the most devoted—often because they simply want to do their job without any drama. This type of quiet employee can be the most dangerous.
⚛ The vivid struggles of managers, authors, sales representatives, and booksellers.
⚛ How highly observant people often yield the most unexpected outcomes.
⚛ How lovers of fiction often possess the deepest empathy.
⚛ The harsh realities of corporate hierarchy in Japan.
⚛ Learning to identify weaknesses and embrace them.
⚛ How job titles across different divisions are subject to interpretation and personal opinion.
⚛ A father's enduring love for a daughter living far from home.
⚛ The difficulty of change, and how we can expect external circumstances to change if we remain unchanged inside.

The characters undergo meaningful growth and subtle shifts in perspective over time. It unfolds slowly but surely, much like real life. The manager also offers a clear picture of what it truly means to be a bookseller—showing that it isn't just about supporting authors, but also about being honest when a book falls flat (even if Japanese social norms make total bluntness difficult).

In the end, I adored this book. It delivered humor, self-reflection, fresh perspectives, and felt like a warm embrace for anyone nearing 30. It is a wonderfully cozy and insightful read that I finished in just two days. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"If the rules of society make you unhappy, then those rules are wrong!"

"Even if I do have to give it all up someday, it won’t be for anyone else’s sake. When it’s time for me to go, I’ll be the one to make that decision for myself."

"If you’re in an environment where you can’t speak your truth, laugh in its face and walk away."

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam Books for this advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

"How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?" By Kazumasa Hayami

5/5 stars

"How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?" Follows Kyoko Tanihara, a woman in her late twenties who works at a bookstore. This novel chronicles a year in her life working at this bookstore and the people she encounters during this time.

Often, novels set in bookstores about booksellers tend to create a romanticized version of what working in a bookstore is like. Hayami takes the opposite approach, showing the more realistic side of working in retail with wit and humor.

The protagonist, Kyoko Tanihara, narrates the story in a satirical manner that forces the reader to come to terms with the fact that a bookstore job isn't any cozier than other jobs. The narration is also different from the usual literary fiction narration. Kyoko is blunt and never holds back in her narration, making the novel feel more like a friend's tell-all rather than a fictional novel.

I also enjoyed seeing how the relationships Kyoko had with others changed throughout the book. The change in how Kyoko treated others, and the way others treated her, would change suddenly during some more emotional times in their lives. This added to the level of realism, since it is impossible for a person to remain calm and composed during every interaction and life event that they have.

When I got to the last chapter of the novel, I was worried that I wouldn't like the direction the ending was going in. However, while not the ending I was expecting, it was one that both made sense for the story and was interesting to read. It played into different storyline threads that had been hinted at while also giving new information that wasn't hinted at as strongly.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this novel! I was engrossed while reading it and would definitely recommend it to others who either want a satirical workplace comedy or want a bookstore book that is different from the others!

[Ashton Cheshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review posted on Goodreads and Instagram on 8/29/26
Will be posted on retailers upon release day.

Thank you Putnam books and NetGalley for this ARC read!

As someone who has worked in the customer service industry since they were 15 this hit extremely close to home. I usually don’t read fiction that’s close to real life but i felt like I could genuinely put myself in the shoes of the main character. I believe everyone has had a stupid incompetent manager in their life at some point and this book just truly hit the mark and let me relive some of my old jobs!

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book specially the main character Kyoko who is struggling to find her love of books again surrounded by incompetent people. We get glimpses of other characters as well with customers and their love of books or her co workers who also hate the place but love it becuase of her. This book also dives into the publishing industry and its treatment of smaller bookstores and I really enjoyed getting that deep side of things. The whole book felt real like this was genuinely someone’s life that they wrote about. There was a little mystery and a little love and a whole lot of humor which I enjoyed a lot.

I loved the writing style as well it flowed very well. The chapters were a bit long but it made sense and kept you interested throughout. There was always something driving the story and something new happening in each chapter. It kept the book extremely entertaining and I kept wanting to read and uncover the mystery and find out the big reveal at the end.

Overall if you’re looking for a good funny read about the lives of retail workers more specifically those in the book world this book is for you!

[Carm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

If you’ve ever worked retail, parts of "How Can My Manager Be So Stupid?" may hit a little too close to home. What looks like workplace comedy sometimes reads more like documentary footage.

Kyoko Tanihara works at a small bookstore and spends most of her time trying to do her job despite her manager, Yamamoto. Imagine Michael Scott from "The Office". Same energy. A lovable dumbass who somehow manages to make everything worse while still meaning well. As someone who lives in a suburb of Scranton, I feel especially qualified to recognize this management style.

At first this feels like a sitcom about retail chaos. Terrible customers. Publishing nonsense. Corporate decisions made by people who clearly have never worked a day on the sales floor. But it also becomes a look at the literary ecosystem. Writers, editors, sales reps, critics, booksellers, readers. Kyoko is the lens through which we see all of it, and that part worked really well for me.

There is also a fun bit of meta weirdness where the story turns into a book about reading and reviewing books. Which felt... suspiciously relevant while I was reading and even more so while writing this review.

Some of the mystery elements are easy to see coming. I clocked one of the bigger reveals early, and the ending fires off a lot in quick succession, which made it feel a bit rushed.

Not perfect, but a smart little novel about the messy world between writers and readers... and the people stuck in the middle trying to make it all work.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? by Kazumasa Hayami | 3.5 out of 5
An insufferable manager, a lacking wage, a soulless company, and the existential threat of growing older. Kyoko Tanihara does her best to handle these obstacles while also finding purpose in her love for books, but as most people in retail can understand, it is difficult maintaining a love for something while dealing with a seemingly clueless manager.

This book is no doubt a love letter to booksellers. Hayami nailed down the passion booksellers have for their trade. When you talk to someone about books you like or dislike, the world feels less polarized, and successfully recommending a book is like handing them a piece of yourself. With that said, I do feel like the book was meandering a bit. This may partly owe to the fact that I haven’t read a lot of slice of life books, so it is definitely a genre I have found myself needing to build a taste for. However, I know some people may find that this aspect adds to the charm of the book. Keeping the pace in mind, I found the ending to be rather on the nose. I felt everything wrapped up a little too perfectly, yet that could also be due to my morbid preferences. This book is objectively good, and I enjoyed it. I just expected a little more from it.

Thanks go to Putnam and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review!

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Peter Principle meets The Office is one way to describe this novella.

Kyoho Tanihara has worked at Musashino Books for six years. She loves books and loves reading but her manager, Takeru Yamamoto, drives her nuts. He seems to be beyond incompetent and pushing self-help books. Kyoho finds her love of books is failing in this workplace. She’s also underpaid and undervalued and some of the demands of the Japanese publishing world put a strain on her - like having to buy so many books for her store to win a bonus at the end of the year! When she finds a book, The One and Only Eden, her viewpoint on life and people changes.

This is a simple book in a sense - it’s about workplace culture and its dysfunctions. I have worked for so many people in leadership positions who are either incompetent or misplaced in that role. In Kyoho we have someone who understands this and is willing to put in the effort to understand the boss.

There is a lot of wry humor in the telling. Certainly the Japanese publishing and bookstore business seems different from what I see in the US, but that added to the interest and enjoyment of the read.

My thanks to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for granting me access to this ARC.

[Ristretto · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid? is kind of like The Office meets a slice of life story. Funny and relatable, with a cast of endearing characters, we follow Kyoko Tanihara as she struggles to stay in the industry she loves while dealing with an utterly ridiculous manager, eccentric customers, and comical bookish industry drama.

Kyoko’s struggles are so relatable, and I really enjoyed the glimpse into the book selling and publishing industry in Japan. Funny and lighthearted, I loved the cast of characters we encounter and seeing how they grow and their stories all come together. The balance of humor with character moments was just right. There’s also something about it that makes it really easy to visualize; I could totally see this as a movie or TV drama adaptation. (I checked, and while it hasn’t been adapted yet, many of this author’s other works have. Maybe in the future?) I was also delighted to find out there are two other books in the series and am looking forward to reading them!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Hikari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written as a sequence of short stories, this book builds into a finale around who the identity of various authors are. Each story sees Kyoko in the bookshop, eyerolling through the tediously long morning meetings with her manager (who loves the sound of his own voice) then trying to keep order on the shop floor. There are the difficult customers, customs that no-one will question which just impoverish booksellers and authors on a rant. There's trying to sell a book which is clearly not as good as the author's previous effort. And making everything so much worse is her manager who is guaranteed to put his foot in it several times during the story. But around the bookshop, there's Kyoko's life on a tiny, temporary wage, her dad's restaurant, various folks she meets and Kyoko wondering if she's just wasting her life. Black humour abounds.

Due to the structure of interlinked short stories, there's some repetition when characters are reintroduced but once you've twigged that this is what's going on, you can skim over those sections.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Xiibalba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoko works at the Musashino Bookshop, loves books, and spends most of her day quietly wanting to strangle her manager Yamamoto, a man whose personality seems to consist entirely of self help books and badly timed opinions about famous authors. Then a customer hands her a novel that says out loud everything she has been swallowing for years, and the whole picture starts to shift. Including Yamamoto.
I worked retail. The bit where you love the product with your whole heart and still end your shift wanting to lie face down on the stockroom floor, that is real and this book gets it exactly. The tiny politics of a shop floor, the displays nobody notices, the customer who ruins your afternoon in eleven seconds, having to be pleasant while your brain is screaming. I felt so seen it was almost annoying.
But what really got me is how much this book loves books. Not in a cute aesthetic way, in the way where a story arrives at the right moment and rearranges you a bit. That is the whole point of Kyoko's arc and it landed. Four stars and I closed it feeling weirdly tender about every bookseller I have ever bothered.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid by Kazumasa Hayami and translated by Haydn Trowell felt like such a palette cleanser for all the nonfiction that I read. It was humorous and lite in a perfect way. Kazumasa Hayami wrote in such a descriptive way that it brought a smile to my face and a few chuckles while reading. What better place to find crazy day to day shenanigans than at your local bookstore. Kyoko works at a bookstore in Tokyo that is managed by what she feels is incompetent at his job which causes her to carry around in her book bag a resignation letter and to constantly repeat a mantra in her head, “I Quit.” Her boss, seems nice but also quite uncertain in his role as a manager.

What was really fun was the way the stories all came together to form a plot and was wrapped up by the end. I don’t want to give anything away. But a book about working at a bookstore and dealing with customers, managers, coworkers who go on to work the publication side of the business is a fun light-hearted read.

I absolutely have fallen in love with these quick read translated heartwarming books. Thank you Putnam and Kazumasa Hayami for providing this e-ARC via NetGalley for review.

[Christine Fitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun blend of genres - some "books about books" content, a little mystery sort of element, almostttt a romance at times. I really liked the way vocational awe was addressed in the book; Kyoko can't stand her manager most of the time, the customers can really drive her crazy, and the pay is terrible - but she sticks with the job, despite wanting to quit nearly every day, because she loves books and getting them in the hands of readers. I think that theme is relatable to anyone who's worked in nonprofits or the arts. And I think anyone who's had a job can relate to the weird mashup of feelings someone can have towards their boss - sometimes awe at getting the team together, sometimes frustration at feeling like you could do the job better, sometimes warmth and friendship, and sometimes wanting to stab their eyes out. I saw one of the many twists at the end coming, but this book still delivered some surprises at the end. More than that, though, I kept reading because that love of books despite all the frustrations of the job really hit home for me.

Netgalley gift = honest review.

CWs - Alcohol, Infidelity, Death of parent

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is a sharp, satirical look at dysfunctional workplace culture, told through the everyday frustrations of employees dealing with an incompetent boss. The best part is it takes place in the book store and publishing world. The biggest strength is how recognizable everything feels. The book excels at capturing small, specific moments such as pointless meetings, vague instructions and last-minute changes.

What was not as strong for me was the limited character depth. While relatable, most characters aren’t deeply developed. There is also no strong overarching plot or transformation in the book. Everything feels unresolved and because of this becomes a bit repetitious. There is human which I did appreciate and it helped me stay interested.

Overall, How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is great for readers who enjoy dry, observational humor and relatable work place satire. But if you prefer more plot, growth, or deeper character exploration you may be a bit disappointed.

[Samantha H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story that was probably not something I would normally pick up, but felt intrigued by the title (because it is just so relatable). The story follows Kyoko, a contract employee for a small bookstore who is barely scraping by, drowned in unmet potential but clinging to her mediocre job because of a deep seated love for books. The side characters feel straight out of a workplace sitcom, especially our clueless manager who is constantly trying to motivate and inspire (to death). There were time I lost track of the several role model type figures in the story, but I enjoyed the MC's inner monologue and connected with her struggles. There was a slight mystery element around an anonymous author that made the end a bit exciting. I did find Kyoko's arc to feel cut short, as I was sort of longing for a bit more for her, but it didn't bother me significantly. Overall, the pacing was decent, not excessively long, and kept things interesting throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Putnam Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Donna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!

In this slice-of-life contemporary novel, we follow along through the eyes of Kyoko Tanihara, a bookstore employee struggling against the odds to survive working at the bookstore while dealing with the odds of everything else. Kyoko easily puts everything into place as she understands it and maintains joy at her job. The discussion of having pride and joy in what you're doing is highlighted throughout the novel, especially as she is barely hanging on amid the booksellers', manager's, and customers' antics. It can be easy to relate to her struggles in the everyday working problems she presents. The humor woven throughout the book was great and amusing, relatable. The others did sparkle a bit in uniqueness as they developed their own worries and personalities in their own individual way. Overall, this book was a fantastic read into the mind of a worker struggling but still sharing our same worries about our own job.

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is a really sweet book in its own little way. It’s got so much heart to it, and I found myself enjoying the insight into the world of the main character as well as the world of book selling in Japan (which I didn’t realise was quite as intricate as it was!).

I had a lot of fun with the world of the bookstore. Kyoko was a perfect vessel for the story that was being told, and I loved being in her head. She seemed pragmatic and she was just a fun voice to follow.

Yamamoto was an eye-roll worthy dude, but he was also somewhat endearing. I enjoyed reading about all her friendships and her life outside work too. I understood the feeling that she had about work being her whole world- sometimes it really does feel that way.

The twist at the end, whilst a little predictable, was also super wholesome, so that was lovely as well. I just felt like this book was a lovely little hug in a big bundle of more serious work at the moment, and I really enjoyed it!

[Ritwika M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.2 / 5

* Slice of life satire set in a Japanese Bookshop
* Secretive author identities and publishing plot twists
* View into Japanese bookselling & publishing life

I really enjoyed this book especially since Kichijoji was one of my favorite places in Tokyo! The insider scoop on the troubles and idiosyncrasies of bookselling & publishing was very interesting and fun to learn as an avid reader. At the heart, this is for die hard book-lovers, those of us who prioritize reading and stories above most other things and I felt so seen in that. I liked that it was realistic and steady, but left room for hope and growth.

The one thing is it might be worth creating a log of the character names with a short description while reading. As someone not familiar with Japanese names, I often lost track or got characters confused which became a big detriment as the story went on.

Thank you to Putnam & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are mine

[Cheer is Currently Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOW CAN MY MANAGER BE SO STUPID?
RATING: 4
GENRE: Translated fiction

How Can My Manager Be So Stupid is a slice of life Japanese book that is about bookseller Kyoko Tanhiara, whose passion in life is books. The book follows Kyoko and the slew of characters she encounters in her life from rude customers, arrogant authors, and her fellow coworkers.

The book is lighthearted and an easy read. I particularly enjoy Kyoko’s commentary on the people she meets and her opinions of them. Though at times, Kyoko can be a bit standoffish, she displays genuine love for books and wants to make sure good literature is shared to everyone.

If you enjoy day-to-day interactions with coworkers and books set in bookstores, this book is for you. Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam and Sons for an ARC of this book. It was a refreshing and comical read to get me through the week.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the e-ARC!

Ah, I’m absolutely weak in the knees for books about libraries and bookstores. There’s something inherently romantic about the idea of working surrounded by books, and How Can My Manager Be So Stupid was a fun reminder that even the dreamiest jobs are, well… still jobs.
I particularly enjoyed getting a glimpse into Japan’s bookselling and literary culture, where bookseller recommendations and reviews seem to carry considerably more weight than they do in many other places.

The book also has some genuinely amusing moments, and overall it’s an easy, lighthearted read. My only reservation is that I wanted more heart. I generally love slice-of-life stories, but my favourites tend to make me feel deeply invested in the characters alongside the everyday observations and humour.