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A review by millennial_dandy
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
A thoroughly enjoyable little novel.
Very much within the 'slice of life' category, 'Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' follows our protagonist as she navigates a nasty break-up, quits her job, and tries to piece herself back together while living above her uncle's titular bookshop.
At least, that's where we start.
Certainly, 'Days at' starts out this way, but the real meat of the story is what happens afterwards. It's about Takako using this experience (with a little prodding from her uncle) to develop a stronger sense of self and, of course, a love of books.
Her transformation into a reader will be familiar to the target audience of this novel, but author Satoshi Yagisawa captures it so well: that feeling of euphoria when for the first time you read something that moves you. And then the follow-up realization that it's a high you can achieve over and over again (though, of course, not every novel is going to be a winner).
It's also about how, despite reading itself being a solitary activity, the brotherhood of 'readers' gives one access to this entire network of people who feel the same way, even if they aren't interested in the same books as you. It's about how the books that move us can reflect something of ourselves at a certain moment in time.
Takako’s relationship with her uncle develops so naturally, and he’s such a genuinely nice, if somewhat eccentric person without feeling too one-dimensional. Sometimes he makes questionable decisions, he can be a little bit of a push-over, but as we find out more about him, and he reveals why he was so keen to help out his estranged niece, it becomes difficult not to like him.
Sometimes, I think authors are tempted to use some inciting incident as the only connection between two people without taking the time to build up their relationship beyond that, but Yagisawa really takes the time to let a realistic kinship develop between Takako and her uncle (and Takako and her love interest) before even telling us why he took her in in the first place, and that made the entire story feel more authentic and ultimately more worthwhile. In some ways, it’s not a bad guide for showing the reader how to really ‘see’ the people in their lives.
It would be pretty easy for this type of book to fall into feel-good cliches, and there are moments where it is a little on-the-nose in terms of promoting 'being a reader', but these moments aren't too, too sugary sweet, and the main thrust of the novel is the plot rather than being 'pro book propaganda' (if there is such a thing).
Takako's character arc is believable (if a little accelerated there at the end) and I like how much more likable she becomes as she pulls herself out of the depths of her post-break-up depression; there's a nice bit of sincerity in that.
The secondary storyline about the relationship between Takako's uncle and his tempestuous wife is compelling; certainly, the aunt as a character is very intriguing. I'm not sure I loved how that storyline resolved since it tied up a little too neatly for my taste, but in a novel that's meant to be cozy and uplifting, it is what you'd expect.
I suppose I'm just not a fan of happy endings, which says more about me than about this novel, so pay me no mind.
I loved my time spent at the Morisaki Bookshop, and like one of the characters we meet, I am deeply jealous of Takako for getting to recharge her batteries there; what reader wouldn't love that? A little room above a used bookstore jam-packed with old books that you get to read at your leisure, help organize, and sell to local book enthusiasts? That's the dream, for sure. And Yagisawa captures it in the kind of dreamy prose that makes 'Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' the perfect summer read.
Very much within the 'slice of life' category, 'Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' follows our protagonist as she navigates a nasty break-up, quits her job, and tries to piece herself back together while living above her uncle's titular bookshop.
At least, that's where we start.
Certainly, 'Days at' starts out this way, but the real meat of the story is what happens afterwards. It's about Takako using this experience (with a little prodding from her uncle) to develop a stronger sense of self and, of course, a love of books.
Her transformation into a reader will be familiar to the target audience of this novel, but author Satoshi Yagisawa captures it so well: that feeling of euphoria when for the first time you read something that moves you. And then the follow-up realization that it's a high you can achieve over and over again (though, of course, not every novel is going to be a winner).
It's also about how, despite reading itself being a solitary activity, the brotherhood of 'readers' gives one access to this entire network of people who feel the same way, even if they aren't interested in the same books as you. It's about how the books that move us can reflect something of ourselves at a certain moment in time.
Takako’s relationship with her uncle develops so naturally, and he’s such a genuinely nice, if somewhat eccentric person without feeling too one-dimensional. Sometimes he makes questionable decisions, he can be a little bit of a push-over, but as we find out more about him, and he reveals why he was so keen to help out his estranged niece, it becomes difficult not to like him.
Sometimes, I think authors are tempted to use some inciting incident as the only connection between two people without taking the time to build up their relationship beyond that, but Yagisawa really takes the time to let a realistic kinship develop between Takako and her uncle (and Takako and her love interest) before even telling us why he took her in in the first place, and that made the entire story feel more authentic and ultimately more worthwhile. In some ways, it’s not a bad guide for showing the reader how to really ‘see’ the people in their lives.
It would be pretty easy for this type of book to fall into feel-good cliches, and there are moments where it is a little on-the-nose in terms of promoting 'being a reader', but these moments aren't too, too sugary sweet, and the main thrust of the novel is the plot rather than being 'pro book propaganda' (if there is such a thing).
Takako's character arc is believable (if a little accelerated there at the end) and I like how much more likable she becomes as she pulls herself out of the depths of her post-break-up depression; there's a nice bit of sincerity in that.
The secondary storyline about the relationship between Takako's uncle and his tempestuous wife is compelling; certainly, the aunt as a character is very intriguing. I'm not sure I loved how that storyline resolved since it tied up a little too neatly for my taste, but in a novel that's meant to be cozy and uplifting, it is what you'd expect.
I suppose I'm just not a fan of happy endings, which says more about me than about this novel, so pay me no mind.
I loved my time spent at the Morisaki Bookshop, and like one of the characters we meet, I am deeply jealous of Takako for getting to recharge her batteries there; what reader wouldn't love that? A little room above a used bookstore jam-packed with old books that you get to read at your leisure, help organize, and sell to local book enthusiasts? That's the dream, for sure. And Yagisawa captures it in the kind of dreamy prose that makes 'Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' the perfect summer read.