Reviews with content warning for Miscarriage - Mis días en la librería Morisaki

This was a beautiful book, wonderfully translated and had a very warm, quaint feeling about it. As a book love I adored all of the scenes in the bookshop and I loved reading a book set amongst the Japanese culture of reading and bookstores. I found the main character really loveable but would’ve loved to have had more set up about her life before she moves to the bookstore because I wanted to feel her pain a bit more. I also didn’t love the character of Momoko, but maybe that’s the idea. I loved the Uncle and would’ve loved more of the book to be about him. Really liked Takako’s love story but would’ve loved that to be embellished even more and to hear more about how it turned out

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parasihir's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It's so short and heart-warming! I love the simplicity of this book. And I absolutely love books, too! AHA!

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lou_christie's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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not_so_sedentary_bookworm's review against another edition

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hopeful relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The writing felt clumsy, but this may be due to the translation. This made it difficult to fully enjoy.

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tragedies's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was the last book I read in 2023. It also happens to be the first book I read after defending my thesis proposal and wrapping up my second to the last semester of university. And perhaps, because of the academic burnout and the uncertainty of my future after graduation, this book deeply resonated with me.

“I had too many ideals and ambitions for one person, and because of that, I ended up without a single one I could hold on to. I was an empty person. That’s what I was. It seemed like there was absolutely nowhere I belonged in this world.”

In the beginning, Takako goes through the motions of everyday, secure about herself, her career, and her relationship. However, the rug gets pulled under her, and one day she wakes up with the startling realization that she’s gone adrift, unmoored, no anchor tethering her to the world. Left with no other choice, she resigns from her job and moves out of her upscale Tokyo apartment to live with her estranged uncle in his bookshop. Here, she discovers a newfound passion for reading and encounters people who not only share her love for books but also help her heal.

“... maybe it takes a long time to figure out what you're truly searching for. Maybe you spend your whole life just to figure out a small part of it."

"I don't know. I think maybe I've been wasting my time, just doing nothing."

"I don't think so. It's important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you're well rested, you can set sail again.”

In the end, the Morisaki Bookshop becomes Takako’s harbor, a place of refuge where she could rest and find herself again. For me, it’s books like this.

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