Reviews - The Nakano Thrift Shop

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928 reviews for:

The Nakano Thrift Shop

Hiromi Kawakami

3.34 AVERAGE

mundanesounds's review against another edition

3.75

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

literaryjunarin's review against another edition

3.5

lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“Having to worry about whether someone is healthy enough to tolerate my fierce hatred or criticism before I decide to blame them - that’s what I call getting old.”

This is my first read of Hiromi Kawakami. It was a bit boring at first, which is how I always feel when reading Japanese literature. When I got used to it, I found the scenes full of life. Kawakami charmingly captured the most ordinary moments of everyday life. Since the book only has a small set of characters, with a thrift shop in the backdrop, it felt cozy. They are eccentric in their own way. However, personally, I think the characters are not very interesting. Maybe except for Takeo because of how taciturn he is.

Just when I started wondering what the point of the book is, I was slammed with this: "I felt as though, by falling in love with him, I had hurt him somehow. I hated the thought of that, more than I hated the idea of being hurt myself. Thinking I was making myself out to be such a good person, I had to laugh a little. The rain was torrential."

Now that is a sad scene.