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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
I knew better than to pick this up and still did it đ itâs a genre I really donât get along with but the covers always make me want to read them đ€Ș you will enjoy this if you like self help fiction.
lighthearted
reflective
Beautiful, just beautiful. I'm so grateful we have access to translations of contemporary Asian cozy literature like this. The setting, a small seaside convenience store acting as a transitional space, where some people just pass through and others find exactly the welcome they didn't know they needed, is so thoughtfully crafted. Some characters can feel a little extra at times, but the way their stories intertwine without overwhelming the overall narrative is handled with care and charm.
I truly hope we get the rest of the books in this series translated as well. There's something very healing about this kind of storytelling.
I truly hope we get the rest of the books in this series translated as well. There's something very healing about this kind of storytelling.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
A whimsical book about the flaws of people and how to never judge a book by its cover. How everyone has a story to tell. All the characters interlope somehow and all come together
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Mental illness, Terminal illness
âI donât care what they say. There are more important things to do than worry about what other people think. I donât want to be sorry later that I missed something really important because I was focused on things that didnât matter.â
If youâre a fan of Japanese slice of life books, this is something you may enjoy. Each chapter or vignette features an employee or customer at Tenderness (Golden Villa branch), a neighborhood convenience store in northern Kyushu.
We get stories from the perspectives of people ranging from teenagers to retirees as they interact with each other, with the convenience store acting as a common setting. Each story gives the reader a bit of a life lesson as the characters share their hopes and fears about the future, as well as and memories (both good and bad) from the past. There is humor and sweetness in the community interactions, as well as an overall respect for people as they deal with lifeâs curveballs.
I love that books like this often leave the reader reflecting on aspects of life, and this one is no different. Some of the ideas I pondered while reading included the importance of meaningful community (especially where the elderly are involved), the loveliness of embracing your interests even if others might think they are frivolous, the realization that we donât always know whatâs going on in a personâs life that may cause them to act in certain ways, that itâs okay not to have everything figured out (regardless of how old you are), and that itâs never too late to reinvent yourself.
Slow paced and low stakes, this was a fun and cozy summer read that offered some great reflection from the perspectives of characters at a variety of life stages.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Despite being wholesome and relaxing, the book still features heavy topics which it deals with, with a kind of grace.
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I canât explain why I loved this book. It was just a feeling that came over me in the last chapter. Itâs another âhealingâ book where the chapters are episodic, focusing on one particular character instead of following a distinct plot from beginning to end, so as each chapter began I found myself holding my breath, wondering if I would like the character that was the focus of the chapter. I donât know if I loved all the characters, but there was just something warm about the whole thing. I loved that the convenience store was the thing that connected everyone, and how the two brothers , Japanese Cupid and Mr Mountain Bear, would pop up in each characterâs little journey. I especially loved the friendship the two brothers struck up with Kiriyama. I loved the feeling of community that this book had. Maybe itâs that Iâm currently in bed struggling with serious pain and feeling a little emotionally vulnerable, but I felt teary finishing this book. Maybe the irresistible, mysterious charm of Shiba has transcended the pages and sunk me helplessly into his orbit, whispering â4 starsssssâ in my ear.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
One thing about me is that I keep picking up these little slice of life and/or magical realism Japanese translated books! The Convenience Store by the Sea falls into the former category (so don't go into it looking for a touch of magic if you're more familiar with the Before the Coffee Gets Cold or The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Cafe series) - it's a set of interconnected sort of short stories separated by chapter of the people around the town of Mojiko in Kitakyushu, and the convenience store on the ground level of an elder community apartment building. In this convenience store, and the open dining space attached, we meet a variety of characters - a weirdly super attractive (but also super kind) store manager with an elder lady (and others) fan club, a mom living her second life as both a convenience store clerk by day and an online manga artist by night, a cram school teacher who finally gives up his dream of becoming a manga artist... or does he..?, a "whatever guy" who really does just happen to do whatever is necessary, a pair of school girls both dealing with different issues... and the list goes on. But in this small city, and in this small neighborhood, everyone's stories are interconnected in a way that really only happens when the people around care for each others' well-being.
Apparently the author lives in Mojiko and honestly... now I want to visit when I finally make it over to Kyushu! I also like the alternate covers better- they're reminiscent of a specific convenience store chain which every day makes me miss just... conbini.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam , G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for review!
Apparently the author lives in Mojiko and honestly... now I want to visit when I finally make it over to Kyushu! I also like the alternate covers better- they're reminiscent of a specific convenience store chain which every day makes me miss just... conbini.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam , G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for review!