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A review by chakgilbert
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
Book Notes: www.chakeira.com/days-at-the-morisaki-bookshop/
The story follows twenty-five-year-old Takako, who, following a heartbreak, moves to a charming community filled with bookshops. She lives over her uncle's bookshop and helps out him. The book explores themes such as community, human connection, the impact of our daily lives, and finding purpose. While I got nuggets from the book, for the most part, it was a quick read that I finished quickly. The second half slowed my interest, and I couldn't determine the story's purpose. I liked the book and got the charming, cozy read I wanted, but I would not rush to read the 2nd book.
The main characters were distinct, while some of the secondary characters were not. I did not leave the book feeling as though I understood the characters' choices of motivations. The book tells a lot instead of showing. We are told Takako is heartbroken, and then the action that reflects this is the catalyst of her quitting her job and then sleeping excessively. We were told she was depressed.
The story follows twenty-five-year-old Takako, who, following a heartbreak, moves to a charming community filled with bookshops. She lives over her uncle's bookshop and helps out him. The book explores themes such as community, human connection, the impact of our daily lives, and finding purpose. While I got nuggets from the book, for the most part, it was a quick read that I finished quickly. The second half slowed my interest, and I couldn't determine the story's purpose. I liked the book and got the charming, cozy read I wanted, but I would not rush to read the 2nd book.
The main characters were distinct, while some of the secondary characters were not. I did not leave the book feeling as though I understood the characters' choices of motivations. The book tells a lot instead of showing. We are told Takako is heartbroken, and then the action that reflects this is the catalyst of her quitting her job and then sleeping excessively. We were told she was depressed.
“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." (Page 31)
This quote captures the essence of the first half of the book. It is okay to be still sometimes. To be quiet and allow our minds or hearts time to recover. It is important to have a safe space to do so. Takako spent time reading, making friends, and getting to know her uncle again. All these things made her think she was getting over her ex, but confronting him allowed her to heal fully. While those human connections and community were integral to the healing process, sometimes confrontation of those hurts needs to take place. Mr. Morisaki and Momoko were distinct characters, but again, I did not feel like I got to know them on a deeper level. We were told a lot about them but were not shown much of their characteristics.
We live our lives trying to find our way. (Page 31)
This book involved more internal conflict than external conflict. The main characters were pushed to consider their purpose and the importance of community. They all had to overcome something internally to keep growing and push themselves to find purpose. Again, this fell flat in some ways. While the book had a handful of gems, it didn't go as deep as I expected. It stayed surface-level in some ways. I didn't see the characters confront their thought processes much. Much of the book is day-to-day experiences in a community without much external conflict, just random characters.
I got what I wanted out of this book. A fast, cozy, short book that delves into community and purpose. However, it did not delve as deeply as I would have liked. This is not a book that will stick to me or that has impacted me deeply. 3 ⭐️ book, I would recommend, but not a must-read now.