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A review by tigger89
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was lovely. I was concerned it might be too sappy/inspirational for my tastes, but it managed to come in just on the safe side. Perhaps it was the bittersweet nature of the narratives, in both content and conclusion.
With five narratives that cross over into each other, each time revealing more of the complex connections behind the story, there's a lot to keep track of. If you're someone who's bad at names, you might want to keep notes, eg: "Susako Hirano, ch 3, moon rabbit's older bro." Don't be me, lulled into a false sense of security early on, but flipping frantically through to check names by the end of chapter 4.
I do want to say that, contrary to tags, this book is not magical realism. Magical realism requires its magic to be unremarked upon; the magic just is, what else did you expect? But the magic of the general store, while almost ordinary in nature, is unusual for the setting, and is remarked upon by every character who learns of it. So, this isn't the magical realism book you're looking for.
With five narratives that cross over into each other, each time revealing more of the complex connections behind the story, there's a lot to keep track of. If you're someone who's bad at names, you might want to keep notes, eg: "Susako Hirano, ch 3, moon rabbit's older bro." Don't be me, lulled into a false sense of security early on, but flipping frantically through to check names by the end of chapter 4.
I do want to say that, contrary to tags, this book is not magical realism. Magical realism requires its magic to be unremarked upon; the magic just is, what else did you expect? But the magic of the general store, while almost ordinary in nature, is unusual for the setting, and is remarked upon by every character who learns of it. So, this isn't the magical realism book you're looking for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Cancer
Moderate: Self harm and Suicide