A review by joshlynjavier
More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

 “the time i spend this way is quiet, but also exciting -- waiting for the person i love to arrive. it somehow feels incredibly luxurious to sit in your favorite coffee shop, reading a book, waiting for your boyfriend.”

“there were places i wanted to go and people i wanted to see. and there was a place that was always ready to welcome me back. i can’t think of anything more wonderful than that.”

“rather than trying to force open the door that she had wanted closed behind her, it made more sense to start by getting her to open it from her side.” 

“...i believed these gentle days would continue. and all the people i love would spend them laughing together. as we walked down the street at twilight, this is what i told myself, though i had no grounds to believe it.”

somehow even better than the original that i also really loved. 

life can be messy and overwhelming, and the growth and learning that comes hand in hand is a universal, never - ending human journey -- there’s no finish line or end goal. but in the morisaki bookshop, within the shelves of the quaint and cozy used bookstore, the complexities of life can be unraveled, and all the simplicities can be revealed. 

in each of the characters, there’s an exploration on the hesitations and difficulties with human connection, and how easy it can be to allow our previous traumas and heartbreaks to limit our new experiences and connections.  these stories are an encouragement of breaking down the walls we build around ourselves, and the courage it takes to be vulnerable and let other people in. 

i loved this book! thank you netgalley and harper perennial for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.