This is a pleasant, simple read which has the simple yet elegant narration I have often encountered in novels translated from Japanese.
The narrator is Takako, a young woman who, having been ditched by her boyfriend, does not know what to do with her life. Her eccentric uncle reaches out to her with the offer of a room at his bookstore in Tokyo. Not much of a reader, Takako eventually comes to love classic Japanese authors and meets several people in the bookshop district who impact her life.
I liked this book but I can’t summon up a lot of enthusiasm for it somehow. Perhaps it was just a bit too nice. Also there is a cat on the front cover, but as far as I remember, no cat in the story.
First published in 2010. This edition translated from Japanese by Eric Ogawa and published in 2023 by Harper.
This is a book I really want to read, although I’m now a bit miffed to the cat that was all over the advertising I saw in the lead up to this book’s release if there isn’t an actual cat in the story🤔 Sometimes the translation can make or break a book, although I do like books that are nice, a good contrast to some darker reads sometimes though ovbiously not for everyone. 🙂
It’s following the trend of Japanese books with cats on the cover! I’m quite sure there wasn’t a cat, but even if there was, must have been a passing mention. It’s definitely a ‘nice’ read, there is a sequel called ‘More Days…’ but I don’t feel sufficiently interested to read it. Thanks for your comment 🙂