I bought this book in December 2024. I don't remember why I bought it but something about the cover gave me the feeling that it'll be a calm and slow read. A few weeks ago, right after I reached home after a hectic flight, I wanted something small but meaningful not a heavy 400-page novel. Life had been running at full speed, and I wanted a book that would force me to sit still. I was also curious about the “bookshop novel” as a sub-genre.
The notes below are quick reminder for me to recall what I took away from this book and if I were to recommend someone a read, why it should be this.
Takako is at a low point. Her boyfriend cheats on her, she quits her job, and she has nowhere to go. Out of desperation, she agrees to help her eccentric uncle run his secondhand bookshop in Tokyo’s famous book district.
The novel is really about what happens when she stops running from her life. She spends her days reading, talking to her uncle, and slowly reconnecting with herself. There are small but meaningful moments including her first real conversation with her uncle, meeting regular customers, and generally feeling the bookshop’s rhythm. There is no big dramatic arc. Life doesn’t get “fixed.” But Takako changes. By the end, she’s softer, more open, and ready to face the world again. Simple.
I enjoyed this quick read because it forced me to be slow. The book is slow but not boring. The book's mood forced me to read slowly. The bookshop setup is dusty, small, and ordinary. I liked how the book treated space as therapy. The book is short enough to finish quickly, but long enough to feel like you lived with the characters for a few days.
I'd recommend it to folks who may also like slice-of-life fiction where it's about the everyday slow life and slows them down for a few hours. Also those who like reading about books and bookshops.