Lezersrecensie
A lesson on life and love
Japanese writer and composer Satoshi Yagisawa made his debut in 2008 with Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Morisaki shoten no hibi), and won the Chiyoda Literary Award in 2010 with this work. The book got made into a film later that year. He enjoys coffee, which comes back a lot in the book, and he plays guitar, which is also briefly mentioned in the book. His book got translated into many languages.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop takes place in Tokyo, where there is a street full of bookstores, and some allies have used books stores. Inside one of those allies can the small shop Morisaki Bookshop be found. A store cramped with books from modern authors from Japan.
One day Takako gets to hear her boyfriend is to marry another girl. It makes her quit her job and she is emotionally broken. She gets a phone call from her uncle Satoru who offers her to stay at his place for a while. She hasn’t seen him for a decade, but decides to take the offer. She finds out her uncle runs a bookshop that soon changes her life. One day something else happens in the life of her uncle that requires Takako’s attention, while also something else is happening in her own life.
Satoshi Yagisawa hid some life lessons inside his story, mostly when there is a dialog between Takako and Satoru. Those dialogues give the feeling of a father talking with a daughter, and show the relationship between them very well. Yagisawa is not one of much detail, but still creates an image with a few words. He leaves most to own imagination, and that makes the story lighter to read. He also makes the characters feel alive with their emotions. The story is really relaxing overall and yet also exciting near the end of the story. Sometimes a tear may shed during some parts of the story.
Despite the translation that felt a bit off at moments the story was enjoyable. It is not a story you should rush, but take it slow and read between the lines. There is lots to discover once you see it. Of course the plot is basic, but it is more what is told during the story itself. A lesson on life and love.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop takes place in Tokyo, where there is a street full of bookstores, and some allies have used books stores. Inside one of those allies can the small shop Morisaki Bookshop be found. A store cramped with books from modern authors from Japan.
One day Takako gets to hear her boyfriend is to marry another girl. It makes her quit her job and she is emotionally broken. She gets a phone call from her uncle Satoru who offers her to stay at his place for a while. She hasn’t seen him for a decade, but decides to take the offer. She finds out her uncle runs a bookshop that soon changes her life. One day something else happens in the life of her uncle that requires Takako’s attention, while also something else is happening in her own life.
Satoshi Yagisawa hid some life lessons inside his story, mostly when there is a dialog between Takako and Satoru. Those dialogues give the feeling of a father talking with a daughter, and show the relationship between them very well. Yagisawa is not one of much detail, but still creates an image with a few words. He leaves most to own imagination, and that makes the story lighter to read. He also makes the characters feel alive with their emotions. The story is really relaxing overall and yet also exciting near the end of the story. Sometimes a tear may shed during some parts of the story.
Despite the translation that felt a bit off at moments the story was enjoyable. It is not a story you should rush, but take it slow and read between the lines. There is lots to discover once you see it. Of course the plot is basic, but it is more what is told during the story itself. A lesson on life and love.
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