June 1, 2023
A young woman goes to work in a used bookstore in this comforting tale about growing old and settling down. Even though her boyfriend broke her heart and, in despair, she lost her job, 25-year-old Takako doesn't want to leave Tokyo. Her uncle Satoru, though, owns a cramped, musty bookstore in Jimbocho, Japan's famous book town, and he offers her a room in exchange for her assistance. Surveying her temporary abode among the piles of books, Takako says, "If I got even the slightest bit careless, my Towers of Babel would collapse." Yagisawa's short and engaging novel is simply structured, following the ordinary events of Takako's days at the bookstore. The first section is propelled by Takako's increasing curiosity as she discovers the delights of literature and becomes part of a close-knit network of book lovers. Satoru helps her express her hurt and stand up for herself, and with her newfound strength and kindness, she is able not only to help others express their desires and vulnerabilities, but to navigate the world with assurance herself. Takako does it all: listening, building friendships, matchmaking, reading, and recommending books. Gabrielle Zevin's A Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Helene Hanff's 84, Charing Cross Road come to mind, though this novel dwells more intimately on the relationships Takako develops than on the books she grows to love. The second section centers on Satoru's heartache as his wife returns to the bookstore after many years away, armed with a mysterious cheerfulness. As Takako attempts to unravel the currents of romantic love, both in her own life and those of her uncle and aunt, the novel delivers a gentle portrait of desire and grief. Ozawa's translation preserves the drollness and buoyancy of Takako's first-person narrative of small pleasures and mysteries. A familiar romance about books and bookstores, told with heart and humor.

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June 1, 2023
Yagisawa's prize-winning debut novel, first published in Japanese in 2009 and made into a popular movie, is finally translated into English. It focuses on Takako, a 25-year-old who finds herself heartbroken and jobless after she learns her boyfriend is engaged to another woman in their office. Desperate, she accepts an offer from her uncle Satoru to work in and live above the family's used bookstore that he runs in Tokyo. While there, Takako, who on her first day of work proclaims to a regular customer that she hardl+y reads, falls in love with literature and re-examines how she views both her uncle and the world. Yagisawa's prose is clean and direct even as he describes the Morisaki Bookshop and the city that surrounds it with extraordinary care and detail. The characters are also compelling, but it is really the setting and the atmosphere that stand out in this novel. Readers will want to linger in this world. They will want more when this concise tale ends.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 3, 2023
Yagisawa’s endearing English-language debut pays tribute to the power of books, family, and friendship. Takako, 25, has a comfortable office job in Tokyo and is happily partnered with her long-term boyfriend, Hideaki, until he suddenly and nonchalantly breaks up with her to marry another woman he’d been seeing for two years. Takako spirals into a deep depression, quitting her job and refusing to leave her apartment for a month. Then, her uncle Satoru calls to check up on her, inviting her to live and work at his bookshop in Jimbocho for as long as she needs to recover. In this quaint district, Takako renews her love of reading and befriends a bookshop regular and workers at the local café. Most importantly, she bonds with Satoru, whose wife, Momoko, left him five years earlier. Takako feels she is finally turning a new leaf, but after Hideaki leaves Takako a voice mail and Momoko unexpectedly returns to Satoru, the niece and uncle’s friendship is tested, setting the stage for a poignant conclusion. Though there’s a bit too much exposition, Ozawa’s translation gracefully captures the author’s whimsical and tender voice. Yagisawa has the right touch for lifting a reader’s mood.

January 19, 2024

DEBUT When Takako's boyfriend, Hideaki, who is also her coworker, announces that he's getting married--to someone else--she is shocked. Seeing her boyfriend and his fianc�e at work becomes too excruciating, so Takako quits her job and spends her days sleeping. When Takako's uncle Satoru calls, she accepts his offer to stay for free in the apartment above the family bookshop in return for helping at the store--, even though she doesn't even like to read. Takako is reluctant when she arrives in Jimbocho, the book district of Tokyo, with streets full of secondhand bookshops. Then one night she picks up a book and devours it, starting a voracious reading habit and making her appreciate books. As she gets to know her Satoru better and settles into the community, Takako makes new friends, finds the courage to confront Hideaki, and even manages to reunite her estranged aunt and uncle. With a wonderfully atmospheric setting, literary references, and a cast of eccentric characters, Yagisawa offers an ode to secondhand bookshops and the readers who love them. VERDICT An international best seller, this quirky, charming novella captures the joy of reading and discovering books, especially as a means to connect with other people.--Melissa DeWild

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