Before I visited the Kerala Literature Festival this year, I had only heard about Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. That it was written by a Japanese author and that it had sold very well. That was about it.
Then I witnessed the craze for Satoshi Yagisawa firsthand at the festival. A queue that can only be described as serpentine formed for his signed copies. A phenomenon, really. I could not stop myself either. Not that I am a fanboy, but the moment got me. So I ended up with a signed copy too.
Last year, What You are Looking For is in the Library was my first foray into Japanese contemporary, slice-of-life fiction. I went gaga over it. The stories in the book resonated deeply with me. When I saw the cover of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, it evoked the same sentiment.
Originally published in 2009, the book went on to become a worldwide success and eventually spawned a Morisaki Bookshop series. I can easily see myself picking up another book from the series someday, especially when I feel bogged down by heavy nonfiction.
A Story Set in Tokyo’s Legendary Book District
The novel is set in Tokyo’s famous Jimbocho district. Often called the world’s largest used-book district, Jimbocho houses more than 150 bookshops. Yagisawa weaves his story of quiet relationships and personal healing against this very real literary backdrop. There must be a proper literary term for this narrative device, but I cannot quite put my finger on it right now 🙁
There are three main characters in the story.
Takako, through whose point of view much of the narrative unfolds. Satoru Morisaki, Takako’s loving yet somewhat overwhelming uncle and the owner of the bookshop. Momoko, Takako’s aunt and Satoru’s wife who leaves him and then returns unexpectedly after five years.
The story begins with Takako’s boyfriend leaving her for someone else. The betrayal hits her like a bolt from the blue. She slips into depression, quits her job, and begins spending her days in quiet despair.
Her uncle Satoru then invites her to stay at the Morisaki Bookshop.
Satoru is a true book lover. He openly admits that secondhand books do not sell the way they used to, yet he continues to run the shop out of sheer love for books. Yagisawa paints him as a somewhat indecisive man but unmistakably kind-hearted.
Watching him slowly thaw the ice between himself and Takako makes for some of the most enjoyable moments in the book.
Apart from the bookshop, the only other place that is vividly defined is the neighborhood Saveur Café. Its owner is a regular customer at Morisaki’s. Satoru introduces Takako to the café and its owner, and over time the place becomes part of her everyday life. In fact, the café is also where Takako eventually meets the man who will become the love of her life.
Momoko’s return after five years is another turning point in the story. Yagisawa reveals the reason for her sudden disappearance gradually and the reader ends up warming to her character just as Takako does.
The part where Yagisawa details the transformation of Takako as someone down in the doldrums to a voracious bookworm forms the best part of the book, as per me. Another part that really struck the chord with me is when Satoru and Takoko visit the sociopathic ex-boyfriend of Takoko.
Satoru conveys an important lesson to her niece – Never suffer in silence.
Should You Read This Book?
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is not a plot-driven novel.
Nothing dramatic or earth-shattering happens. Instead, it offers you something gentler: the slow rebuilding of a life through books, small conversations, neighborhood cafes and the kindness of people who show up when you need them most.
If you are looking for a fast-paced literary thriller, this book will probably disappoint you.
But if you are a reader who believes that bookshops can sometimes heal broken hearts, then the Morisaki Bookshop might feel like a place you already know.
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