Book Review: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

"Days at the Morisaki Bookshop" is originally written by Satoshi Yagisawa and translated into English by Eric Ozawa.

As per the title, this book is about a bookshop and a young girl who didn't like books at first. However, with time, the girl, Takako, begins to understand the meaning of reading and realises the importance of healing through it.

Takako is a young working woman who experiences heartbreak when her boyfriend, Hideaki, announces that he's getting married. The man never truly loved her, and this breaks her heart. As a result, she quits her job and remains unemployed for a while. Meanwhile, she receives a call from her uncle, Satoru, who invites her to visit him at his bookshop. After much thought, she decides to visit the Morisaki Bookshop, where she is allowed to stay rent-free.

At first, she didn’t like the place, and she didn’t enjoy helping her uncle at the bookshop either. But slowly, she began to like books and started spending her time reading. She also made a few friends near the bookshop.

With time, Takako grew fond of books, and she often wondered where her aunt, Momoko, had gone. After some time, Momoko returns and forms a cordial bond with her niece. My favorite part of the book was the girls’ trip that Momoko and Takako took. On that trip, Takako learned a lot — including the reason why Momoko had left. She had been unwell and didn’t know what to do. Takako felt her heart full.

She is excited to have her uncle and aunt together again, and the days at the Morisaki Bookshop become the most memorable days of Takako’s life.

A must-read for people who love reading and are fond of libraries and bookshops.