Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

A Novel

By: Satoshi Yagisawa

Narrated by: Catherine Ho

Length: 5 hrs

Publisher's summary

The wise and charming international bestseller and hit Japanese movie—about a young woman who loses everything but finds herself—a tale of new beginnings, romantic and family relationships, and the comfort that can be found in books.

Twenty-five-year-old Takako has enjoyed a relatively easy existence—until the day her boyfriend Hideaki, the man she expected to wed, casually announces he’s been cheating on her and is marrying the other woman. Suddenly, Takako’s life is in freefall. She loses her job, her friends, and her acquaintances, and spirals into a deep depression. In the depths of her despair, she receives a call from her distant uncle Satoru.

An unusual man who has always pursued something of an unconventional life, especially after his wife Momoko left him out of the blue five years earlier, Satoru runs a second-hand bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo’s famous book district. Takako once looked down upon Satoru’s life. Now, she reluctantly accepts his offer of the tiny room above the bookshop rent-free in exchange for helping out at the store. The move is temporary, until she can get back on her feet. But in the months that follow, Takako surprises herself when she develops a passion for Japanese literature, becomes a regular at a local coffee shop where she makes new friends, and eventually meets a young editor from a nearby publishing house who’s going through his own messy breakup.

But just as she begins to find joy again, Hideaki reappears, forcing Takako to rely once again on her uncle, whose own life has begun to unravel. Together, these seeming opposites work to understand each other and themselves as they continue to share the wisdom they’ve gained in the bookshop.

Translated By Eric Ozawa

©2023 Satoshi Yagisawa (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

Improtance of standing still

Oh how I hope I have Takako’s uncle. I felt that in every part of the story, all the emotions are shown valid. Maybe a simple storyline, but it surely tugged something inside of me. It made me giggle, tear up and happy. I’m so glad I came upon this book

First Audible I've read! Loving it!

I like the simple storytelling and the way how Japanese culture is reflected. This Asian novel is magnificent!

Also love the person who performed the narration.

I am rooting for the next book.

Simple story translated from Japanese

I liked the setting and the peek into a culture that I was unfamiliar with. But the descriptions of emotions and the dialogue was pretty simplistic, like a children's story. The language was at times repetitive which I don't think can be blamed entirely on the fact that it was translated from the Japanese. I almost didn't finish it.

Simple and mostly unbelievable plot

Initially, I thought the book was going to be simple and sappy. However, the more I read, the more I enjoyed the characters. By the end, I found them to be endearing, although the aunt was a bit overbearing and….weird!

Fantasticly calm yet enthralling book.

Overall the story and narration are both wonderful. I will definitely be picking up more from Satoshi Yagisawa in the future.