Review: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

3 stars for Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa.

This is a tale about the value of kinship, the magic of reading and the power of books that bring together people from all walks of life, and to a smaller extent, the meaning to living.

Set in Jimbocho, Tokyo, the story of living in a bookstore with unlimited access to books is every booklover's dream. How I wish the same for myself, that I too, have a wild, carefree and unconventional uncle who owns and operates a secondhand bookshop, one where I get to work and live in at the same time. It will be a dream come true.

Though the story revolves around a bookstore and books, it is not a story just about manning a bookstore and selling books, it is also about relationship managing, networking and connecting to people. There are obvious parallels between doing a book business and living a life. The author works to draw a parallel between the two, to be connected to people through books. There is the joy to be had in connecting to someone we have little or nothing in common with through books. There are also the wonders of being connected to secondhand books, to be given the chance to experience encounters or connections that transcend time, to be a part of that bookstore where readers can feel the quiet flow of time.

To quote "Even though we think of it as an independent business, what matters in the industry more than anything are the relationships you have with people. I guess that's probably true of the world in general."

Besides the theme of relationship dynamics, the author also explores perspectives and possibilities. People's frame of mind change over time and so do their views on living life on their own terms and on values that feel true to themselves - the search for meaning in life and what one truly wants. Through the characters, we have glimpses about living life, about seeing the world, and about exploring a whole range of possibilities out there.

To quote ".. I don't know, maybe it takes a long time to figure out what you're truly searching for. Maybe you spend your whole life just to figure out a small part of it."

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is not the most ideal story for me, but it is definitely a refreshing one with a gem of a book cover. The paperback with rows of upright books gracing the cover make a lovely addition to my bookshelf.

And yes, I will love to have a Morisaki Bookshop, one where I can call my own.

Review: Those Who Walk Away by Patricia Highsmith

2.5 stars for Those Who Walk Away by Patricia Highsmith.

I cannot remember how I came to add this book onto my reading list. But I do remember why the book captures my attention enough for me to add it to my ever-growing list of books. The story revolves around two men and to a certain extent, a woman. Both men are related to the woman, one is the father, the other, the husband. Here comes the interesting part - the woman is dead, and the father accuses the husband of murdering his daughter. Now, the million-dollar question is, is the father right in his accusation? Or is the husband innocent? The only way to find out is to, well, read the book.

The book is about friendship, forgiveness, managing grief and moving on after a death. I will say it is not a story I enjoy reading thoroughly. Perhaps because I already have some ideas on the overall plot, I find myself forming certain expectations based on what little I know, and when those expectations are not met, I am disappointed. Or perhaps this story is just too direct to the point of uneventful. There is pretty much nothing fanciful or exciting in the plot development, instead, an overdose of nitty gritty details.

Those Who Walk Away has been on my list for at least 3 years. Now I am simply glad to have finally read it and to walk away (or rather, strike it off my reading list). For those who love simplicity and ambiguity in a story, well, this may be the book for you.