More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a return to the charming bookstore featured in the earlier book Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. It's also a return to the story of Takako, a young woman in Tokyo who discovered her love of reading- and books- when she reconnected with her uncle in the first book. Her uncle Satoru is the owner of the shop in the Jimbocho neighborhood- an area of Tokyo full of bookshops.
You can find my review of the earlier book here.
This time around we revisit the Morisaki Bookshop and the cast of characters surrounding it. We have Takako, of course, three years after the events of the first book, as well as her uncle Satoru, his wife Momoko, and her friends and acquaintances including her friend Tomo and her boyfriend Wada. And, of course, the quirky band of regular customers, such as Sabu, who frequent the bookshop.
It's said that many of the bookshops in Jimbocho specialize in a certain type of book, and Morisaki specializes in modern Japanese literature. Takako's love for books was sparked in the first novel, and this time around she deepens her love and reflects on the power of books to change our lives. Are you a reader who has ever wondered what you would do without books? If so, there is much here to enjoy.
This book, like the first one, is a slice of life series of vignettes centering around the bookstore. Takako is older and wiser but still struggling with the vagaries of life. She has a boyfriend now- Wada- but is grappling with how to take their relationship to the next level; how to open her heart, as it were. One of the themes of the book is taking a chance and opening your heart- allowing yourself to trust. It's the relationships, not the bookstore, that are the heart of the story.
The author's wry humor is present here again as well. At one point Takako goes to Wada's apartment for the first time and finds it a mess. Upon being pressed he explains that his former girlfriend used to clean it for him (the reasons for his messiness are explained later) and Takako, feeling jealous of his attractive former girlfriend, resolves to clean the apartment so as not to be "beat" by the other girl. It sounds a little sexist but in the context of their relationship it works and is just one of the funny moments in the book as they navigate their relationship.
Takako reflects also on how love as depicted in books changes her own view of love and relationships, a topic that many readers, I suspect (myself included), can relate to. Takako and Wada's relationship was one of my favorite parts of the book. The feeling of wanting to stay with someone, not wanting to leave when you're together, was explored in such a sweet, honest way. In many ways this book- at least the first half- is like a warm blanket on a cold night, a balm of sorts for a booklovers soul.
Have you ever cried while reading a book? Is there a particular story that makes you tear up every time you read it, no matter how many times you do? Books- stories, rather- have a unique ability to move us, and that is explored here as well. As a booklover I found so many things I could relate to, taking notes here and there so I could explore my feelings later.
The book takes a somber turn though later on, similar to the first book, and by the end I felt as if I had gone through a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. It's ultimately about hope, however, and how the people closest to us can help us navigate the storms of life. And books, of coursel, don't hurt.
It was nice to revisit this place and to spend time with Takako and and her friends and family again. The bookstore is tiny- even five people within make it feel cramped- but it's got charm and character. And these books make me want to spend an entire day in Jimbocho. I invite you to visit the Morisaki Bookshop- once, perhaps twice- and lose yourself in the world of books that is Jimbocho. I think you'll find the journey worth taking.
