More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop: The cosy sequel to DAYS AT THE MORISAKI BOOKSHOP, the perfect gift for book lovers Paperback – 4 July 2024

I absolutely loved this book and wished for even more even more days at the Morisaki Bookshop. It made feel good after reading it . It made me laugh and cry too . Each character is so well written and you feel invested in them. It also made me want to go and visit Jimbocho. Highly recommend this book.

What a delightful sequel this is. Fans of Satoshi Yagisawa’s first book will enjoy this follow-up which delves deeper into the lives of Takako and her eccentric uncle Satoru, owner of the Morisaki Bookshop. This lovable pair deal with budding relationships and the crises of life, such as sickness, and even death, while finding solace and direction in books. As translator Eric Ozawa writes in his note at the end of the novel, “The books lie ahead of us; they seem to know things we do not.”The novel captures the softer cadences of life and there is calmness and acceptance in the the way the characters receive these experiences, which is catching. Reading this simple book gave me a sense of peace and tranquility that balances out the stronger feelings in other heavier books that I have been reading.In particular, a passage on private grief and loss and how the world seems to keep turning unperturbed resonated with me:“One season would give way to the next. The loss of a single person couldn’t change that. It should’ve been obvious, but it now felt like an outrage.”There are several moments like these in Takako’s narrative and there are also moments of candour. This book is not earth-shattering and it makes no pretensions to do so either. But it will linger in your mind after you turn the last page, much like how a fond memory does, the essence of which is conveyed in these lines:“People forget all kinds of things. They live by forgetting. Yet our thoughts endure, the way waves leave traces in the sand.”

I read the first book, Days at the Morasaki Bookshop, with a great deal of pleasure. The sequel is just as good.The style of writing and translation is quite simple at first glance. However, as one delves deeper into the book, there is a thought provoking side to it. I found myself enjoying the prose for the sake of it at the start, but began to find myself pausing more to think about what I'd read.It gives the appearance that it is a basic story, but it constantly surprises. The main character is Takako, a young woman who appears to have a simple personality, but is actually rather complex. The bookshop, founded by her great grandfather, and currently owned and run by her uncle Satoru, is at the centre of all that is good in Takako's life.There is a lot in this book that I found resonated with my life. I could empathise with Takako in how she dealt with the many issues in her life. The last chapter had me crying because of the memories that it stirred in me.I'd certainly recommend this book, though if you have not read the first, then I would advise you to do so. It would be possible to read this book as a standalone, but your enjoyment would be increased by the background knowledge provided by the first, which is also a book that I recommended.

The price was good, I enjoyed reading it on my Kindle. Have to say I preferred the first book, this one was a bit drawn out.

I visited Jimbocho again and felt all the happiness, struggle and sorrow with Takako, her family and friends. If you need a break, you’ll love this sequel. It has a slower pace than the first book, and the characters explore new relationships, grief and growth.

Well written and addictive

It was good book for start to finish with a good story and good ending really enjoyed it. And the story line was good and and sad really enjoyed it 10 /10

This is the second book of two. Not the most riveting story lines, but its an easy, cosy read. However, the first book had a bit more of a storyline. I am less likely to this second book.