
“No matter where you go or how many books you read, you still know nothing, you haven't seen anything. And that's life. We live our lives trying to find our way."
~ Satoshi Yagisawa, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
Some Life Updates
Between the last post and this, several things have transpired.
India won the Champions Trophy.
My therapist said that I have been terminated (which means I don’t need therapy anymore).
65 days have passed since I quit cigarettes completely.
I completed a Half Marathon (technically I kinda walked for last 6 km).
After seeing the oil in Carnatic Cafe Dosas, I have decided not eat them anymore.
I wished my mother on her birthday for the first time and gifted her a fitness watch.
As you can see, many life changing events have taken place since my last post. Life has been busy. I managed to finish a 150-page novella yesterday. It kinda triggered a lot of thoughts in my head and helped me understand a feminine trope that had kinda confused me completely.
Much Needed Break
I had been trying to read ‘Crime and Punishment’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I made significant progress, but the text was getting kinda intense.
I needed a feel good book to break the downward spiral. So, I picked the popular slice-of-life genre book ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop’.
I kinda wrote a structured review on Reddit last night. But, when I slept over it could see a few patterns that struck me.
Spoiler-Free Summary (and Patterns)
The first part of the book is about the Takako, a twenty-something working professional in Japan who is dealing with a difficult heartbreak. She decides to quit her job as she had to encounter her lover-colleague everyday. This is a sort of warning to people not to date at workplace.
Takako is contacted by her uncle (Satoru) to move into a spare room in his second-hand bookshop to save on rent and lend a helping hand till she finds something else. Her uncle himself is reeling under a different kind of betrayal. His wife (Momoko) has left him abruptly almost five years ago.
In addition to this, Wada, a young customer of the Morisaki bookshop is repeatedly visiting a coffee shop frequented by Takako. While Takako thinks he’s there for her, she is kinda surprised when she gets to know that he too is going through a heartbreak.
The story contains another heartbreak, but I shall refrain from mentioning more about it in this summary. Overall, the overarching theme of the book is “heartbreak and betrayal”. Amidst all this chaos, books help many of these characters to find an anchor.
This theme is hard to notice at first, but when you do recognise the pattern, it is kinda mind-blowing. The theme is also close to my heart because I’ve dealt with similar challenges by just reading great books and finding solace in literature.
Satoru — The Boundary-less Giver
Satoru is portrayed as a cheerful man who is kind to everyone else. But as the story unravels, one can understand that he is not kind to himself. He has no boundaries at all and accepts all sorts of bullshit from others. (Revealing this part would be a spoiler).
I would really love to discuss more on this. Do mail me/drop a comment if you have read the book and want to discuss my take on the character. I feel enraged about the way emotional abuse of Satoru has been brushed under the rug in this book. This happens to be a major complaint, but I would still recommend the book.
Conclusion
As I mentioned in my Reddit “formal” review, the book has all elements of a Bollywood film.
The book has elements of heartbreak, betrayal, healing, suspense, new beginnings and reunion. It deserves to be a potent Bollywood script. I am also amazed by the ability of fiction to explain the behaviour of people in real life. It makes me wonder whether the author had interviewed someone in real life or conjured the characters from his imagination.
Though Goodreads may not give a 4+ rating, I feel that the work is eminently readable. But rather than gushing over the ending, I would request the reader to critically analyse the behaviour of each character.
Would you be happy with this character if you were at the receiving end of their behaviour? Just stop and ask yourself this question.
Even otherwise, the book is well-written and you’ll be able to enjoy the story’s twists and turns. I hope you pick this book and glide through its contents.
Note on “slice-of-life” books (Source: Grok)
A slice-of-life book is a type of literature that focuses on the everyday experiences, routines, and emotions of ordinary people.
It typically lacks a grand, overarching plot or dramatic events, instead emphasizing realistic portrayals of daily life, relationships, and personal moments.
The term "slice of life" comes from the idea that the story offers a small, representative glimpse—or "slice"—of a character’s existence, often highlighting mundane yet relatable details.
These books tend to prioritize character development and atmosphere over action-packed narratives. They might explore themes like family dynamics, friendship, personal growth, or the quiet beauty of the ordinary.
The appeal of slice-of-life books lies in their ability to resonate with readers through familiar, authentic moments—think a conversation over coffee, a walk through a neighborhood, or the small joys and struggles of daily living.