Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

VIONELLA IZZA MAULIDA (3080230023)

“Don’t be afraid to love someone. When you fall in love, I want you to fall in love all the way. Even if it ends in heartache, please don’t live a lonely life without love.” 

“But I will always remember the days I spent there. Because that's where my real life began.”That is a quote from the first page of a book titled “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop”. The quote will lead you to explore the reasons why that place will always be remembered. “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” is a novel by Japanese author Satoshi Yagisawa. The book tells the story of a young girl named Takako who is experiencing a life crisis after his girlfriend leaves him to get married. The novel deals with themes of healing, self-discovery, and family, making it suitable for both teenagers and adults.

This book tells the story of a 25-year-old girl named Takako. She experiences severe depression and heartbreak after being dumped and left behind by her ex-boyfriend, Hideako, who is getting married. Ironically, the woman Hideako is marrying is a colleague at the same office, so Takako decides to resign from her job. Takako finally accepts her mother's advice to live at her uncle's bookstore in the Jimbocho area of Tokyo, Japan. The bookstore is called Morisaki Bookshop. Her uncle, Satoru, has long been abandoned by his wife, Momoko, and now lives alone. While living at Morisaki Bookshop, Takako gains much experience that helps her heal from her heartbreak and depression. Takako also met many new people and made new friends. However, one day, Momoko, who had been missing for years, returned, bringing new developments to Takako's life. Not only that, Takako also developed feelings for a man she met at the bookstore. What will happen to Takako next? Will she succeed in healing her depression from her broken heart?

I really enjoy reading this novel because it contains many things that usually happen to teenagers in their twenties, who are often unstable and have not yet found their true selves. For example, there is the part where Takako is depressed and heartbroken after breaking up with her boyfriend, quits her job, and experiences many new things at Morisaki Bookshop. The book also uses simple language, making it enjoyable to read. Additionally, the atmosphere and setting in Japan within the novel allow readers to feel as though they are experiencing the setting firsthand.

Satoshi Yagisawa was born in Chiba, Japan, in 1977. “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop”, his debut novel, was first published in 2009 and won the Chiyoda Literary Award. Other awards he has won include the 21st Japan Wind and Percussion Academy Award in the composition and arrangement category (2011) and the Shitaya Award from the Japan Band Association (2011). The novel “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” is suitable for teenagers and adults. This is because the book is very relatable, containing stories about life in your 20s and also about family. In addition, this book is also suitable for people who don't like heavy reading because the language is very light and, of course, suitable for readers who like things related to Japan and books, because in this novel, things about Japan and books are presented in a way that is very easy to enjoy.