Michiko Aoyama "What you are looking for is in the library"

There is no denying that Japanese literature is experience a surge in popularity lately. And I have to say - I am here for it. Even if you’ve only read Murakami, you already know how wonderfully weird it can be. “What you’re looking for is in the library” is no exception. Instead of Murakami’s magical realism, this books leans in to what I would call radical optimism.

The book is divided into five character driven stories, all happening in the same universe, with characters often crossing paths or playing supporting roles in each others stories. Each stories follows a similar premise - a character who is at crossroads of their life, visits a library. There a character is met with a needle working librarian who along with requested books, add a seemingly random book recommendation as well as one of her handmade “bonus gifts’.

The librarian’s recommendation, how ever far away from what the person came in looking for, deeply resonates with a character, leading to new-found perspective and courage to take charge of ones life. Mirroring the sentiment that what we “think” we need and what we actually need are often not the same thing and how genuine connections can help create new points of views about yourself. All the stories beautifully encapsulates that no matter at what stage or age, change and path towards your dreams coming true is one step away if one is only willing to open up to it.

Until now, I have always thought of things in terms of whether or not they could be useful to me in some way. Now I know the importance of the heart being moved.

And boy, did this book had so many instances of moving me to tears. The earnest, simple way the book is written and how honestly flawed characters are portrayed, really helps this book from getting to saccharine.

It’s a 9/10 for me.