Following the trend of contemporary Japanese literature and trying to find the high I got when reading ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, I made an impulse buy at my local indie bookstore and bought ‘What You Are Looking For is in the Library’.

I was admittedly unsure about reading a book about books (because for me it has to be done right otherwise it feels like pandering to your literary-obsessed audience) but I have yet to regret this purchase. Other than the fact that I may be obsessively searching for as many “books about books” as possible since reading this novel in September 2023. It may have been nearly a year since I read this novel but I still think of it often.

Synopsis

Originally published in 2020, this book of five seemingly intertwined short stories framed as chapters feature perspectives from various characters living in the bustling city of Tokyo who all end up visiting the Hatori Community House for one reason or another. Evening classes, clubs and a farmer’s market take these characters into a small library where an incredibly insightful librarian works.

Eccentric, all-knowing and artistic; Mrs Komachi can take one look at a visitor and tell them what book they need to read to help them turn their lives around. With just one suggestion and a hand-crafted free felt gift, she is able to help lost souls like Tomoka (a disorganised 21-year-old sales assistant), Hiroya (a recent retiree who doesn’t know what to do with the rest of his life and Natsumi (whose career as a magazine editor was put on hold when she started a family).

Mrs Komachi gives them all book recommendations that will change their lives forever – whether it’s a childhood picture book, a gardener’s guide or a book on practical divination and astrology. Sooner or later, the characters give in to reading her recommended book and are astonished to find relevance that will help them with their own personal problems.

Sometimes this inspiration comes from the subject matter, a passage or from just reading itself. The characters glean their own meanings from Mrs Komachi’s suggestions and “free gifts” which reset the characters’ mindsets and help them on their journey towards what they want.

“Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer’s intentions, and each reader gains something unique.”

Community and Relationships

This novel centres around Hatori house and the community it creates. A major theme of the book is the importance of building supportive relationships and small acts of kindness. It’s refreshing to read about positivity making a difference.

Magical Realism vs. Literary Fiction

While I still find myself uncertain whether this book gives itself to the genre of literary fiction or magical realism, I understand that is the beauty of Mrs Komachi’s mysterious gift. It would be wonderful to think that someone can be as wise and empathetic as her without the magical ability to recommend life-altering novels but it is just as entertaining and inspiring if that isn’t the case.

The Power of Literature

Mrs Komachi is a very wise woman who has lived thousands of lives through the many books she’s read and she knows how difficult life can be. She teaches the characters and the readers that books are instrumental in life. They are a fount of infinite information and inspiration. A book can change your life but only if you let it.

“You may say that it was the book, but it’s how you read a book that is most valuable, rather than any power it might have itself.”

Real Books for Real Readers

And every book mentioned in these stories are actually real books that you can read. It even provides an appendix at the end for every book mentioned in ‘What you are looking for is in the library’ for any curious readers looking for similar inspiration.

Final Thoughts

While I didn’t like the repeated fat jokes regarding Mrs. Komachi, they helped build the picture for the readers and I soon fell in love with her larger-than-life character. She knew the power of a book and the power it grants its readers to make effective change in their lives.

Within the variety of characters, everyone can feel seen. The stories may be short but the characters are fleshed out and distinctly different from one another. Everyone has had a difficult time in their life and this heartwarming novel that is beautifully written shows that there is a way around that stumbling block. This is a wholesome read which I heartily recommend to any wanting a little positivity and hope. It left me feeling peaceful and content – not to mention wishful of finding a librarian like Mrs Komachi one day.