THE PLOT: ‘What You Are Looking For is in the Library’ by Michiko Aoyama (translated by Alison Watts) is short fiction set in Tokyo. Sitting somewhere between a novella and interconnected short stories, this book introduces you to five characters who are struggling to find their purpose in life. They each stumble upon the same community library and the city’s most enigmatic librarian. From a restless retail assistant in her twenties to a mother struggling post maternity leave and a recently retired salaryman, this book is all about the power of libraries to help people achieve their dreams.

RATING: Just as the wand chooses the wizard, sometimes I feel like a book comes into your life at the right moment. Certainly, this book has crept into my life when I’m most in need of it. Unhappy in my career and surrounded by friends’ having babies and getting married, I’ve been thinking about my purpose a lot. In order to sort my head out, I’ve applied for a sabbatical to give me breathing space to reconnect with what I want to do in life. But instead of being excited, I’m deeply worried about wasting this time off work. Yet this book reminds me that life is about taking risks, listening to our hearts and taking opportunities to fulfil our lifelong dreams. So, I’m giving this book four stars. It’s short (>250pages), easy to read and uplifting. With endearing characters and a strong message, it would be the perfect book to get you out of a slump. And, it’s made me see what I’m looking for might just be in my local library.

GOOD BITS: This book is small but mighty with themes that pack a punch. The inspiring message about self-belief and perseverance is coupled with simple language and clean sentences, which make it very easy to digest. My favourite characters were Tomoka and Natsumi because they felt earnest and likeable. This might be because they’re the main female characters but (in my defence) I also liked a male supporting character, Kiriyama, and how he popped up in more than one story. Additionally, the author includes a list of every book mentioned by the librarian in the story, which was a pleasant surprise to end on.

NOT SO GOOD BITS: This book won’t be for everyone because it is a bit saccharine as each character finds the answer to their woes easily. So, if you’re looking for a realistic portrayal of depression then this might be too simplistic for you (aka ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ messaging). I also noticed a lot of unnecessary repetition, particularly with the descriptions of each character finding the library. Though I liked Ryo, he could be a bit self-pitying and his attitude to his girlfriend was infuriating. Finally, I didn’t fully understand the significance of the librarian’s “large” appearance but this might have just gone over my head.

OVERALL: I’d recommend this book to lovers of ‘She and Her Cat’ and ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’. It was a great read for Women in Translation month, which I’d urge you to check out. Thank you to Doubleday for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. This Japanese bestseller is now available to buy in the UK. You can grab your copy and support independent bookshops on bookshop.org (affiliate link).