Review of What You Are Looking for Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts

*What You Are Looking for Is in the Library* by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts (2023). Published by Hanover Square Press.

So here’s a fun fact about this blog post before we get too deep into the introduction: when I first picked this book up, I thought it was something else.

There’s a Korean book about a bookstore that came out recently (at the time of writing this), and when I wandered into the new section of my local library, I mistakenly saw this book and thought it was the one I was thinking of.

In the moment I had completely forgotten the one I wanted was a Korean author, not a Japanese one, so I blissfully picked this book up without realizing my mistake.

Granted, I had realized it by the time I finished the book, but overall I’m glad I picked this book up.

If you’re new to this website, hi! I tend to read a lot of Asian literature in translation, and although this wasn’t the book I was looking for, it certainly fit what kind of books I try to make a point of reading in general. It’s also a really quick read, as I finished it by the time the sun had set on this fine day.

Anyways, let’s get into the review!

Those who don’t know what they’re looking for find solace at a local library.

The one aspect tying all of this book together is a library, which is run by Sayuri Komachi. Often found knitting in the stacks of the library, which is located inside of a community center, Sayuri always has the best recommendations, as no one knows these shelves better than she does.

A cute little detail that every single character notices, too, is the fact she keeps her knitting equipment inside of a cookie tin. She’s not always the only one in the library—she has a helper, who some characters run into thinking that she’s the librarian, when she’s not.

Each chapter of the book is split into a different perspective, and every single character is struggling or lacking something in their lives. Although their problems are drastically different, and they come from different walks of life, ages, and genders, these characters are united in the fact they somehow end up in a library.

There’s the girl working at a local apparel shop who has a bad customer, who comes in to complain to her after the customer acted poorly, and she’s feeling lost. There’s the unemployed boy who still lives with his mother, but lives in the shadow of his successful brother.

There’s a man who wants to own his own furniture store, and a new mother who was demoted from her magazine job because she ended up having a baby. Every time one of these characters come into the library with a request, Sayuri gives them what they’re looking for, but also has an extra suggestion each time.

Usually these suggestions come out of the blue, but somehow end up being somewhat life changing for each of these characters. She also gives a random trinket that’s somewhat related, sparking even more confusion, but it just works with her vibe.

While the five characters throughout the novel are lost on the path of life, I think this is a good novel to show about how the little things matter. It also is deeply interconnected, as a lot of these characters are living in the same community and cross paths with each other throughout the book.

There are a bunch of tiny little threads that you might miss if you’re not paying attention, like how the antique shop owner in one story pops up again, or how the first character indirectly and directly meets two other characters. It reminds me of how small the world is, even if pretend not to know each other.

Overall Thoughts

This was such a cute book and easy read! I didn’t love it, but I was glad I read the novel at the end of the day.

It started getting too repetitive for me around the fourth chapter, which means I was struggling to get through to the end even if I was finding the writing style to be pretty accessible.

That said, there are some relevant themes for a lot of people to mull over long after they’ve closed the pages of the book, so definitely give it a try if you’re interested.

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