Beautifully written and poignant. A bit slow and repetitive in places, but the moral of continuous learning remains universal.

Quality Rating: Three Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Three Stars

I realise it's sort of unfair how closely this novel feels to The Cat Who Saved Book, but I also can't see much beyond it. These little chapter stories about how books can mend the fissures between us, nurse our discontent with the modern world, and ease the lost parts of ourselves trying to be happy are always sweet, but not always distinctive.

These sorts of Japanese books read like short story anthologies - which aren't my favourite, but I do like the way they link seemingly separate stories with a common connection that makes us appreciative of the way all our lives intersect with one another. The Japanese temperament to find relief from mindless business and stress is enviably beautiful; one single, simple thing turns the modern world on its head and anchors us in what really matters.

The quiet slowness of this type of story - the soulful devotion to books and the effort of those who care for the roofs over their heads - is always special. They always seems to say, 'it's going to be okay. Keep trying, someone is listening and rooting for you.' Even if it's not the most original one out there, it's still a comfort to read.

I downloaded this book from NetGalley and then didn't get into it in printed form. I suspected I just wasn't in the mood (i.e. it was no fault of the book) and decided not to give feedback. Recently, it was suggested by my library's audiobook algorithm, and I downloaded and listened to it while carrying out admin tasks at work.

I enjoyed this selection of short stories linked by the role that their community library played in the lives of the protagonists.

As a librarian myself, I particularly liked noticing the similarities and differences between Japanese community libraries and UK public libraries, and the different routes to qualifying as an information professional.

For those outside the profession, I suspect the draw will be the heartwarming tales of how the main characters in each of the stories resolves their issues. Each of them comes to a crossroad in their lives and has to work out what to do next. They find their own answers, assisted by a nudge from the librarian who handles their reference enquiry.

Three Word Review: libraries save lives.

I enjoyed the first of the five stories, but after that the structure became very repetitive, especially as each person noted the exact same details and had the exact same thoughts when entering the library. The fatphobia was also startling.

What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama is a collection of five interconnected short stories. Translated from Japanese by Alison Watts, each story is a slice of life with different central characters. Each character is at a different stage of life and is facing a dilemma that will change the course of their life as they know it, for better.
the first story starts with 21 years Tomoka, who has just graduated college and moved into a new city. she is stuck in a job she barely likes. Then, follows the stories of middle-aged Ryo (35), a young mother and wife Natsumi (40), young and jobless Hiroya (30), and Masao (65), who has just retired from his job and is clueless what to do with the rest of his life.
What connects all of them together is a little library in the community centre of the area where all of them reside. In the library, the librarian Ms. Sayuri asks them what they are looking for. and the answers they give lead them to books that seems are made just for them. these books give them the answers that leads to a clearer path through life's dilemmas.
there is no magic, only Ms. Sayuri seems like an otherworldly entity who knows exactly what books the patrons of the library need. But it is the characters' own journey and interpretation from the books that gives them the answer to what they are looking for in the moment. Like Sayuri Komachi, the librarian, says "People find meaning in the bonus gifts for themselves. It is the same with books. Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique. "
The stories may seem too good to be true with the resolution coming too easily to each character. Yet, I like the meta concept of each reader taking something from the book that they relate to. The way the author ensures that each story flows into the next as stages of life was quite interesting. All the stories are tied together neatly with a character (either primary or secondary) from each story making an appearance in the others. It's like life itself, how we are connected to different people and how one person's actions invariably end up having an effect on another person's life.
"Everybody is connected. And any one of their connections could be the start of a network that branches in many directions."

Really great read!
You read multiple stories from different people with different problems.
You discover how the library can help them learn about themselves and discover new things

Really great lighthearted read!
A little sad there’s not really any cat presence in the book though!

I enjoyed this for the way it reminded me of Convenience Store Woman.
Bitter humour, careful descriptions of the mundane.
I like to imagine that the narrators of books like this, though they portray themselves as outcasts, are the most powerful kinds of people in society. They stumble onto information that ends up being life changing, and it's very entertaining.
At times it does feel like the story drags on, but that is likely due to how differently Japanese writers approach their fiction.

This is everything I love about translated fiction. It was low stakes, multiple POV and very cosy. I loved how some of the stories interlinked in clever and intricate ways. I need that librarian in my life! It’s such a beautiful story, I really enjoyed it!

This will, without a doubt, be one of my favourite reads of 2024.

This is a truly heartwarming and inspirational read. We are given a glimpse into the lives of five people, at different stages of their lives - all of whom feel stuck.

Their stories are all relatable and each person will have experienced something similar, or could possibly experience these situations in the course of their lifetime.

From the retiree, the relatively new working mom as well as those struggling to grasp or accomplish their dreams - these individuals all seem to struggle with their identities and how they fit into society.

Through an enigmatic, yet wholesome, librarian at the local community centre, Sayuri Komachi they each find inspiration and new perspectives from unique books Komachi recommends.

It’s truly amazing how Michiko Aoyama manages to make the characters of these short and intertwined stories so endearing and enchanting.

I also loved that the stories did not end with an unrealistic ‘happy ending’. As the title suggests, the characters found the answers to their most inner questions, and now with those answers they can chase their dreams and happiness.

The answers were also relatively open ended, and anyone who reads this book will find their own interpretation and message. This is one of those books I will re-read, and would recommend to everyone.

A really endearing read, a tale for book lovers. The intertwined stories flow well, and the story is entertaining and makes the pages fly by.

Actual rating: 4.5/5

Every reader has at least once experienced that feeling of suddenly wanting to grab a book off the shelf (or the e-reader), diving into it with passion and barely coming up for air only when life demands it. Being a mood reader myself, I tend to do this quite regularly: sometimes a book will wait for me to pick it up for a very, very long time, but I will almost inevitably at some point feel the urge to pick up exactly that one as if it called out to me. This is exactly what happened with What You Are Looking for Is in the Library, and how apt this was!

Through five seemingly unconnected stories, this book introduces us to Sayuri Komachi, the enigmatic librarian of the Community House library who has an almost magical ability to recommend precisely the right book for every reader, the one even they didn't know they needed. As each of our protagonists is struggling with a different challenge, through the transformative power of books they find a new and different outlook on life, rediscovering joy and meaning.

The book is framed as a series of chapters essentially reading as short stories, each focused on a different character. The stories are lightly interconnected but can be read separately, the Community House and the library being the only real points in common. I liked how varied the cast of characters was, and how they each experienced different issues connected to the specific phase of their life they were going through - from recent graduates looking for their place in the world to a recently retired man seeking a purpose beyond work. They were also very well drawn, each with their own individuality. I instantly formed a connection with them, and have been thinking about them as I would old friends since finishing the book - always a sign of some very good characters indeed!

If anything, Sayuri Komachi herself was the only character that felt slightly unexplored, save for a few peeks at her character here and there through her (brief) interactions with the library users. This was probably done to keep an air of mystique around her character, but I really would have liked to know more about her. Still, I enjoyed what we did see of her!

One of my favourite aspects about this book was its focus on community and building positive, supportive relationships through open communication, trust, and small acts of kindness. This was particularly refreshing, as I've been growing tired of the rampant individualism permeating all aspects of society. Seeing the characters in this book rediscover the value of meaningful connections was like a balm for the soul.

Overall, this was a delightful, heartwarming read that I was genuinely happy to curl up with every night and that left me with a smile on my face, a deep-seated feeling of peace and contentment and a strong desire to hug my loved ones tighter than usual. It's a simple book that does what it says on the tin, but perhaps this time it was exactly what I was looking for in the library.

This is a perfect book for bookworms🥰

“People find meaning in the bonus gifts for themselves. It's the same with books. Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique. “

The story follows 5 people who are unsatisfied with their job or their lives. They end up in a community library and borrow a bizarre book recommended by the unique librarian without any clue that is gonna change their lives.

This book is so heartwarming and inspirational. It has messages to all the age groups of adults. The characters are utterly relatable. I love the way they face their struggleßand find something from the books. I really enjoyed the interaction between the MCs and the librarian. How the MCs describe the librarian is quite funny😂
This is such a wonderful cosy read and I felt the book gave me a gentle kick in the back.🥰

After I finished this book, I immediately searched in Japanese if there is any sequels and found none🥺Please please the Author, Michiko Aoyama, write the sequels🥺🥺

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama is about characters who are searching for a purpose and a new direction in life.

Such a gorgeous hopeful set of inter-related stories exploring connections and how people might come to recognise them.

What you are Looking for is in the Library is a set of 5 novellas, each featuring a central character set adrift in some way and struggling to tether themselves in a changing life. Different ages, genders, and attitudes, these people each find themselves at a community library where they are recommended books and given tokens that sets their feet on a path they had been unable to see for one reason or another, and each time this is done through the connections they find between themselves and their experiences, past and present, to the books they are given, the objects they hold, and the people they meet along the way in the days surrounding their visits to the library.

Each of the stories resonated with me in some way, some more than others, but I found the idea of connection really powerful, and that the way we experience life, literature, and other people are largely because of attitudes and experiences, points of commonality, that we bring to those experiences ourselves. I need to keep reminding myself of this, because maybe I am less susceptible to external forces than I allow myself to believe, and if my perspective of how I interact with the world and the people, places, and things within it can be shifted, then I can shift my sense of purpose and agency.

I think the second story, Ryo's story, was the one I liked best, the closest to my thought and feelings currently, though I suspect this would change over time and with future re-reads.

A quiet, thought-provoking and simultaneously soothing book, and one I actually ended up borrowing from my local library, I will be buying this and lending it to others to pass on the kindness it showed me.

If you liked this, I recommend the Kamogawa Food Detectives, very similar in structure and style, but with food and memory.

What You Are Looking For is in the Library is made up of five interconnected stories, all featuring a character who is at a crossroads in their lives; they are all searching for something but are not sure what it is. They all end up in the library at Hatori Community House, where they are directed to consult the librarian in the reference corner.
In the gaps between customers, Sayuri Komachi spends the time needle felting – something that intrigues me and I plan to try very soon. In addition to the books they ask for, the librarian recommends a totally unrelated book that seems to have no relevance whatsoever, but somehow has life-altering consequences for the recipient. They also receive a bonus gift of a needle-felted object which will resonate with them, though it might not be immediately obvious why.
This is a charming and unusual book that emphasises the importance of human connections and community. Alison Watts’ translation is very readable and gives us access to another fascinating slice of Japanese life and culture. Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Ever dreamt of a secret haven, packed to the brim with books? Picture an alternate dimension where all your worries and woes fade away. If you stumbled upon such a sanctuary, would you make it your permanent address? Let me know

Librarian Komachi Sayuri will tell you NO. She will not let you stay but she will give you some amazing books that will help you to solve your problems.

"What You Are Looking For Is In The Library" by Aoyama Michiko (translated by Alison Watts) is a rollercoaster of 5 short stories, each unraveling the lives of individuals desperate for change.

Librarian Sayuri, like a literary superhero, points them to the right books with all the answers.
📖 Japan, oh Japan! Their obsession with books, tea, coffee, cats, and food is utterly enchanting. 🍵☕🐱🍜 Learning from their culture is like unlocking a treasure trove of brilliance.

What sets this book apart? While most books about books will make us enter a magical world of books to hide and lost ourselves in, the stories in does not let you dodge real-world problems. Instead, they nudge you to read, learn, and apply that wisdom in your daily grind.

Calling all book lovers! If you adore books about books, this one's a gem. It's not just a retreat; it's a roadmap for dealing with life head-on. 🙂
A 5 star out of 5. I can't give it no less rating.

This is probably one of the best translations of Japanese works that I have come across with a random theme. I must admit to only having read a handful of books that focus on people and their interactions, with no apparent purpose in the narrative that eventually shapes up into something different.
I enjoyed it enough to bump it up my reviewing list in front of books pending review, having read those others much before.
This is an extremely positive story that does not gloss over the difficult parts. Although some of it should have felt cheesy or a little too soft, but it works so well in tandem with the other plots that I felt myself thinking about my own ways of thinking.
One can call this book a set of short stories or just a book about a community as a whole. With every next person we encounter, there is a mention of someone from the previous chapter(s) to show how far they have come and how they contribute to the picture at large. It was as satisfying as reading a series that is multiple books long.
Tomoka is twenty-one and has never had any direction in life; this has translated to other parts of her life. Her bonus gift was a frying pan.
Ryo is thirty-five. He is in both a stable job and a stable relationship but harbours dreams he does not think he has hopes of achieving. His gift is a cat.
Natsumi is forty and a new mother resenting the changes in her life as she perceives them while struggling to handle child care all on her own. Her gift is the earth.
Hiroya is thirty and unemployed. He has a degree in design and skills but lacks the confidence to do anything about it at the present time. His gift is a plane.
Masao is sixty-five and retired. He feels the loss of purpose in his life as well as his identity as an employee in the same company all his life. His gift is a crab.
All of the above people arrive at different stages of their introduction to the Library and meet the enormous Sayuri Komachi. Each of them describes her in a different way, approaches her differently and gets different responses from her. Ultimately, she helps them rethink their ways of thinking and make their own changes with only a slight guidance on her part. Each subsequent chapter has an appearance or two from someone we have encountered before and a hint as to who we are to meet next. It was a truly delightful read, and I would recommend it to any reading group.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

“‘What are you looking for?’
Her voice . . . it’s so weird . . . It nails my feet to the floor. As if it has physically grabbed hold of me somehow. But there’s a warmth in it that wraps itself around me, making me feel safe and secure, even when it comes from that unsmiling face.”

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘What You Are Looking for is in the Library’ by Michiko Aoyama.

This little novel, translated from the Japanese by Alison Watts, contains a series of inspirational interlinked stories. Here the focus is a library within a community centre and Tokyo's most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. 

She is no ordinary librarian as she seems to instinctively sense exactly what someone is searching for in life. She then recommends the book or books that will help them find it. She also presents them with a small ‘bonus’ gift that she has created by hand.

Within this short novel are the stories of five visitors to the library, each at a different crossroads in their lives and how the encounter with Sayuri Komachi changes them.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘What You Are Looking for is in the Library’, finding it charming and uplifting. The kind of novel that warms my heart.

Generally, this was a cozy read, atmospherically very similar to "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" series with a message why books are important. Little bit of magic, little bit of human interactions and a little glimpse into the struggles of Japanese society. Sadly, not enough for me to truly be able to immerse myself in the world created by Michiko Aoyama.

Phew, this one was not for me. After rereading "Before the Coffee gets cold" this year and reading novels like "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop" and such, this felt like more of the same for me. I have no problem with stories being Slice of Life, but it seems to me as if all the new (or newly translated) novels from Japanese authors tend to the same kind of vibe. As much as I love cozy fantasy or cozy anything, this one fell flat for me.