I really enjoyed Minas story and magical power of matches, friendship, longing for the past.
Story is full with beautiful characters whose life does not seem to be what it is at the first glance.
I loved the mini hippo too.
The only thing is that I was hoping for something different to happen in the end.

Mina's Matchbox is ultimately a slice of life novel that follows a reflective Tomoko telling the story of how she as a young child had been briefly sent to live with her Aunt & Uncle's house in Ashiya and meeting her cousin Mina, who is obsessed with collecting matchboxes and the pet pygmy hippo that her cousin rides to school.

It's a whimsical escapist read away from the mundane of everyday life...and is probably the type of book that would work well as a holiday read...

Thank you netgalley & vintage for the e-ARC.

beautiful. the kind of rare book that you experience, not so much read. ogawa is a master of the craft and this is a quiet but brilliant evocative insight into a girl's childhood

This was such a profoundly deep book and written in such a beautiful way that its weight seemed effortless, and lightened the story. I love the attention to detail when describing the places throughout which really allows the reader to open their imagination and visual what is happening whilst reading, adding layers to the plot. The story is told by Tomoko who is reflecting on her life (with love and sadness and fond memories) nearly 30 years on. She starts her initial encounter at the age of 12 (1972) when she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle for a year in Ashiya, Also living with her aunt and uncle is their daughter Mina (who is one year younger than Tomoko), her great aunt Rosa, Yoneda-San who looks after the house and the groundskeeper Kobayashi-san. This really sets the scene for the story as it describes the big change for Tomoko as she encounters lots of new experiences and the initial bond between herself and Mina which was solidified the day Mina showed Tomoko her collection of matchboxes which she had not shown anyone before. It was really interesting to read about the interweaving cultures of German and Japanese, and her great aunt rosa was such a character!
The whole story really explains the value of time and how fast it passes and how much we miss when we look back. It really makes me want to appreciate all the time I have with my family and try and change my perspective of things, especially when faced with challenges that seem insurmountable.

I love Yoko Ogawa's writing and way with words that is so subtle yet so acute. And this novel was no exception. Even though it started out a bit slow for me, I found myself engrossed in the lives of the characters and their everyday shenanigans. It was fascinating to see the story through the child protagonist's eyes, trying to decipher what was going on around her and trying to cope with everything that happened. Although quiet, this novel creeps up on you and stays in your mind for days after you've finished it.

This book is perfect for those that enjoy the slice of life genre.

It’s a quiet book, where there isn’t a lot of action and the story focuses more on emotion and thought.

When Tomoko is 12 years old, she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle while her mother goes to study. She is instantly intrigued by their way of life as they are a lot wealthier and to her surprise, have a pygmy hippo.

She starts to learn that not all is perfect in her relatives’s home as they have to deal with health issues and secrecy.

Pick this up if you’re looking for something slow and quiet. It might be a good palette cleanser after reading something heavy.

Mina’s Matchbox, Yoko Ogawa, tr. Stephen Snyder

I was absolutely charmed, first by the cover, then by the book itself. A girl riding a pygmy hippo? 🦛 To my amazement, this is not only an image taken from an old match box, Ogawa actually brings the girl and the hippo to life, together with bitter-sweet memories of 1970s. Before I even checked Ogawa’s bio, I knew she lived as a girl through 1970s - the events and atmosphere of the period feels too real for being a second hand records: the girls are reading news about Japanese nobel prize winner sudden death, cheering for a Japanese Volleyball team and spending their first night outdoors awaiting Comet Bennett’s.

The story is however much more complex and universal than only a love letter to the childhood. The two girls - title Mina & her cousin Tomoko are on an edge of becoming young adults, this is probably the last year of their innocent childhood, all those dreams, stories, first impossible crushes, adults’ traumas and bitter relationships not affecting them too much, being filtered out through their young minds.
I loved how the story developed slowly, structured almost like Mina’s matchboxes - hidden inside another box, having a story about the matchbox illustration written on inner sides of the outer boxes - every one of them linked somehow to the main plot.

Ogawa makes sure she leaves traces throughout the book for a reader to not let them forget about the passing time and death as a natural circle of life. Narrator makes it clear: not every character of the book is still alive. So I read and my heart trembled every time Mina got an asthma attack. Also, I couldn’t stop worried there would be some fire - well, with matches introduced so impressively you can’t forget about Chekhov’s Gun rule…
Lastly, the book published originally in 2006 appears to be very up to date: the girls are watching Olympics , cheering for a Japanese volleyball team and not paying much attention to the Munich massacre.

This is a sweet little Japanese story which I very much enjoyed.

This is the story of Tomoko who is sent to live with her rich uncle and his family, and finds herself in a whole new world - living with her asthmatic cousin Mina who goes to school on the back of a pygmy hippo, and creates stories about the pictures on matchboxes, which she stores under her bed.

This is an imaginative, unique and fairly short read which I would recommend.

An interesting Japanese coming of age story about a young child, Tomoko, moving in with her wealthy but eccentric relatives in 1970s Japan. A highly evocative and descriptive story, it is more character-driven than plot-driven, and although slow at times, it captures Tomoko’s observations perfectly and gets the reader completely invested in the characters.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I found this book to be really charming and deceptively dark. The writing was so easy to follow that whenever i picked this up i felt like i had to continue on. The characters were all so different and interesting and i really liked how they felt so defined and compelling. I didn't expect the dark moments to hit me so hard but they did! I did have a couple of unanswered questions nothing that affected my liking of the book that much. The tone felt young but suitable and i never felt like Tomoko came across as super young. Reading and enjoying this has pushed to read the other book by Ogawa as i really enjoyed this one.

The novel captivates with the emotional depth of everyday moments, seen through Tomoko’s eyes. Ogawa’s elegant, bittersweet writing reflects on time, memory, and the lasting impact of small experiences.

A wonderfully captivating book that flows gently at an unhurried pace. It’s atmosphere is radiant, almost on the brink of magical but not quite there. Twelve year old Tomoko is sent to live with her uncle in the coastal town of Ashiya. It’s a year full of amazement and new experiences. I don’t want to give too much of the book away but there are stories in matchboxes and surprising pets to look forward to. You almost feel like walking through a museum of childhood while reading this one while reminiscing naive and almost forgotten emotions of your younger days.

Thanks to Vintage books and Netgalley for an advance copy. I couldn’t help buying the hardback.

Soft DNF at 50%
I was enjoying this book, a very poetic and meditative come of age story with lovely writing. However it also took me a while to get through as there seemed to be very little plot. When I reached the halfway mark I decided to put it down in favour of other things as it was very slow paced and ultimately just not the book for me. I might go back to it one day, this definitely wasn't a DNF because I hated the book, I think I wasn't in the right place for it.
This book would be perfect for someone who enjoys nostalgic and poetic writing about childhood, family dynamics and childhood friendship.

The story is recounted by Tomoko nearly three decades later as she reflects on her experiences, using photographs and objects to evoke memories and piece together her narrative in a simple yet moving way.

In 1972, 12-year-old Tomoko moves in with her aunt's family for a year while her single mother pursues an education course. This transition takes her to a palatial home filled with antiques, books, and even a pygmy hippopotamus— a stark contrast to her modest life with her mother. The household includes her aunt, her handsome uncle who runs a soft drink company, the house manager Yoneda-san, the groundskeeper Kobayashi-san, her sickly cousin Mina, and, of course, Pochiko the hippo.

There’s nothing overly dramatic about the narrative. Initially, I kept waiting for a significant event to kick off the story, only to realize that the story itself is the big revelation. For Tomoko, everything is new and exciting; the novelty of her experiences becomes palpable. Simple moments, like getting a library card in a new city or receiving professionally tailored clothes for her school uniform, feel like milestones of maturity and sophistication, even as they make her feel out of place. As her bond with Mina deepens, Tomoko starts to recognize the profound impact of the relationships around her.

The cast of characters is compelling and well-developed, though we only see as much as Tomoko does, reflecting a child’s limited perspective. Like life itself, we glimpse just the tip of the iceberg, and as Tomoko matures, she begins to uncover deeper truths about those around her. The connections she forges with each character are profound and beautifully singular, making this reflective narrative resonate deeply.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

I have to admit to putting off reading this book for a while. Actually once I got into the book, I quite enjoyed it. Mostly set in Japan, Tomoko goes to live with her aunt and uncle when her mother is doing a course after the death of her father. She becomes close to her cousin, Mina and is charmed by the life the family lead in the big house. The pet is a pygmy hippopotamus and the household is run mostly by the elderly housekeeper and the girls' German grandmother. This book does not really have a plot, as such, it describes the friendship between the cousins and life in the house. Secrets are revealed about the family, but being seen through the eyes of a pubescent girl, the significance is not always apparent. Despite the lack of action, the book did draw me in.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. An unusual book

Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa is a quiet yet profound tale that captures the essence of life’s small but deeply impactful moments. Told through the reflections of Tomoko, a woman looking back on her year spent with her aunt’s family in 1972, the narrative is filled with gentle yet significant observations of her childhood experiences.

At 12 years old, Tomoko is sent to live with her relatives while her mother pursues a career in Tokyo. Their home, filled with fascinating characters like the enigmatic Mina and a quirky pygmy hippo named Pochiko, becomes a world of discovery for Tomoko. What makes this story particularly captivating is its simplicity. Ogawa masterfully weaves everyday moments—like getting a library card or tailored school clothes—into profound events that shape Tomoko’s understanding of adulthood and relationships.

The novel doesn’t rely on dramatic twists; rather, it’s the emotional depth and beauty of ordinary life that keep the reader immersed. Through Tomoko's eyes, we see the subtle bonds she forms with her cousin Mina and other household members, all written with Ogawa's signature elegance and a touch of bittersweetness. The result is a moving reflection on time, memory, and how the smallest of experiences can leave lasting impressions.

For those who enjoy slice-of-life narratives with deep emotional resonance, 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒂'𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒃𝒐𝒙 is a must-read—a novel where the simple becomes sublime.

“The books that lined the walls from floor to ceiling sat there quietly, never calling out for attention or advertising themselves with gaudy covers. But even if they appeared to be nothing more than unadorned paper boxes from the outside, they exuded a beauty equal to anything created but a sculptor or potter. Even though the meaning of the words printed on the pages was so profound it could never be contained by those boxes, the books never let on to their depths. They waited patiently until someone picked them up and opened their covers. I came to have enormous respect for that patience.”

If that quote doesn’t sum up the feeling of this book then I do not know what does. Mina’s Matchbox feels like the book equivalent of a breath of fresh air whilst wrapping yourself in your favourite childhood blanket. This novel completely swept me away, making me savour and cherish reading about Tomoko and Mina. At it’s core, Mina’s Matchbox is a love letter to literary fiction readers !

Thank you to netgalley and vintage digital for the e-arc of this wonderful novel !!

After reading The Housekeeper And The Professor, I knew I wanted to read more from this author and though it has taken me some time to get around to it, and I'm very glad I did, as we see a new re-release of her book, Mina's Matchbox.

Ogawa's style of writing for me is never something that lets me down. How this writer sets a scene and brings to life on the page the life of her characters is never something I am disappointed by and that is clear in this book, from the first pages where she talks about the pram to the last pages describing neighbourhoods passing through, this author really does make a sumptuous perspective of the world she is creating.

The story unfolds beautifully really, as we learn about Tomoko and the family she has been sent to live with. Mina and her's bond in these pages is brilliantly told and as the book goes on, we see the story unfolding as we take in Tomoko's story about moving to a new place and gaining her first steps of independence away from her parents.

I think one thing I am glad of is that I was able to take my time with this book and let it simmer in my mind, because it really a book packed with thought and emotion and a story to take your time with as it unravels in front of you.

I need to read more from this author.

(Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC for honest review).

A fascinating and joyful read which really transported me to Japan. I overall really liked this book and the writing is beautiful, however I would have enjoyed it even more if the plot was just a little bit more developed and perhaps more depth given to it as I often found it a bit flat and like not much was actually happening.

Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa is a delightful, heartwarming story that captures the simplicity and beauty of childhood through the eyes of its young protagonist, Tomoko. The book is a gentle exploration of friendship, memory, and the small yet profound moments that shape our lives.

Set in the Japanese countryside, the narrative follows Tomoko as she spends time with her cousin Mina, who has a delicate health condition. What makes the book special is how Ogawa masterfully brings to life the quiet, everyday interactions between the two girls, painting a vivid picture of their world with lyrical prose and delicate imagery.

Mina, with her fascination for matchboxes and her imaginative stories, is a character that lingers with you long after you've turned the last page. The way she views the world is both whimsical and insightful, reminding readers of the boundless creativity of children. Through Mina’s eyes, even the most ordinary objects become treasures, and this perspective is what gives the book its charm.

While the story might seem simple on the surface, Ogawa's writing is layered with subtle emotions and themes. She captures the bittersweet nature of growing up, the fragility of life, and the enduring power of memories. It's a book that gently pulls at your heartstrings, making you reflect on your own childhood and the people who have touched your life in quiet, unassuming ways.

Overall, Mina's Matchbox is a beautifully written, tender tale that’s perfect for those who appreciate stories about the quiet moments that often go unnoticed but hold the most meaning. It's a quick read, but one that leaves a lasting impression.