Ogawa did it again!

Fresh and bright as a garden after the rain, this is a touching and amusing short novel but with its darker side and the fleeting nature of childhood.
Tomoko has lost her father and her mother is going back to school, so she spends a year with her aunt's family in Ashiya. There she discovers an eccentric and affectionate world, with a German grandmother, a cook who runs the household, a dandy father and Pochiko, the dwarf hippopotamus who lives in the garden! But above all there is Mina, the fragile, asthmatic and precocious cousin with whom she immediately becomes inseparable.
A year passes with the rhythm of the seasons and we fall in love with this family, feeling at home in this Western house, living with the mysterious absences of this warm-hearted father and Mina's asthma attacks, over-protected by those around her. There's the delicious food, the huge library of contemporary classics and the pampering. But there is also the loneliness and boredom of Mina's neglected mother, and Mina's hospitalisations.
Yoko Ogawa's simple, clear style, which I have just discovered, reminds me very much of that of Banana Yoshimoto, and I admire her fragile, elusive descriptions of the emotions and reflections that can dance in a cup or a curtain.

As a huge fan of The Memory Police, I knew I had to pick up Ogawa's new release: Mina's Matchbox! Set in the haze of nostalgia, we follow Tomoko as she looks back on her 12 year old self who is sent to live with her Uncle and his family for a year in Japan, set in the 1970s. Tomoko is entranced by her family members, in particular, her blooming friendship with her cousin Mina becomes a pivotal part of the narrative, who collects matchboxes.

Ogawa (and Snyder's translation) has an amazing way of portraying so vividly a slice of life narrative, where you are instantly completely immersed in the world that she creates. If you enjoy character-driven narratives, then I highly recommend this book!

Without a doubt, the stand out character is Pochiko, the miniature hippopotamus, who lives in the long abandoned zoo at the bottom of the garden and upon whom Mina rides to school everyday. The adorable descriptions of Pochiko's stumpy legs stole my heart.

That was such a delicate and poetic novella, following Tomoko, a young girl who spends a year with her aunt's wealthy family in Japan, 1972. I loved the eccentric family, with the mysterious uncle who fixes his family's belongings at night, Mina and her matchbox collection, the German grandmother Rosa and her friendship with the housekeeper Yoneda, and of course the pet hippopotamus... It was melancholic and lovely.

This is a lovely book, made up of what feel like quirky vignettes, telling the story of Tomoko, a young Japanese girl spending a year with her aunt and rather eccentric family - and pygmy hippo - while her mother is at design school. It's gentle and whimsical but there are also some hard truths seen through her eyes as she tries to negotiate an adult world.
The only thing I found a bit jarring was the rather sudden ending.
Special mention to the wonderful translator who ensured it was easy and enjoyable to read in English.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

A beautiful, meditative and reflective story. Loved the whimsy of the characters and story. Benefits from a longer read, where you can sit in the world and with the characters. Captures the bittersweet nostalgia of memories you are aware will be significant as you're living them, that are often the random confluence of events that brings together a specific set of people, at a specific time in a specific place.

"If you wanted to describe Mina in a few words, you might say she was an asthmatic girl who loved books and rode a pygmy hippopotamus. But if you wanted to distinguish her from everyone else in the world, you'd say she was a girl who could strike a match more beautifully than anyone."

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an extraordinary novel, skillfullly translated from its original Japanese version by Stephen Snyder. Perhaps ‘transferred’ is a better term as the meaning and emotions appear to have been preserved, and the novel is all the richer for it. It presents a rich tapestry of human frailty, refracted through objects we hold onto for their memorial value. The novel’s main character, Tomoko, does just that, recalling her life story through an assemblage of domestic paraphernalia and photos. Among her recollections are the year of 1972, when she is sent away as a twelve year-old to lodge with her aunt’s family to allow her mother to complete a course of study that will hopefully lead to a better career. In contrast to Tomoko’s quiet, fairly minimalist home life to date, the aunt’s house has everything in abundance: charismatic people (her uncle and aunt, her great-aunt and cousin, all supported by a housekeeper and groundsman), belongings (antique furniture, ancient books and other artefacts) and new experiences. This is not a novel that builds towards a climax or an extraordinary revelation. Rather, its extraordinariness lies in its minute, nuanced descriptions of seemingly ordinary experiences: Tomako’s negotiation of the affluence she has never encountered before, the riches the local library holds, the challenges of starting at a new school – and the gradually emerging friendship and understanding that she builds with her cousin Mina.
I am always looking to discover exciting new literary voices. This novel held a lot of promise and made a lasting impact, so I was delighted to be granted a free e-ARC in exchange for the book review.

Mina's Matchbox is about 12-year old Tomoko and the year she lives with her aunt's family in the 1970's in rural Japan. Told by an older Tomoko, we meet her cousin Mina as well as her aunt and uncle and Grandmother Rosa and learn about a pivotal moment in her young life.

I initially enjoyed the story and meeting Tomoko and her family. There were interesting dynamics between them all, particularly her uncle who disappears for months at a time and her aunt who is depressed and drinks too much. Unfortunately, I felt that many of the interesting threads of the story weren't taken further into the narrative and lost interest around the midpoint.

The prose is beautiful and it did remind me of Kazuo Ishiguro and his style, particularly as its about nostalgia and loss but I felt it ultimately lacked depth and direction.

A vivid and evocative novel, Mina's Matchbox is a beautiful coming of age story set in 1970s Japan.

Not a lot happens, but it's wonderfully atmospheric. Ogawa's use of Ghibli-esque imagery and subject matter conjures up the same bittersweet beauty often found in Ghibli's work. The characters are vividly imagined, and the relationship between the narrator and her ethereal cousin Mina is utterly enchanting. It's beautifully paced with some really poignant moments towards the end.

Mina's Matchbox is a tender novel of family and imagination, laced with childhood magic.

Thank you Penguin Random House, Vintage Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

It's the spring of 1972, 12-year-old Tomoko leaves Tokyo and her mother behind and travels to Ashiya, a coastal Japanese town, to live with her aunt and uncle for a year. The home is magnificent - seventeen rooms filled with German-made furnishings... and a pygmy hippo living in the gardens. Centre of this home is Mina, Tomoko's cousin. Mina is a clever young girl, but at 13 her body often limits her as she struggles with asthma. The two girls form a close bond as Mina lets Tomoko into her little world of secrets, stories, and some rather special matchboxes.

Mina's Matchbox is a coming-of-novel focusing on this year of Tomoko's life as she looks back as an adult - the memories a snapshot in time she holds very dear.

This story was enchanting in many ways. A nostalgic tale about friendship, family hardships, memories, the beauty that can be found in the mundane.

"If you wanted to describe Mina in a few words, you might say she was an asthmatic girl who loved books and rode a pygmy hippopotamus. But if you wanted to distinguish her from everyone else in the world, you'd say she was a girl who could strike a match more beautifully than anyone."

I'll start by saying this is not a plot-book. It's observational of day-to-day life, and very character focused. Not for everyone, but I really enjoyed Tomoko's voice and the way she viewed the world and those around her which made for a really enjoyable read.

I particularly enjoyed Tomoko and Mina's relationship. Tomoko was so grateful to be let into Mina's world and genuinely savoured every secret.

Tomoko's observations of the adults around her were also really interesting. She made for an interesting narrator as she, as an adult, recalled her childhood experiences and how she felt about the behaviour of the adults around her. It was nice to get a glimpse of what Tomoko and Mina's relationship looked like as adults.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. A narrator looking back on memories from childhood through an adult lens is always interesting and I think this was done really well.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this if you need a book to make you slow down and appreciate the small things. ...and probably make you wish you had a pet pygmy hippo.

There were so many beautiful quotes in this book, so below are a couple of mine. Thank you again Penguin Random House, Vintage Books for the arc.

"Mina, who gave me so much and asked nothing in return, was born in the winter of 1960. Mina, the darling of the whole family, whose body was too weak to travel but whose soul never stopped voyaging to the ends of the earth."

"Beyond the page lay an unknown world, and the open book was a portal to that world that should not be thoughtlessly disturbed lest Mina be unable to find her way back."

Written from Tomoko's perspective, this is the account of her year living with her (very) rich cousin in the 1970s. Not a lot happens. The 2 girls go to school, read books, spend time with the pet hippo and become fangirls of the Japanese volleyball team. There are things which could turn tragic, but they don't. Then, once the year is up, there are a few concluding remarks and it stops. Not one I can recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Less cohesive plot, more series of magical moments that will enchant your imagination whether your are 8 or 80!

Mina's Matchbox is a curious read with no particularly cohesive plot, but rather magical moments and memories of the teen Tomoko when she lived with her enigmatic and wealthy aunt and her storyteller cousin Mina.
The themes and characterisation are wonderful. The bond between the teens is lovely. The journey is full of all sorts of emotions.
The pygmy hippo, the grandma and the girls' stories were the highlights for me.

Plot: 3
Characterisation: 5
Mood: 5
Style/prose: 4
Pacing: 4

3.5

This isn't a book with a plot as such, it's more about the day to day life of Tomoko during the year she spends with her cousin Mina. Some of the anecdotes were really gut wrenching and others were a pure joy.
I think you have to be in the mood for this type of book and I wasn't really expecting it to be laid out this way which is why I didn't enjoy it as much as others might!

'Mina's Matchbox' is a nostalgic story set in 1970s Japan. The first person narrator, Tomoko, recalls the year she spent living with her wealthy relatives, a German-Japanese family who owned a soft drinks company. She quickly forms a close bond with her cousin, Mina, a sickly but intelligent girl whose life is greatly limited and often threatened by her asthma. Despite being very happy there, Tomoko realises some things aren't quite right - like why her uncle spends so much time away from home without explanation. Over the year she comes to understand the family better and the things that are unsaid.

Tomoko is a likeable narrator and the supporting characters are interesting and sympathetic too. Ogawa's style is easy to read, and well translated. As there are numerous examples of word-play that form part of the story, the translator does a great job of finding equivalents that make sense in English. The sense of place is well evoked - I can clearly visualise the house and its residents, and particularly Pochiko the pygmy hippo - a family pet left over from a closed petting zoo.

The story is gently paced and not a lot of great excitement happens. The narrative arc is structured around the single year that Tomoko is spending there, and there are certain threads that carry through. But it's not exactly a plot driven novel. It's rather a story that captures a feeling, a does so beautifully - the sense of nostalgia and fond memories of a happy spell in childhood. Even though the time was not entirely perfect by any means, Tomoko clearly treasures her memory of the period and it stands out in her mind even decades later. It's so well conjured up that you find yourself reflecting on any such happy memories of your own, or even feeling as if Tomoko's recollection is your own.

As always, a beautifully written story by Ogawa that is well worth reading by those who enjoy literary fiction and particularly anyone with an interest in Japan.

Our shop Book group had read Ogawa's "The Housekeeper and The Professor" and loved it's "quiet" style and well observed characters. That's why I requested a copy of this book.

Tomoko's mother is having to find work in 1970s Japan , but her apartment doesn't allow space for her daughter. Instead Tomoko goes to stay with her cousin in Ashiya. From the outset she is in a different world as her uncle is a rich man, due to owning a factory that produces a fizzy drink. The house is grand and even had it's own zoo in the past. Now all that is left of the zoo is a pygmy hippo .

As Tomoko gets to know her cousin Mina she discovers more about the mysterious household . Mina herself is frail (she rides to school on the hippo which conjures up a wonderful image! ) She suffers from asthma and is frequently incapacitated by her illness. She takes refuge in stories which are inspired by matchboxes and in reading (Tomoko goes to the library for her)

Themes of sisterhood are woven through- Tomoko and MIna most obviously but also the German grandmother who has a close reciprocal friendship with the housekeeper. However there is an underlying dis-ease about the uncle, with one plot line following Tomoko trying to find out more about his absences.
There are also theme strands devoted to the transforming power of a flame/fire , the power of storytelling, guilt and fidelity. There are characters whose mental health is fragile but you are "shown" this rather than "told" . Trauma is there in the background.

On another level it's a coming of age novel set against a time of change in the wider world. that explores the theme of belonging.

It's a memorable book, one that will stay with you for a long time after you put it down.

“So she thought, a bit relieved, even when you die, you don’t disappear. Matter doesn’t vanish, it transforms. She imagined herself becoming an insect shell or a shooting star when she died, and she had a feeling she’d be able to sleep peacefully now. She snuggled into her bed, on top of the many dead things she’d hidden underneath.”

Yoko Ogawa’s new novel is about Tomoko, after the death of her father she is sent to live by her mother with her aunt and uncle. The year she spends with them will change her life. Set during 1970s Japan, Tomoko is curious about her uncle’s colonial mansion and the secrets it hides. They also have an unusual occupant in Pochiko, a Pygmy hippopotamus who is the last survivor from a time when the extensive gardens housed a zoo. But it is Tomoko's growing friendship with her cousin Mina which has the most profound effect on her time with the family.

The only other book I’ve read by this author is “The Memory Police”. I remember it well for how it was heartbreaking and thought provoking. In a similar vein “Mina’s Matchbox” takes a close look at the bond Tomoko develops with her cousin Mina. As they become closer they both learn the struggles of adulthood and the family dynamics that will impact their future lives.

There were many endearing moments as well as funny ones. At times my heart broke for Tomoko as you learn to read between the lines of why this family lives the way they do. The atmosphere and quirks of Japan during this time are beautifully imagined in this story.

I enjoyed reading this novel and if anything I’m curious about some more work by this author.

This is a plot of small happenings and is very slow paced. I personally didn’t mind that, I thought it was still interesting to get to know the characters and the setting felt tangible.
Not my favourite Ogawa but not a bad read either.

Published 15 August 2024. This gentle novel is set in 1970s Japan and covers the year when Tomoko goes to stay with her aunt (her mother's sister) after the death of her father. Mum wants to study in Tokyo for a year to make herself more employable. Tomoko's aunt and uncle live in a large house and are fairly wealthy, but the household is rather eccentric. Her aunt smokes, drinks whisky and spends her time trying to find typographical errors in publications while her uncle is director of a soft drinks company but spends a lot of time away. Also in the household is Grandmother Rosa who came from Berlin, a housekeeper, Yoneda-san, who is the same age as Grandmother Rosa - she runs the house - a gardener, Kobayashi-san, and Mina, Tomoko's cousin who is asthmatic and frail. There is another, rather unexpected 'family' member - a pygmy hippo called Pochiko who Mina rides to school. This is almost a coming of age, told as all Japanese stories seem to, through the passing of the seasons. Our story starts in Spring and we follow the girls as their friendship develops, they share their obsessions and develop crushes. The descriptions of the house are so real and the author drops in the odd historical event, but mainly we focus on the girls. I did like the way that the adult Tomoko also gives her perspective as she looks back on what, for her, was a magical year. As for Mina's matchboxes - I'll let you discover those for yourself but I did enjoy the stories within the story. A lovely read.

This book was a real balm for the soul - gentle, engaging and interesting. A story of an unusual family in unusual times. I really loved it.

I was expecting a story but it is more like a collection of anecdotes between two cousins, a coming-of-age one. It is very slow with no plot so it missed out a bit for me.