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What You Are Looking for Is in the Library

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What You Are Looking for Is in the Library

By: Michiko Aoyama, Alison Watts
Narrated by: Hanako Footman, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, Shiro Kawai, Susan Momoko Hingley
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The heartwarming Japanese bestseller for fans of Matt Haig, Fredrik Backman and The Cat Who Saved Books.

'Library. What a nice-sounding word. So comforting. I feel like I'm a student again. Library... Am I allowed to borrow books?'

'What are you looking for?' asks Tokyo's most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. She is no ordinary librarian. Naturally, she has read every book on her shelf, but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of anyone who walks through her door. Sensing exactly what they're looking for in life, she provides just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Every borrower in her library is at a different crossroads, from the restless retail assistant - can she ever get out of a dead-end job? - to the juggling new mother who dreams of becoming a magazine editor, and the meticulous accountant who yearns to own an antique store. The surprise book Komachi lends to each will have transformative consequences.

Magical and uplifting, What You Are Looking for Is in the Library is about the wondrousness of libraries and the power of books for change. Highlighting all the tiny comforts of being alive, it is a story that no listener will ever forget.

©2023 Michiko Aoyama (P)2023 Penguin Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Magic Magical Realism World Literature Fantasy Heartfelt Feel-Good Cats
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This book stood out to me as a kindness, to oneself and others ... It explored the bumps in life's journey from many different perspectives, and teaches how to see things from a new perspective, how to explore new meanings and connections when all seems hopeless. Beautiful.

Deeply moving and hopeful

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Already one of my favourite books to go back to again and again. I loved all the characters - their flaws, struggles and thought processes. Ms Komachi the librarian being my favourite of course! On occasion the narration sounds a little over-acted in places but the observant and thoughtful writing outweighs this. A definite comfort read.

Heart-warming stories of how it's never too late to change your life direction with small steps and kindness

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This is better to be read as a book than an audiobook. Some of the voices they picked were OK and maybe a little too enthusiastic for my liking. However I liked the different stories of each person and their background, learning an unexpected life lesson. Very relatable to people's lives of today.

Different people in all walks of life

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Loved each story. Lots to think about and enjoy. The performances were great. Very well read.

Beautiful story and very uplifting

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I am going to listen to this book every year. I loved the stories. I loved the characters. I loved the variety of ages of the characters and their life stages. I loved the Japanese accents from the voice actors. Read this then move on to Days At The Morisaki Bookshop

What a beautiful book

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Book Review 31 (2024) - 5/5 - 'What You're Looking For is in the Library', Michiko Aoyama - Fiction - Uplifting

At Christmas last year, my brother Adrian, knowing my love for books and Japanese culture, gifted me a book that would become one of my most memorable reads of the year: What You're Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama.

It’s a deceptively simple book with a heartwarming message, told through the lives of five distinct narrators. The premise is wonderfully straightforward: each of the five main characters is at a crossroads in their life—stuck, uncertain, or searching for something. They find themselves in the quiet haven of a library, where they meet a wise, quirky librarian who guides them not with advice, but with seemingly incongruous book recommendations. And it is through these books, oddly aligned to their lives, that each character uncovers the answers they’ve been seeking.

What truly struck me was the elegance of Aoyama’s storytelling. The book’s structure mirrors the layers of a puzzle slowly being revealed. Despite each character having their own unique story arc, they all converge through their interactions with the librarian—this gentle thread weaving their lives together in a way that feels both magical and utterly human. I found the shift in perspective between the narrators refreshing, and how they each resonated with the same person, the librarian, yet brought their own emotional depth and personal challenges to the forefront.

The wisdom in this novel is delivered with subtlety and grace. You won’t find grandiose life lessons or epiphanies that hit you over the head. Instead, you’re led to quietly reflect, much like the characters do after receiving their peculiar book recommendations. It’s this kind of gentle nudge toward self-discovery that makes What You're Looking For is in the Library so endearing. The librarian’s intuition reminded me of the mentors we meet in life who seem to see what we can’t, offering guidance when we need it most—often disguised as something else entirely.

For me, the charm lies in the simplicity of the narrative. It doesn’t try to dazzle or overwhelm. Instead, it takes its time to unravel, allowing you to connect deeply with the characters. Aoyama’s writing invites you to slow down, reflect, and maybe even ponder the metaphorical “books” in your own life—the unexpected resources or wisdom you encounter when you least expect it.

What Adrian, and this book, reminded me is that often the answers we seek aren’t grand or complicated; they’re found in the ordinary, in the quiet corners of life—whether in a book, a conversation, or an unexpected moment of clarity.

This one’s a beautiful reminder that life’s mysteries and solutions can sometimes be as simple as a good recommendation from someone who sees the world a little differently.

Final Thoughts If you’re looking for a read that offers comfort, reflection, and the warm embrace of storytelling at its finest, What You're Looking For is in the Library deserves a spot on your shelf. A charming novel that is as much about personal growth as it is about the serendipity of life, and it leaves you with the quiet reassurance that sometimes what you’re seeking is closer than you think—perhaps even as close as the next book you pick up.

Happy reading, Reader Leaders! 📖

CPH

Discovering Life's Answers in a Library's Pages

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A sweet uplifting narrative about serendipity. What a very special library! An enjoyable listen. Recommended if you're feeling like a dose of positivity.

Uplifting

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Interesting characters and well narrated. Several laugh out loud moments but also thoughtful reflection. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Interesting and unique Japanese novel

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This book was on my TBR for a while as I love the concept and I love Japanese fiction. However, this book is not it. When I have the ick more than twice in a book because the character or the story plot taken an ageist (please 40 is not old aged), sexist (gaslighting girlfriends and women in your life), it just not it. I did not like any of the first three characters. Did not finish and do not recommend.

What a disappointment

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