The Miracles of the Namiya General Store

Heartwarming. That's the word that comes to my mind when I think about this book.

I've been used to Higashino's complex mysteries, but I never thought I could read a book by him so intricate and heartwarming at the same time. It just shows his abilities as a writer and how he can easily write any genre he wants.

This book is one of my favorites now.

I had already heard that Higashino books were page turners and this is indeed the case, I finished this one in just a few days, which for me is quite unusual.

He does some fantastic weaving of side stories into a bigger plot, which are often quite touching. And there's also a general vibe of Osamu Tezuka, specially on the Blackjack manga series which I really enjoyed. I throughly recommend it.

SPOILER: On a side note, it also reminds me of some of my favourite low budget science fiction movies, like Prime or Los Cronocrimenes. Also, how come no one mentions the connections between this and the Dark tv show?!?!?!

This was really such a great book to read. It took me a long while to read it because I'm still struggling with a massive reader's block, but I am so glad I stuck to it. Better to read it slowly than not at all.

The book was really great, I wasn't expecting anything of what happened and I was so delighted to have something happening and then gasping when I realised exactly what was going on, I love that for me.

I liked the story, the setting, and how everything came together. I liked the characters a lot too, and I enjoyed seeing them grow from page to page. I was also imagining them like in a film while reading so I was happy when I found out there is a film made after the book as well. I didn't watch the film yet and I really hope it will do the book justice, but either way, I'm glad it's been made.

Very cleverly crafted but I didn't feel a connection to the characters. I don't think Japanese magical realism is for me.

somehow wildly connected. every story here felt like a hug. perfect for a nighttime book.

09 June 2022:

It plays on a certain theme but keeps it very lighthearted and touching. There is predictably but it's not too bad. It's better to read this yourself than to describe what it is.

Rating: 3/5. Really enjoyable and wholesome.

The relationships of characters in the story are very well connected.

There's something I've learned from years of reading people's letters. In most cases, they already have an answer to their problem. They're asking for advice because they want to see if other people think they're making the right decision. That's why a lot of people send me a response after reading my advice. Maybe they had a different solution in mind.

My first read of 2021, an absolutely beautiful magical tale(humanly magical if that makes sense).
Coming off a reading slump, this book had me hooked right from its very first page. I like how the book was REAL. The characters all flawed and realistically portrayed, and the way each story falls into place with all of its intricate details was incredible... sort of like a mind map being formed in the reader's mind as they read on, formulating the connections before they're revealed.
I personally liked the concept of having anonymity while getting insight from a total stranger and then finding out that the answers you sought were within you all along.

A definite recommendation!

Took me a while to finish this book because several times I needed to just process my emotions, and that processing tooks weeks!!
It's so beautifully written, and it's amazing how everything was coherent and linked together. Would recommend.