What you are looking for is in the library
A librarian gives five people a book and a felt toy that changes their life, but not in the way they expected.
This is a classic example of Japanese short stories: five people are struggling in life, they meet a mysterious and enigmatic stranger, and their life changes for the better. In this case, the stranger is a librarian who works at the library at the community centre, who gives each of them an unexpected choice of book and a hand-made felt toy.
A woman who feels stuck in a department store job reads a children’s book about characters who find a large egg, and finds joy in cooking. A man whose unfulfilled dream is to open an antiques shop gets a book about worms, and the above/below ground life of trees helps him see the possibility of a dual career. A man who became isolated after his retirement reads a poetry book while attending Go classes, and builds a new life for himself.
I enjoyed the individuals stories, less so the librarian. The book is keen to emphasise how large she is, which feels vaguely fat-phobic given the lack of physical description for any other characters, and we learn very little about her. We don’t know who she is or how she has the ability to pick such useful books, and the explanation that she’s “just guessing” feels unsatisfying.
I was hoping for something similar to The Lantern of Lost Memories, where the final chapter explains the main character’s backstory.
A fun read but not one I expect to remember.