[Book Review] The Miracles of the Namiya General Store by Keigo Higashino (translated by Sam Bett)

When three delinquents hole up in an abandoned general store after their most recent robbery, to their great surprise, a letter drops through the mail slot in the store's shutter. This seemingly simple request for advice sets the trio on a journey of discovery as, over the course of a single night, they step into the role of the kindhearted former shopkeeper who devoted his waning years to offering thoughtful counsel to his correspondents. Through the lens of time, they share insight with those seeking guidance, and by morning, none of their lives will ever be the same.

By acclaimed author Keigo Higashino, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store is a work that has touched the hearts of readers around the world.

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CW: self harm, suicidal thoughts and mentions of suicide, mentions of abortion. 

 

This book is absolutely a new favorite one of mine.  I picked it up on a whim when I was in a bookstore with a few friends and my husband (then fiancé). Originally it was the cover that caught my eye, which I still love with my whole heart, and then the synopsis had me intrigued enough that although I put it back on the shelves I had to snag it before checking out because it wouldn't get off my mind while browsing the rest of the shelves. 

This is the type of story that the plot is the main star but the author does a fantastic job with making you genuinely care about the wide cast of characters too. The story had me surprised and emotional throughout the book because the plot is so heartwarming and sweet. The way the different stories all come together and intertwine was crafted beautifully. I love stories where there are different perspectives and they all connect in some way, and this is I think one of the best books I've read where this kind of storytelling style is implemented. 

The writing is elegant and whimsical, without it being overly done or hard to read. It definitely had a magical realism vibe to it without it being confusing (magical realism is sometimes hard to read for me at times). There was a kind of magic hidden in the words and it felt like this epic tale was being told. I love stories where supernatural or magical realism type elements are hidden away in our normal everyday world. The suspense and mystery behind how the magic behind the Namiya General Store works definitely was one of the reasons that kept me reading but it was also the characters. From the three thieves that are the center characters of the story to the characters we learn about in the vignette short stories that ask the Namiya General Store for advice, all of them not only kept my interest peaked but made me so empathetic to their realities and struggles. 

I honestly don't have a single thing I had a n issue with when it comes to the characters, plot, or writing. I loved them all so much and I was hooked from the beginning. I kept announcing how much I was loving it to my husband as we were reading. I couldn't help it, I was entranced from the first pages. It was easy to read, even if we are bouncing between different timelines.As things clicked into place they were "Ah-ha!" moments and not "wait, what is happening?" moments. And although you of course have to suspend your disbelief a bit to believe in a magic general store set in the real world, the way it's written makes that task extremely easy. 

Overall, I highly recommend this book! It is a bit outside my normal reading comfort zone but I am so glad I picked it up. It's so unique and heartwarming. I love how wholesome and overall sweet this story is. It has tragedies and sad moments, sure, but this book is filled with themes of hope. 

Thanks for reading!