The first Japanese book I read, translated to English, was The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. I had heard and lot about this book and so gave it a go and was I in for a ride. The story is about a mother and daughter, Yasuko and Misato who accidentally kill Yauko’s ex-husband Togashi while trying to defend themselves from him. Their neighbour, Ishigami helps them hide the body. As the story progresses, we see how they try to evade the police.

Then I read Haruki Murakami’s Men Without Women which is collection of short stories about men who are despairing in the absence of women they love. All the stories are good and explores the theme of love, loss and loneliness.

One of my favourite books is Kafka on the Shore also by Haruki Murakami. It follows the story of a fifteen-year-old Kafka who has run away from his home and an old man Nakata who has the uncanny ability to talk to cats.

Kafka on the Shore mixes magical realism, mystery and sexuality and with a young boy and an old man at the centre of the story, it piques the interest from the very beginning. As the stories of Kafka and Nakata unfold, it is clear that at some point their lives will intertwine. There is just the correct blend of mystery and magic in the book. What happens when the line between conscious and subconscious dissolves?

Of late, I have started reading some lighter fiction. Two years ago, I chanced upon Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It is a four book series and all the books are equally good. What would you do if you could travel through time? But the catch is that you cannot leave the chair you are sitting on and your actions cannot change the present.

Then, I read Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. It is about a 36-year-old woman Keiko Furukura who has been working part time at the same convenience store for the last 18 years. She has always been treated different and she finds herself most at ease at the set out routine and layout of the convenience store. The novel is quirky and shows how society norms and pressures affect a person. It’s a tad bit long but enjoyable nonetheless.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa. The first one is about Takako, who after a devastating break-up finds herself living in the upper room of her uncle’s bookshop. Though resentful at first, she finds the books comforting and soon discovers a love for them.

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop delves further into the uncle-niece relationship and importance of love, companionship and friendship in people’s lives.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai is about father daughter duo who own a restaurant. They also try to recreate the long lost flavours of a dish that their customer’s want to find. All the characters come with their own emotional stories and this too is a heartwarming read.

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi. It is the story of a magical photo studio owned by Mr. Hirasaki. The studio is a door to the afterlife where people stop before moving on. At the time of death of a person, Mr Hirasaki receives a box full of photographs and the person has to select the memories they want to see in the spinning lantern before moving on. It is a poignant story which will stay with you for quite some time.

All the books that I have read have been interesting and each story has something different. I am sure some of the essence must have been missed in translation but even then, all these books are totally worth the time given to them.

This post is a part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon.