What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

 What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (trans. Alison Watts), 304 pgs

These five stories all orbit one small community library in Tokyo. Each of the protagonists feels stuck in their own lives; until, by some circumstance or another, they end up in the community center library and meet it's enigmatic reference librarian. She gives each of them the books they are looking for, as well as one book that seems strange and random, and one small felted toy. Each protagonist soon begins to feel like fate is pushing them in the direction they want to go, and begin feeling like their lives are changing for the better.

This is a phenomenal book. I feel like it's especially resonant in January, but it would be great at any time. Each of the protagonists is very different, but their problems are all very mundane and common. It feels very comforting that the steps between the life that was draining their spirits and a much more fulfilling life are often small, nearly insignificant changes. It makes fulfillment feel very attainable. It was also very interesting to see each of the protagonists occasionally weave into each other's stories. Realistically these stories take place in a very small area, but it is still very interesting to see the ways in which lives are connected to other lives, and to get little peeks at how previous protagonists are doing. It also helps emphasize the aspects of community building that are a major theme that runs through the novel. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone, and I'm planning on buying a copy for myself to reread.