Four Seasons in Japan: A big-hearted book-within-a-book about finding purpose and belonging, perfect for fans of Matt Haig's THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY

Another damaged book! I have different collections of books and keep my books in perfect condition. It's sad when it arrives damaged.

The new year has just begun, but "Four Seasons in Japan" will definitely be one of my highlights in 2024. What an incredibly beautiful and moving book full of warmth and wisdom!!!Basically it's a book-within-a-book. There's the story of Flo, who translates Japanese books into English and becomes obsessed with a book by an unknown Japanese writer she finds on the Tokyo subway. She's is in the middle of a depression and the translation of this book into English might just be the project she needs to get back on her feet again.And then there's the book "Sound of Water", which tells the story of Ayako and her grandson Kyo. Their relationship isn't an easy one, since they hardly know each other at the beginning. Each of them has suffered loss and heartbreak, but gradually they come to understand each other and open up.It's difficult to describe this book because it touches so many different topics. It's a coming-of-age story (a young man trying to find his place in the world), it's about generation gap, about regrets, loss, grief and resilience. It's about listening to your heart and do the things that make you happy and give meaning to your life instead of fulfilling other people's expectations. It's about finding your one passion that gives your life purpose.I liked Flo, the translator, but I really came to love Ayako and her grandson Kyo. They touched my heart so much that I didn't want to leave them behind at the end of the book. And I loved to learn about Japanese culture and tradition and soaked up the beautiful landscape descriptions.I would like to recommend this gem of a novel to those who love character-driven novels that focus on the personal development of the protagonists. For me, this novel and its protagonists will definitely stay in my heart for a very long time.

A simple calming book to read. There’s motivational quotes too. I love traveling to Japan and this book makes me wanna visit more places in Japan and explore.

I bought this book because of the reviews and setting in Japan. I felt it did not live up to the positive reception at all.It reads more like a present-day situation with simple dialogue and Japanese references the author might have come across as a translator or having witnessed Japan in their own way. I do not feel like this lends to the gentle sensitivities and quiet depths of character in a Japanese novel. I would recommend "The Samurai's Garden" by Gail Tsukiyama (an American author) which I would rather re-read and have abandoned this book.

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