Bond and Book: The Long, Long Good-Bye of "The Last Bookstore"

by Mizuki Nomura

With the untimely death of third-generation bookseller Emon Koumoto, a small Tohoku town loses its last bookstore. On the eve of its closing sale, however, high schooler Musubu Enoki shows up out of nowhere claiming that the late owner had entrusted him with all the texts in the shop! As patrons come from far and wide to say their goodbyes to the store during its last week of operation, Musubu uses his ability to converse with books to reunite people with their most treasured tomes. But can these nostalgic, interconnected encounters lead him to the truth behind Emon’s demise? 

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Fiction, Light Novel, Books About Books, Japan, Young Adult

210 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2022

About the author

野村美月

Reviews

[Jesse (JesseTheReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fantastic! It was such a warm and charming read. The epitome of cozy!

[Alice4170 🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A unique story that's semi-based on Nomura's only love of their local bookstore growing up. But in this tale, the owner, third generation, dies in the bookstore and as they're ready to close out the inventory and say goodbye a mysterious person also appears to help and says he's been entrusted with the books.

It's a weird mystery and the story is really a short story compilation that moves the fuller story forward when those that loved the bookstore come in looking for something or those that are involved with the store make connections with books.

Yes it's an homage to bookstores (if you consider them a dying breed) and the power of connection among and between books and people. But it left a little magic to be desired in filling the hearts of bookworms everywhere. A little stilted in the storytelling.

[Cassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 4.5 rounded up to 5 (and I’m only taking off the .5 because sometimes I found the descriptions of human features as characters were discussed to be…weirdly specific and slightly TOO MUCH?)

Love a book about bookstores, but once again this was a tearjerker and I still haven’t read a single novel from Japanese translation that didn’t end with the tissue box in my lap.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Sherrice Mojgani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I love any story about bookstores and booksellers, the idea of a boy who is the voice of books is so delightful. The fantasy of running a bookstore will always be high on my what if lottery type wishes.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me of: The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay, Goodnight June by Sarah Jio, the Magical Bookshop mystery series by Amanda Flower.

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[Melissa Flanagin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanted to cry and hug this book with every little interconnecting story in it.

[the equestrian's library · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the untimely death of third-generation bookseller Emon Koumoto, a small Tohoku town loses its last bookstore. On the eve of its closing sale, however, high schooler Musubu Enoki shows up out of nowhere claiming that the late owner had entrusted him with all the texts in the shop! As patrons come from far and wide to say their goodbyes to the store during its last week of operation, Musubu uses his ability to converse with books to reunite people with their most treasured tomes. But can these nostalgic, interconnected encounters lead him to the truth behind Emon’s demise?

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Trigger Warnings: Several mentions of death of a character, mentions of and brief depictions of attempted suicide, grief/loss, age gap in romantic relationship, mentions of natural disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis, depictions of anxiety, ptsd & depression, mentions of death of a spouse & child (off-page), mentions of death of parents (off-page)

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This book is a love letter to bookstores and booksellers, and is a quick read rounding out at under 200 pages! I grabbed this to read on a short flight out of town and back home and was pleasantly surprised!

The translation was done beautifully, but there were some choppier sentences throughout. This is only a minor infraction though and was just an observation on my end, not something that actually affected the quality of the book. The characters were all unique and had their own voices, and I really enjoyed going through each different "short story" for each side character that came in and out of the story.

Bookstores are a timeless treasure in our world and the author captured the feelings and memories that bookstores leave behind with people both young and old. I enjoyed the paths taken through depicting grief and loss, and I really enjoyed the parallels between the former bookstore owner, Emon, and his friend.

This book is a heart-warming story that leans into heavier topics by providing the bookstore as a launching pad back into healing and growth. Each character started with a struggle that was inevitably fixed, or cured, or at least set off on the right path, after they visited Emon's shop.

I think this book is a good read, one that doesn't take a lot of brain power to understand, but enough to evoke some emotions. The book can be a bit of tearjerker, and I luckily resisted the urge while surrounded by other passengers on the plane.

I will say, the sudden shift in POV at the end was a bit jarring so prepare for that, but otherwise, I really liked this one. It also is a "Volume 2" but you do not need to read "Volume 1" at all to understand or grasp what's being talked about in this novel.

If you love your books, read this one.

4/5

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[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5, but rounded up to 5 bc why not?





-0.5 for Princess Yonaga (literally a book) and the bit where Musubu is dating her. It was weird, and Princess Yonaga is pretty possessive, so her bits with Musubu were toxic, uncomfortable to read, and thoroughly unnecessary.

Other than that the book was a warm, enjoyable read. Very fast read too for anyone who wants something quick. It was a bit repetitive at points in the description of characters, settings, and events though, but that could just be a trait of light novels. There’s also a light mystery aspect to the book as the characters try to figure out the thoughts and intentions of the recently deceased owner of the town’s last bookstore.

Readers get to know each character through how they interacted with their town’s beloved bookstore and its set of owners and through the books they found from said bookstore. We learn how each book affected its owner, from joining people together, to empowering others, and even to haunting its owner. In the end, the story really is one long, long goodbye to a beloved bookstore, akin to a funeral almost. Anyone who has ever had a favorite book or likes books in general might find something familiar and sentimental in this story.

[Amy Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5stars

This is a really cute little book that ultimately is a love letter to a bookstore.

I didn't realise that it was a volume 2. You don't need to have read book 1 to read this.

I wanted so so much for it to be a 5 star read. It ticked so many boxes that should have instant favourite. Its a book about books and a bookstore and a guy who can freaking talk to books. But if I'm honest - that's what let it down for me. I really enjoyed the interwoven stories of all the past customers and how the store impacted their lives, but it felt so broken up and disjointed at times when we were back in the present day. I really think this book would have been so much better without the magical/mystery element.

That said, I will go and try to track down book 1 to read as I did overall enjoy this.

[Casey Hudak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lovely fairy tail ish style book in which follows many different characters and their connections to a small bookstore in Japan. This book is lively, refreshing, and relaxing and I often found myself reading and sinking back into my seat like it was an old friend I got to reunite myself with. The author is simply outstanding and knows exactly how to keep readers hooked. While this book dragged on at moments and was not a difficult read, I think personally it was perfect for this style book and really allowed the words to sink in to the reader. This book also has many positive morals and teaches recovery and self-love as well as forgiving oneself and moving on from grief and self-blame. Truely phenomenal writing and a beautiful story I will definitely be turning back to in times of need.

[Cyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

It felt like this book was written just for me. My husband had picked this book up at random in a book store and gave it to me. We didn't know it was the second book in a series and I read nearly the entire thing before I saw "Volume 2" on the top of the left hand pages. I loved every second of this book. Most of the books I give 5 stars to on goodreads make me a little sad when they are over, but this one had me excited. There were so many other referenced works that instead of being upset that there was no more of this book, I'm excited to read all the titles that were mentioned in the vignettes. I can't recommend this book enough. Went out and bought book 1 today!

[Sue (BeautyBookCorner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sentimental story made up of interconnected short stories - each recounting someone’s deep connection to a book they found at the bookstore. I found each character’s experience moving and emotional. My only “meh” part was the overarching mystery between the bookstore owner and his author friend who had a falling out after being great friends who bonded over literature and writing. I found it to be a little heavy compared to the rest of the book but it ends in a beautiful way.

A quick light novel for book lovers. It has several heavy themes but the book felt more melancholic/bittersweet than depressing for me.

CW: Guilt, grief, depression, hypochondria, suicide attempt (off page)

[Ghostea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe because I recently read the phenomenal "The Miracles of the Namiya General Store" somewhat recently that I found this book slightly underwhelming at some points. Both use narratives of a diverse cast to capture the magic of human interaction but Nomura sometimes feels like she gets bogged down in fantasy elements in a way that makes the work seem less... mature?

Granted, I would still really recommend this one, I love the side stories in it and I think that is where the book really hits its stride and show the best Nomura has to offer.

[Elwood Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koumoto Books is closing.

Emon Koumoto has passed away in an accident, and now, the last bookstore in a small Tohoku town will be open for one last week in March as a send-off.

Every story connects to Koumoto books in some way or another, whether it's finding love, peace in one's mind, or peace in their heart.

As a person who currently works at a bookstore, this title hit me harder than I initially realized it would. But it's a fantastic story and one I will recommend to everyone.

[Luis Loza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book. Love the interwoven narratives and side stories, and how they each showed the impact the bookstore/specific books have had on their lives. I do think the general plot fell a bit flat for me and I kind of almost liked it more as a collection of short stories about bookstores/books and their impact. It was also hard not to compare this to Namiya General Store since they had similar structures/vibes. Overall liked but didn’t love

[Zachary Waszczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a touching story of the final days of a book store in a small Japanese town. While the book is a quick read at a tight 200 pages, the characters are engaging and sympathetic. Characters are presented through books that personally touched them and how they were tied to the store. Expect this one to pull at your heartstrings in every chapter. I loved reading this and would recommend it to anyone.

[Alissa I am on Storygraph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful love letter to books, bookstores, and booksellers. After the owner of the last bookstore in town dies, people travel there, bringing their favorite books, to share the stories of how the owner and his books changed their lives. If you have even the slightest attachment to reading and books, this novel will both fill and break your heart.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sweet book is a story of grief, love, friendship, and above all else, the power of books. It was not quite what I expected, but I still enjoyed my time with this story. I'm happy to have read it. :) If you're looking for a simple, cozy feeling story that will remind you how books can bring people together, you might want to pick this one up.

[Kimberlea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it looked cheesey and delicious when I was at Kinokuniya. Wasn't expecting much but honestly? An absolutely enjoyable read! This is a book for book lovers. I really loved it. Excellent for "snack" reading between bigger books!

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but sweet emotional read focusing on the powerful impact books have with readers. The story centers around the closing of a bookshop in a small village that invites readers to return and celebrate the books that meant so much to them.

[Bill Fish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really amazing book! Both sad and inspiring, basically this is a love story about books! Without getting preachy, it brings up the sadness of physical books being replaced with e-books, making book stores obsolete. But it also looks forward to the future and how positive changes can be.

[Holly Bevans · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ This was a cute book. It was a mixture of all these stories about the impact this book store made on peoples lives. I really did enjoy it. The short stories definitely were my favorites

[Perla Villa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Great book, highly recommend.

[Anaika · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Maddie :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book written for book lovers. It's short, but full of warmth.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when a book reminds me how much of a joy reading is.

7/10

✌🏻 Andrew

[Lyzzibug ~Still Breathing~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a bittersweet story.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun, cute, and emotional story.