The Miraculous Novel
The following is a review of the Japanese novel, ‘Miracles of the Namiya General Store’ by Keigo Higashino.
Have you ever reached a point in life when you couldn’t really take a decision for yourself? When turning to friends and family only left you more confused than you were before? Did you wish you had a life coach to guide you on a journey? That’s the Old Man at Namiya General Store. A life coach for any query you might have, whether improving your grades or figuring out your calling in life.
The story is an intricate web of sub-plots that merge at the very end. Each character is fleshed out and is connected by an invisible thread that somehow links back to the orphanage or welfare home, Marumitsen. The core characters constitute a group of misfits who stumble upon an abandoned store to while away the dark hours of the night. Instead, they find themselves on the receiving end of a mysterious string of letters. At first, the three — Atsuya, Shota and Kohei — are cautious and assume that they are on the verge of being apprehended for their petty crimes. Slowly, they realize that the letters are being sent from the past and that the store defies the passage of time as we know it. While the trio slowly put the clues together, the readers are transported into the lives of the senders of these letters. The narrative is interspersed with the stories of the different characters who are somehow connected to Namiya General Store or have sought its advice.
Each individual story explores a form of struggle: a man who fails to realize his dreams, a woman who is on the verge of losing the love of her life, and a teenager who has lost trust in his family — to name a few; all of these shed light into the ordinary predicaments of everyday life.
The story reaches its climax with the three delinquents choosing to improve their lives based on the lessons they get from their experience in that night. What stays with the reader is the realization that even though life never pans out the way you expect it to be — you can always ask for help and if nothing, it will help you understand what your heart truly wants.
- Spoiler Alert ahead*
Your heart breaks for the star-crossed lovers, i.e. the founders of Namiya General Store, and Marumitsen. But it also ties up the loose ends of the constant coincidences that seem to be occurring throughout the story. If Namiya was the source of all answers for the lost souls, then Marumitsen gave them the shelter they needed. It acted as a larger metaphor to unite the two lovers — how they completed each other through their acts of charity and helping others.
If you are looking for a slice-of-life tale with a twist of supernatural, then this is the book for you. An easy read that starts off slow but builds the intrigue that makes you yearn for the best possible ending for the characters. And if you would rather watch the movie, there is a Chinese adaptation that stars Jackie Chan.
