A pure delight

 

 ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Mina's Matchbox is a unique novel which dropped me squarely in 1970s Japan. A surprising little find full of joy, new adventure and the power of adapting to life beyond the ordinary, I loved it.

Newly arrived to live temporarily with her aunt, uncle, grandmother and sickly cousin Mina, 12 year old Tomoko arrives in Ashiya not knowing how it will change her life. Learning to navigate among these intriguing individuals, along with Pichiko the pygmy hippo, opens Tomoko's eyes to a world far different from what she knew with her mother in Okayama.

The beauty of this story feels a bit like watching a party through a key hole. Though you observe the happenings it feels less understood as we experience it from a distance with limited capacity, through the eyes and mind of 12 year old Tomoko. It's freeing and freshing to enjoy this new world with naivety and openness as the story rolls through the seasons and life evolves gradually. I could empathise with Tomoko as she learns more of life in Ashiya. She is both of it yet separate. Sweet, full of wisdom, this isn't exactly a coming of age story but it is one that has stayed with me well after reading the last page. A pure, gentle joy.