The Library of Heartbeats- Blog Tour

Author: Laura Imai Messina

Publisher: Manilla Press

Publishing Date: 4th January 2024 

Many thanks to Compulsive Reader for my PDF copy of the book 

Blurb

To find what you have lost, you must listen to your heart . . .

On the peaceful Japanese island of Teshima there is a library of heartbeats, a place where the heartbeats of visitors from all around the world are collected. In this small, isolated building, the heartbeats of people who are still alive or have already passed away continue to echo.

Several miles away, in the ancient city of Kamakura, two lonely souls meet: Shuichi, a forty-year-old illustrator, who returns to his home-town to fix up the house of his recently deceased mother, and eight-year-old Kenta, a child who wanders like a shadow around Shuichi's house.

Day by day, the trust between Shuichi and Kenta grows until they discover they share a bond that will tie them together for life. Their journey will lead them to Teshima and to the library of heartbeats . . .

My Thoughts 

My second read from the author, with the first bing The Phone Box at the Edge of the World which was amazing!!!! so I had high hopes for this book and I was not left disappointed. 

Suichi , Kenta and 3rd Person POV is told. With the story going back to the past and revisiting parts that fundamentally help the story and plot in the present. 

Suichi and Kenta relationship was something unique and different and they came together in grief, sadness. and melancholy.  They way their friendship bloomed and Suichi didn't scare Kenta off when he first discovered in his mother house, showed a touching side and the element of trust. 

I was happy when Suichi gained this new perspective in life and the journey going forward to the Library and Teshima was wonderful to read. The Island has this intriguing and magical and the feeling about the connection that you may loose someone and the path to recovery isn't easy but there heartbeat is with and around you. I think this was a beautiful sentiment. 

The Author did a great job with taking the emotions and making them seep through and you can feel this intensity whilst reading. 

Brilliant Read