Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I rated this book 3 stars. The story, set in Kamakura, follows Shuichi, a 40-year-old illustrator, and Kenta, an eight-year-old boy, as they form an unlikely friendship in the aftermath of Shuichi’s mother’s death. Although both characters are deeply lonely, their relationship helps bring healing to Shuichi’s life. Messina’s lyrical and descriptive writing shines through, with layers of memory, love, and loss woven into the narrative. However, the pacing was slow, and the non-linear structure made it hard to stay engaged. Despite its touching moments, this book ultimately fell short for me.

I absolutely adored Messina's first novel, The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World. It was tender and heartfelt. It did not look away from tragedy and, at the same time, showed such faith in humanity.

Once again, Messina writes with her unique voice and moves the reader. Readers should know that there really is a heartbeat library. What a thing to contemplate and to make one think about one's life and those of others.

As was true in the first book, the cover and design of the novel are beautiful. There are some interior illustrations that are simple and engaging. The novel is constructed uniquely with narrative and other sections of thoughts and revelations.

The story is about a man, Shuichi, and a child Kenta. Part of their connection came through Shuichi's mother. She is no longer alive. Shuichi is clearing out her belongings and thinking about their relationship and his life. When he notices some things are being taken, he comes to see and know Kenta, a boy who has had struggles. Both Kenta and Shuichi have their stories and they are well told here.

Here is another moving and emotionally resonant novel by a talented author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Abrams for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 22 October 2024

THE HEARTBEAT LIBRARY by Laura Imai Messina (The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World) is a quiet, reflective novel set in Japan. Much of the story centers around the title library "where the heartbeats of visitors from all around the world are collected" on the Teshima island. Key characters include Shuichi, a 40-year-old illustrator, and a young elementary school student named Kenta, both of whom are mourning Shuichi's mother. They gradually build a trust and affection for each other and widen their circle to include Sayaka, a love interest for Shuichi. In its starred review Booklist describes THE HEARTBEAT LIBRARY as "a beautiful meditation on grief and healing." The story moves slowly, but there is much to contemplate:

"Life is a succession of shipwrecks. ... Because upon arrival on the beach, whatever the existence that preceded it was like, it is now memory. No matter how much pain we have accumulated, life begins again."

"He smiled. He realized this was how you know you care about someone: when you see them where they aren't"

"...love is never alone fear is always right beside it."

As an aside, this book called to mind another favorite book with heartbeat in the title: The Art of Hearing Heartbeats; look for it and others by Jan-Philipp Sendker.

These books always fill my heart. Not only is The Heartbest Library, a fabulous read but it will make you feel so whole and content by the end of this book. This is not fluff, but a healing of the heart.

This was a beautifully and powerfully written novel . Every word felt like poetry. This is a heartwarming story of family ,love , friendship and grief as one man rediscovers life and creates a new home for himself after some painful losses . You can tell the author has a great connection to this story and that the Island with the Heartbeat archives holds a special place for her. I personally am not longing to go and add my heartbeats to the archives . I loved how the heart was described throughout the novel and the beauty of the Japanese language to describe the beats of one’s heart in different situations of love , grief , excitement etc .


Thank you Netgalley , ABRAMS | The Overlook Press for this ARC . This is my honest review .

United States Publication: October 22, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS | The Overlook Press for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

In the ancient city of Kamakura, Shuichi, a 40-year-old illustrator, and eight-year-old Kenta, become unlikely friends. Kenta would visit Shuichi's now-deceased mother, and her home served as a warm place for Kenta to land. Both Kenta and Shuichi are deeply lonely on their own, and their respective stories, told throughout the book, give the reader insight into the cause of the loneliness our characters are experiencing. The underlying theme of Shuichi's life is his troublesome heart, and in the end, it is his heart that brings him healing.

Messina writes with a very lyrical voice. She is beautifully descriptive and gives a lot of thought to her characters, especially their inner lives and voices. I didn't feel like this story had any momentum until the last few pages. I almost gave up on it several times. It moved slowly, too slowly, in my opinion. Even several days after finishing it, I'm having a hard time recalling any moment of the story in which I connected. This one just wasn't for me, unfortunately.

Suichi, a forty year-old artist and author, returns to his hometown to clear out his deceased mother's house. Once there he observes a young boy entering and exiting the house on a regular basis. When Suichi realizes the child has a key to the house he's curious about the relationship between Kenta and his mother. Kenta tells Suichi that he visited his mother regularly. She helped him with school work and fed him his favorite foods. Thus begins a friendship that changes Suichi's emotionally frozen life.
The lovely story is like peeling an onion - there are multiple layers, each of which leads to the heart of the story. That revelation isn't discovered in a linear manner. Chapters jump back and forth in time, among characters whose relationships are unclear. The plot structure demands patience and faith. Patience, that all all will ultimately be revealed and faith that it will worth it. It's a story about memory, guilt and tragedy of the worst kind. It will bring tears to your eyes but leave you with hope.
Thanks to Netgalley and Overlook Press for the ARC.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

The Heartbeat Library is based on a real place, in Japan, where visitors can record their own heartbeat to be added to the archive, and listen to others. It is also the story of a man who has lost his son and his mother and will, with the help of a special boy, learn how to live again after even such terrible grief. Perfect for fans of Frederick Bachman and Ethan Joella, this life-affirming literary fiction will touch your heart too.

Let's start with the cover. Liked it. I felt pulled into Japanese culture from the first page. If you're a lover of all things Japanese, you'll find delight in the story.

I got lost at times, accustomed as I am to fast-paced Western novels. But there's a soothing meditative rhythm to the development and unfolding understanding of the "heartbeat" felt by the characters.

Worth reading if you enjoy a novel that immerses you in another culture and another time.

This was a unique and fascinating read although I had a difficult time getting into the story because at first, it felt a bit disjointed. That might be due to the translation itself, but I am not sure if it was that or the actual writing. I love the unique premise of the heartbeat library, and found this to be a story about friendship, family, love, relationships, and most importantly… memory.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.