About the book
On sleepless nights, I open the matchbox and reread the story of the girl who gathered shooting stars.
'Beguiling' New Yorker
After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Tomoko is sent to live for a year with her uncle in the coastal town of Ashiya. It is a year which will change her life.
While the 1970s transform Japan, her uncle's magnificent colonial mansion is a place out of time; its sprawling gardens are even home to a pet pygmy hippo. Equally beguiling are Tomoko’s relatives, especially her cousin Mina. Their growing friendship draws her into an intoxicating world – one full of secret crushes and elaborate storytelling.
Rich with the magic and mystery of youth, Mina’s Matchbox is an evocative snapshot of a moment frozen in time, and a striking depiction of a family on the edge of collapse.
‘Beautifully composed’ Financial Times
‘Effervescent’ New York Times Book Review
‘Transfixing’ Time
'I read Mina’s Matchbox like a besotted child, enraptured, never wanting it to end' Ruth Ozeki
Editions of Mina's Matchbox
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781787302761
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781529933536
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781787302778
- EBook
- ISBN 9781529920246
Read an Excerpt
On sleepless nights, I open the matchbox and reread the story of the girl who gathered shooting stars.
'Beguiling' New Yorker
After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Tomoko is sent to live for a year with her uncle in the coastal town of Ashiya. It is a year which will change her life.
While the 1970s transform Japan, her uncle's magnificent colonial mansion is a place out of time; its sprawling gardens are even home to a pet pygmy hippo. Equally beguiling are Tomoko’s relatives, especially her cousin Mina. Their growing friendship draws her into an intoxicating world – one full of secret crushes and elaborate storytelling.
Rich with the magic and mystery of youth, Mina’s Matchbox is an evocative snapshot of a moment frozen in time, and a striking depiction of a family on the edge of collapse.
‘Beautifully composed’ Financial Times
‘Effervescent’ New York Times Book Review
‘Transfixing’ Time
'I read Mina’s Matchbox like a besotted child, enraptured, never wanting it to end' Ruth Ozeki
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mina's Matchbox about?
On sleepless nights, I open the matchbox and reread the story of the girl who gathered shooting stars.
'Beguiling' New Yorker
After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Tomoko is sent to live for a year with her uncle in the coastal town of Ashiya. It is a year which will change her life.
While the 1970s transform Japan, her uncle's magnificent colonial mansion is a place out of time; its sprawling gardens are even home to a pet pygmy hippo. Equally beguiling are Tomoko’s relatives, especially her cousin Mina. Their growing friendship draws her into an intoxicating world – one full of secret crushes and elaborate storytelling.
Rich with the magic and mystery of youth, Mina’s Matchbox is an evocative snapshot of a moment frozen in time, and a striking depiction of a family on the edge of collapse.
‘Beautifully composed’ Financial Times
‘Effervescent’ New York Times Book Review
‘Transfixing’ Time
'I read Mina’s Matchbox like a besotted child, enraptured, never wanting it to end' Ruth Ozeki
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Mina's Matchbox?
Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre > Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general
Where can I read a sample of Mina's Matchbox?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781787302761
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Mina's Matchbox?
Yoko Ogawa
Who is the Publisher of the book Mina's Matchbox?
Random House
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Mina's Matchbox is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781787302761) and paperback(ISBN 9781529933536) and paperback(ISBN 9781787302778) and ebook(ISBN 9781529920246)
Where can I buy Mina's Matchbox online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Mina's Matchbox from below
Where can I buy Mina's Matchbox?