Yoko Ogawa: Mina’s Matchbox

In the age of digital distraction, reading Yoko Ogawa’s Mina’s Matchbox takes patience. The novel plays with the characters and you are invited to be part of their daily lives. Even though the family is wealthy, they don’t do anything spectacular, except for the young girl who rides to school on a hippo because of her health. The story is quiet yet mysterious. I tried my best not to pick up my phone while reading and hoping for something dramatic to happen. If you want to get away from the digital chaos and want to relax, this is a perfect read. Stephen Snyder has done an excellent job on the translation. If you have never read Ogawa’s works, I highly recommend The Memory Police, which was also translated by Snyder.