Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme started by @Lauren’s Page Turners but is currently hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog. This meme is quite easy to follow – just randomly pick a book from your to-be-read list and explain why you want to read it. It is that simple.

This week’s book:

The Keeper of the Camphor Tree by Keigo Higashino

Blurb from Goodreads

Imagine an ancient tree by a famous shrine, so powerful that visitors come from far and wide to commune with it by moonlight…

When a run of bad luck lands Reito in prison, about to be sentenced, a distant aunt he has never met offers him a surprising way out: he must become the next keeper of the camphor tree.

In his strange new job, Reito welcomes the people coming by nightfall to commune with the tree, all of whom are lost and all in need of something. There is the stern, middle-aged man who hums to the tree for hours; and his glamorous daughter, who has been secretly following him. Then there is the rich, disaffected young man who seems to come grudgingly, with no faith that the tree will even help.

What is the secret of the camphor tree? Can its power be more than just a myth?

Reito begs his aunt Chifune to explain, but she assures him that when he is ready for them, the answers will come to him.

Why I Want To Read It

Happy Monday, everyone! We are already in the final stretch of the eighth month of the year. How time flies! As always, time takes its natural course, ever flowing forward with no regard for any of us. It does not wait for anyone. As such, I hope the year is going—and will continue to go—well for everyone. I hope the rest of the year will be kind to you all. Things are still erratic, whether at work or in geopolitics. I hope the tensions in the Middle East begin to de-escalate and that peace is gradually restored. I also hope things start to slow down at work. They remain hectic, and I am hoping things will start looking up. After a couple of damp weeks, the rains have finally calmed down, although it is still gloomy for most of the day. The sun has finally made its presence felt. Anyway, I hope everyone has had a good start to the workweek. I hope everyone is in a place of comfort. Wishing you continued success and happiness. I hope everyone is doing well in body, mind, and spirit.

The new week beckons with hope and fresh starts, and I hope it unfolds in everyone’s favor. I know not many people get excited about Mondays (though I’m sure a few are out there). I, too, am not exactly a fan. Still, I hope that as the week progresses, you gradually gain some momentum. I hope everyone’s workweek goes smoothly. More importantly, I hope everyone is doing well mentally, emotionally, and physically. I spent four months exploring the works of European authors. What was supposed to be a two-month stay doubled in length. I am thankful that I was finally able to complete all the European books on my reading challenge list. I then pivoted toward a literary landscape closer to home: Asian literature. I commenced this journey in July, and although I have already completed the Asian works on my reading challenge, I decided to extend it into August. There are still several works by Asian writers that I want to read, including my current read, Malice by Keigo Higashino.

I was saddened by the recent demise of the highly acclaimed Japanese writer. An online bookseller first introduced me to Higashino in the mid-2010s. I read his novel Salvation of a Saint. Although I was not as impressed as I had hoped to be, Higashino still left a mark on me. It was, after all, one of the first Japanese mystery novels I had read. Over a decade later, I am already reading my fourth novel by Higashino. I also recently watched a film adaptation of one of his novels, A Midsummer’s Equation. This was based on the sixth novel in Higashino’s hugely successful Detective Galileo series; interestingly, Salvation of a Saint was the fifth book in the series. Needless to say, Higashino has slowly grown on me. I have also read The Devotion of Suspect X, which left a deep impression on me. It also helped me understand and appreciate Higashino’s mystery-fiction prose. I must say, I am beginning to see a pattern emerging.

While Higashino has been recognized for his works of mystery and detective fiction, he has also earned praise for his non-mystery works. I was actually surprised when I learned that he wrote The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, which blends fantasy and science fiction. It was not his typical work. I loved the book. I then learned about The Keeper of the Camphor Tree, which promises to be another deviation from Higashino’s conventional mystery fiction. Originally published in 2020 as クスノキの番人 (Kusunoki no Bannin), the novel, in many ways, shares some similarities with The Miracles of the Namiya General Store. Both are about mystical places. While the defunct Namiya General Store magically provides answers to letter writers’ concerns, the titular camphor tree possesses legendary powers that can grant wishes. The premise naturally piques my interest. For now, I can only hope to secure a copy of the book.

How about you, fellow readers? How was your Monday? What books have you recently added to your reading list? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

For now—happy Monday, and as always, happy reading and keep safe!