The Forest of Wool and Steel: Winner of the Japan Booksellers’ Award

The characterisation is more important than the plot in this beautifully written novel, about a young , sensitive man who quietly but passionately sets out to become a master piano-tuner.The interpersonal relationships are presented in a subtle way and although Japanese culture is unfamiliar to me, I could relate so sympathetically to the human aspirations, tensions and joys depicted so lyrically. The English translation is successful, using clear, unstilted prose. A jewel of a book!

Our lives, culture, and happiness depend on those who serve and these people are too ofen left in the shadows. Using the metaphor of a forest, this book takes us into the shadows and the light and shows how working together and appreciating each contributor can reveal beauty to all.

I did not expect to really resonate with the topic ( piano tuning) but it was a beautiful book about everything. The writing is lovely. I highly recommend this book

Getting to know the protagonist and watching him change as he grew in appreciation of pianos, the skills necessary for tuning them, and the variety of players he interacted with throughout the tale was immensely heartwarming. The author, at last, introduces readers to the family with its unusual dynamics, and we find that a haha moment. I confess that I was disappointed in the ending in some ways. I would have enjoyed examining how the protagonist dealt with the day-to-day interactions in his own family.

I love how simple truths about existence are woven in this story about an apprentice piano tuner and his journey