I had that same dream again| Yoru Sumino | Book Review

What is happiness? To one person it may mean something and to another, something completely different. A grade school child, Nanoka Koyanagi is given an assignment by her teacher,she sets out to find out about happiness and what it actually means to her. ‘I had that same dream again’ is a beautiful novel that takes us on a journey of self-discovery alongside Nanoka to find what happiness means to us. 

Storyline of I had that same dream again

The story begins with Nanoka Koyanagi who is a school student. She is very clever and too mature for her age. Does not seem to connect with children her age and has the most unlikely companions. She feels very proud of her intelligence to the point of being too self-absorbed. Often she is alone at school and has barely anyone to talk to. She doesn’t seem to care as she has other friends.

Nanoka somehow comes across and becomes friends with three very different individuals. She meets a woman oddly named ‘Skank’ who seems to be sleeping till late in the afternoons. She is however always happy to see Nanoka and keeps treats ready for her. Her job is not mentioned in the book and yet based on the loose information we get; it is clear that she works as a prostitute to support herself. She however tries to always be happy and live in the moment.

Another unlikely companion is an old granny who lives alone. It seems as if she has no loved ones nearby. Yet she seems to be happy and fulfilled in her life. Nanoka loves how she bakes the best snacks for her to have. She enjoys Granny’s company.

Once Nanoka loses her way and stumbles upon an old building where she meets Minami. She is high school student who indulges in self-harm. Nanoka comforts her, appreciates her writing and encourages her to have a better life. Although Minami seems to be resisting the care she receives from her, it is very evident that slowly she comes to trust Nanoka and even enjoys her company.

All this time Nanoka has another friend who follows her to meet these people, a cat who she sweetly calls Miss Bobtail.

‘You can’t get time back. So life was like a road that ran only one way, perhaps.

Positive points

It’s beautiful how the story falls into place, little by little. By the time you finish three quarters of the book you already guess the ending and honestly it doesn’t feel like a joy kill. This book is so wholesome. It is almost magical.

By the end of the book, not only Nanoka but all her friends too, find their true happiness. She learns how to become more accepting of others and to not only concentrate on becoming smarter but also grow with others and become happier.

Negative points

Nanoka is a smart girl but her smartness makes her arrogant. In many places you tend to notice that she thinks she is more superior than her classmates and has better taste and higher goals than them. This thinking keeps her isolated from her classmates and she barely has any friends.

Nanoka thinks she knows it all and criticizes her friend, Kiriyuu-kun often for being a coward. She thinks he doesn’t know how to stand up for himself just because he does not voice his thoughts out loud or get into arguments with bullies. She does not realise that he is very different from her and the way he deals with his problems is also very different from how she does.

Conclusion of I had that same dream again

Overall, ‘I had that same dream again’ is a lovely light read with very deep concepts. It is suitable for anyone right from teenagers to the elderly. The writing style is very easy to read. Considering that it is a translated book, it was a job well done.

Author: Yoru Sumino

writing: 4/5

Presentation: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Genre: Fantasy/ Fiction

 ‘Happiness won’t come, wandering my way sooo, thaaat’s why I set oout to find it todaaay!’