Matsuri’s life has changed ever since she met Miss Sunflower who owns the quaint bookstore Sunflower Bookery. Miss Sunflower may seems distant with no interest in anything else except books, but is well-loved in the neighbourhood for her calm gentleness. Matsuri makes it a point to visit everyday and confesses her feelings, even though Miss Sunflower does not take it seriously. Maybe she would one day?
Relationship Context
💥 Couple Dynamic
Miss Sunflower & Matsuri – Gap Couple
Miss Sunflower seems detached but is surprisingly easy to be relaxed around. Matsuri unconsciously became a sunny presence everyone enjoys to meet.
🖤 Miss Sunflower – Pure-hearted
- Took over the bookstore and the same nickname of her predecessor
- Unaware of her own gentleness and capacity to love
- Straight-forward yet shy and also a little self-conscious
💛 Matsuri Kazamatsuri – Pure-hearted
- Treated as helpless, but learnt to be more honest with what she wants
- Does not take support and encouragement lightly
- Outspoken with Miss Sunflower but also very self-conscious at times
| Title | Miss Sunflower / Himawari-san |
| Author | Manami Sugano |
| Status | Completed, 2022 |
| Genre | Modern Yuri |
| Tags | Age gap, Slice-of-life, Wholesome |
Review
| Category | Rating (0-3) |
|---|---|
| Romance | 🌸🌸🌸 Lots of lovey-dovey mostly one-sided |
| Intimacy | 0 Super wholesome |
| Story | 📝📝📝 Drama free though multi-faceted |
| Pacing | 🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♀️ Easy to follow |
| Emotional damage | 0 Very painless |
| Fluff | ☁️☁️ Quite warm and cuddly |
Story Overview
Miss Sunflower is a gentle and cosy yuri story about:
– A bookstore owner learning that she does not have to be the same as her predecessor
– A high school girl finding something(one) she loves for the first time
– How every little interaction adds up, and gentleness goes a long way
Key Themes
Unmistakable feelings shared:
Matsuri drops by the Sunflower Bookery regularly, and her way of saying hello to Miss Sunflower is to shout out her love verbally. Totally unfazed, Miss Sunflower takes those words in her stride and treats Matsuri as per normal.
While it looks like a one-sided infatuation, their gentle interactions are at times seem as mother-daughter like by others too. Matsuri has only a couple of motives, to get better at her studies and to learn to enjoy reading because Miss Sunflower shows so much more emotions while reading.
Absence makes the heart fonder:
Over time, Miss Sunflower realises that Matsuri’s presence has left a mark in her life. In one instance, she found a winter day at the bookery particularly quiet. She thought that Matsuri’s absence amplified the silence, who would have filled the space with her warm presence.
Beyond that, she noticed that her past self acted coldly to Matsuri, rejecting her various attempts to have some fun in the snow and making some fun memories. This reflection is something her past self would not have considered.
Personal Review
This story caught my attention as it centers around a bookstore and the lives of those who work and worked in it, who visits it, who are friends of those folks, and many more. It was an easygoing journey to follow.
I enjoy seeing Matsuri deciding not to carry on the hapless identity her family and friends have of her. Who also tries her utmost to find her standing while appreciating the support she gets. Her determination became a source of inspiration for her friends, and even had Miss Sunflower becoming less apathetic.
Yes we will get to find out Miss Sunflower’s real name as well, so read till the end!
Final Thought
Miss Sunflower is not a romance story, but is one of love that reminds me of the pure and genuine feelings that one has for someone they fall in love with.
The age gap is not a turn off to me as there was not a single ulterior motive in this story. The gentle realisation we get to see across the years from these characters is simply so precious.
This is a warm and fuzzy story that reminds one that while the past may define a person then, it does not diminish the power of the present and future to bring along renewed possibilities and identities. Everyone has the power to bring joy to someone!
My Rating: 10/10 highly recommended!
What genre of books would you love to discover in such a bookstore?
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