What readers say they like about it
- More than a romance novel The most common response was that it resonated as a story about choosing your own life and becoming financially independent. It has also found fans among people who don't usually read romance.
- Long, but hard to put down It runs to 456 pages, yet many readers say they finished it in half a day to a day. Plenty of them note that it is easy to read despite the heavy subject matter.
- The Seto Inland Sea setting and the beauty of the prose Many readers mention the descriptions of the island's sea and sky, and the author's choice of words.
- The supporting characters' words stay with you Readers say again and again that they liked not only the two leads but also the outlook and the lines of the adults around them.
- Once you finish, the opening looks different The prologue and epilogue echo each other, and some readers say their impression of the opening changed once they had finished.
We read about 130 reviews by readers in Japan on Bookmeter, Booklog, and Amazon, and summarized the most common points in our own words (as of October 2026). These are not quotations from individual reviews.
Synopsis
The story is set on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea. Akimi is a high school student born and raised on the island; Kai transfers there after being uprooted by his mother's love life. Both have troubles at home and a loneliness they can't tell anyone about, and before long they are drawn to each other.
In time the two face the choice of leaving the island or staying, and each grows into adulthood in a different place. They drift out of step and clash, yet can never quite let each other go. Moving back and forth between their two points of view, the story follows the long years that begin in their high school days.
- Akimi暁海
- A high school student raised on an island in the Seto Inland Sea.
- Kai櫂
- Uprooted by his mother's love life, he transfers to the island's high school.
The paperback edition is 456 pages, with a list price of ¥990.
View on AmazonWho this book is for
- People who saw the film and want to read the two characters' inner lives in the original novel
- People who want to read the story at their own pace before seeing the film
- People who have struggled with their distance from parents, family, or their hometown
- People who aren't keen on romance novels but want to read a long novel about how people live their lives
- People who want to read one book straight through over a weekend
- People who liked Rurou no Tsuki (流浪の月)
Awards and recognition
- Osama no Brunch BOOK Award
- Miyabon 2022 — Grand Prize
- Apple Books Best Book of the Year (Fiction)
- 168th Naoki Prize — Nominee
- Kinobest! 2023 — No. 1 (a ranking chosen by Kinokuniya bookstore staff)
- 44th Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers — Nominee
- Japan Booksellers' Award (Honya Taisho) — Winner
For Yuu Nagira, this is a second Japan Booksellers' Award, following Rurou no Tsuki in 2020.
Common questions
How is the book related to the film?
A film based on this novel was released on October 9, 2026. Ryusei Yokohama plays Kai and Suzu Hirose plays Akimi, with Michihito Fujii directing. The paperback is the original novel behind the film.
Is it a heavy read?
It isn't light. It deals with relationships with parents, children who shoulder the care of their families, and the death of someone close. Words like “painful” and “draining” come up often in reader reviews. At the same time, many readers say it is easy to read and doesn't leave a bad aftertaste.
How long does it take to read?
The paperback is 456 pages. Going by reader reviews, many people finished it in half a day to a day.
Which should I read first, this book or the sequel, Hoshi wo Amu (星を編む)?
Hoshi wo Amu is a collection of novellas that serves as a sequel to this book, depicting the characters' pasts and what happens afterward. Reading this book first is the natural order. The paperback edition of Hoshi wo Amu was released in July 2026.
How does the paperback differ from the original edition?
The paperback is the bunko edition of the larger-format book (tankobon) published in August 2022. It is smaller in size and has a list price of ¥990.
About the author: Yuu Nagira
Based in Kyoto. Nagira debuted in 2007 with a first published book and, in the BL (boys' love) genre, is known for works such as the Utsukushii Kare (美しい彼) series, which was adapted into a TV drama and a film.
Rurou no Tsuki, published in 2019, won the 2020 Japan Booksellers' Award. With this novel, Nagira received the award for a second time in 2023.
Book details
- Title
- 汝、星のごとく (Nanji, Hoshi no Gotoku)
- Author
- Yuu Nagira
- Publisher
- Kodansha (Kodansha Bunko な 101-1)
- Release date
- July 15, 2025
- Format
- Bunko paperback (A6)
- Pages
- 456 pages
- Language
- Japanese
- ISBN
- 978-4-06-540188-0
- List price
- ¥990 (tax included; ¥900 before tax)
The list price is the figure published by Kodansha (checked October 13, 2026). Please check the Amazon product page for the current selling price and availability.