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A review by jstilts
The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Another Japanese "comfort novel"? This one packs a punch that will bring tears to your eye.
This magical book sees the mysterious-even-to-himself Hirasaka running a photography studio housed between death and the afterlife, where the recently deceased stop to sort through photos of their life to assemble a somehow necessary "life-flashing-before-their-eyes" montage, with an opportunity to revisit one day of their life to capture a better photo.
It's again a repetitive novel but with only three iterations: a 92 year old lady with a full life, a middle-aged Yakuza gangster with a strange crew (it's a great tale!), and MILD SPOILER finally in the shortest tale a severely abused child who is only briefly there because she is enduring a near-death experience.
The conclusion is satisfying in that Hirasaka's story is - with a little reflection and 4th-dimensional thinking - almost fully revealed.
Rating this highly as in my opinion it uses the "Japanese Comfort Novel" genre as a bit of a sly disguise to take us by surprise with something slightly more impactful - one that will stick with me.
This magical book sees the mysterious-even-to-himself Hirasaka running a photography studio housed between death and the afterlife, where the recently deceased stop to sort through photos of their life to assemble a somehow necessary "life-flashing-before-their-eyes" montage, with an opportunity to revisit one day of their life to capture a better photo.
It's again a repetitive novel but with only three iterations: a 92 year old lady with a full life, a middle-aged Yakuza gangster with a strange crew (it's a great tale!), and MILD SPOILER finally in the shortest tale a severely abused child who is only briefly there because she is enduring a near-death experience.
The conclusion is satisfying in that Hirasaka's story is - with a little reflection and 4th-dimensional thinking - almost fully revealed.
Rating this highly as in my opinion it uses the "Japanese Comfort Novel" genre as a bit of a sly disguise to take us by surprise with something slightly more impactful - one that will stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Dementia