I was drawn to the book based on the premise that a young girl was wishing to become a robot vacuum. I thought, how cool is that? What does she learn by being a robot vacuum? Does she like it? Does she want to take back her wish? Sadly, none of this comes to pass. Machi remains a sullen, silent teenager, drowning in angst over a breakup with two of her best friends. And really, who remembers or cares about something so trivial, ultimately? Enter Benzaiten, who's, honestly, just a Goddessy version of Machi, full of her own angst over dead people, children especially, who she can't keep forever. Oh, and her breakup with god Daikokuten, who's a bit of fresh air in the story.
I finished the book, but would really only recommended it to the teen/YA crowd who might enjoy wallowing in drama a little more than I did.

I enjoyed the writing style and the main character's dry sense of humour. In fact, there was nothing about the book that I disliked... but I couldn't help but find the theme of 'sad girl rediscovers the beauty of the world' a bit cliched. Don't get me wrong, the concept was done well, but the book was described as quirky and original, and I don't think it quite achieved that. There was a disappointing lack of robot vacuum cleaners.

So, while I think that books like this are important and the world can't ever have too many of them, this particular version didn't exactly rock mine.

Kelly Murashige's debut is a captivating blend of fantasy and introspection, whisking readers into a world where prayers to a Japanese goddess take unexpected turns. Machi's journey from outcast to robot vacuum cleaner is a quirky and heartfelt exploration of identity and resilience. Murashige weaves Japanese mythology with themes of mental health, inviting readers to ponder the nature of happiness and the power of self-discovery. With its imaginative premise and poignant narrative, "The Lost Souls of Benzaiten" is a refreshing addition to the young adult fantasy genre. 🌟

This lovely debut chronicles the struggles of a teen who hasn’t spoken in a year. She prays at a shrine to be turned into a robot vacuum.

Alternately funny, poignant, sweet, heartbreaking, and uplifting. The character growth was heartwarming and the relationship building was wonderful!

This book would appeal to anyone who ever experienced a difficult friend breakup, or really anyone who ever was (or maybe still is) a teenager.

A beautiful story well told. ♥️

Modern Japanese litterature always has a special view on situations and life in general. Aerie, poetic, philosophical, centered on feelings and emotions, in between reality and dream.
The Lost Souls of Benzaiten is a great member of this current. The main character struggles with depression and anxiety, wanting to go as far as relinquishing her humanity and becoming a vacuum cleaner.
Through different meetings, she gradually grows and changes her analysis of the world.

What struck me in this book was how it made me feel loads. I was confused at times, perplexed, angry, I laughed on my own and was forced to put it down once because of the sadness I felt.
It made me think, too. Some of the reflexions Machi, the main character, has, reflected personal events or friends’ situations.
The story flows, and carries the reader along - quietly.
When closing the book, I felt happy. Relaxed. Hopeful. That’s a lot of emotions for a single short fiction !
So indeed, that deserves a perfect grade. Thanks for the feelings !

Thank you so much to Soho Teen for making my wish come true (haha), and providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

God this hit hard. It was well and truly such an incredible experience. Please read this upon release, you won't regret it, I promise you that!!

Kelly Murashige you have truly created something as close to perfect a book can get.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the free book.*

"The Lost Souls of Benzaiten" is a cheesy book, a bit like "Lonely Castle in the Mirror" wholesome, but also a bit weird. The protagonist in this book has stopped speaking and wishes to stop being a person, she'd rather be a robot vacuum cleaner, to escape humanity. She meets a goddess at a shrine who forces her to engage with humanity again, but our protagonist is deeply traumatised and hurt. If you've ever fallen out of friendship with people, if people have turned on you, if you were desperately lonely as a teen, at school or at home, this book might be for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and yes, it is cheesy but we sometimes need this.

Thank you Netgalley and Soho Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Lost Souls of Benzaiten" by Kelly Murashige is a very interesting book with its unique blend of Japanese culture, mythology, and modern-day struggles. The narrative revolves around Machi, a mixed-race teenager who undergoes a traumatic experience that leaves her mute and grappling with self-destructive tendencies. The novel introduces the intriguing concept of Benzaiten, the Japanese Goddess, who takes an unexpected interest in the human world.

I really enjoyed engaging portrayal of Machi's struggles that felt very realistic for a teenager to be experiencing. I really felt connected to Machi’s character and motivations (who doesn’t want to be a simple robot cleaner at times?). A younger YA reader would probably connect to Machi even more, especially if the reader had ever experienced a friendship breakup, just like Machi. The writing style itself is pretty simple and repetitive, almost suiting more of a middle grade audience, and I think those readers would enjoy this book as well. Even fans of anime would enjoy this book with its depiction of Japanese culture; the plot reminded me of fantasy SOL anime as well.

With the unusual premise, I found the incorporation of Japanese mythology adds a unique flavor to the story. The story itself is very uplifting and emotional, highlighting its focus on human connection. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of Machi's character and her efforts to work on her mental health, seeing her begin to enjoy life again and all the little things that make life worth living. While many of us, especially young teens, may feel overwhelmed at times and want to escape our lives (possibly by becoming robot cleaners), Murashige shows through Machi’s story the wonders of life, making it a relatable and enjoyable read. I think this book would do really well in high/middle school libraries and can be suggested to students who are currently experiencing some overwhelming struggles or friendship breakups of their own.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this amazing e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

Yes, this is amazing. I love the idea. Mixing Japanese culture and myth (as the mc was a mixed raced) and pour it into a modern time setting story was a perfect combi.

This is a heartwarming story about a child named Machi who suddenly got muted because of her traumatic experience. Machi, seen everything in a negative way. She often compare herself to people, and got trouble with this and led her to her self destruction.

On other hand, we had Benzaiten, the Goddess of Japan-folks. Despite of being so much goddess-goddess, Benzaiten had a big interest in human world. She practically suprised when Machi prayed to her, wishing turned to be a Vacuum Cleaner. Benzaiten persuaded Machi to took back her wish. At first, Machi declined. She, with her dark clouds in her head, thought that no one could understand how hard her life was. But then Benzaiten gave her 7 weeks to consider everything.

On 7 weeks adventure, Benzaiten brought Machi to every places Benzaiten loved, hoping that this adventure would make Machi happier.

Yes, that was the general plot. I love how everything got delivered in this book. The struggle and pain Machi felt was so real. For certain point, I got really connected with her.

The writing was repetitive, telling-driven. I could count how many times Machi recalled her dark past in a multiple similiar narrative. It was Young-Adult labeled, but It more suited to Middle-Grade to me. Easy vocabs, easy plots and clear ending. MG-coded.

It was a meaningful read to me. Thumbs up for the author.

3,5/5

The Lost Souls of Benzaiten is an inspiring young adult fantasy novel. It follows Machi, a teenage girl, who has lost the ability to speak after a falling out with her best friends. Due to feelings of hopelessness, Machi eventually prays to become a robot vacuum cleaner. What she doesn't expect however, is that her prayers are heard by the Japanese goddess, Benzaiten. Benzaiten decides to help Machi rediscover the beauty of humanity.

Even though the premise might sound a bit ridiculous, this story was uplifting and emotional. It is essentially about human connection. I loved seeing Machi grow and work on her mental health. I also enjoyed the way that Japanese mythology was incorporated into the story! This is a very unique debut novel and I had a lot of fun reading it.

If you've ever gone through a friendship breakup, I recommend you read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Teen for the reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

this book was so fun and the writing and storytelling was beautiful! I really enjoyed reading this book ! I will definitely get it for the collection