Mr. Hirasaki runs a magical photo studio to usher in those who have passed as they are about to take their next step into the unknown. These people have a chance to reflect on the entirety of their lives and pick out the moments that meant the most to them, so it is a bittersweet and heartwarming exploration of what meaning we put into our lives if given a chance to reflect.

There is a certain vein of short fiction in Japan that one could describe as sentimental magical realism. I love these kind of explorations of thought, feeling, and humanity. I also love that these works tend to be short and not overly wrought in prose. These a dry directness that is both sincere and endearing. I think this novel will stay with me for a long time.

I've never read Japanese literature before, so this book was a first for me. I really enjoyed it. The characters were well developed. The plot was interesting. It was beautifully written. I loved how all of the stories within the book were related to one another. I found it to be an interesting take on the afterlife. All around a great read.

This is a nice little story, but I thought the translation was a little confusing and awkward. The story is sweet and lovely. If you like slice-of-life stories, then this book will melt your heart. It was a little corny but overall, I thought the book was cozy and heartwarming.

I don’t have a whole lot to say about this one but it was very charming, interesting, and surprisingly compelling. It took me a little bit to be convinced that it was a book for me but once I decided to really commit, I flew through the rest of it. There are three big sections that are only split by little page breaks rather than actual chapters but those breaks still have little breathers if you’re like me and have to find a good stopping point for the night. The first character seemed perhaps a little uninteresting at first glance but as the rest of the book unfolded, I really enjoyed how each story connected to the others. The small details became important in unexpected ways. If you don’t mind a slow unfolding of events and like a book that feels low key in action but not necessarily impact, then give this one a try. I’m also reading Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin right now and think these two books probably have very similar audiences.

A cozy and quick little read if you’re looking for something charming, sentimental, and bittersweet. I really enjoyed the slice of life aspect of these stories.

What if you could revisit long lost memories and even re-live your most pivotal day after you die?

Hirasaka works at a very special photography studio - one that occupies the space between this life and the afterlife. He acts as a guide to help transition recently departed souls in their final act: selecting the collection of photos that represent their life.

Check out this book if you like photography, Tokyo Revengers, or The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!

This was such a lovely book. Perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. After death, each person arrives in a photo shop where they find a kindly gentleman and one photo from every day of their life. Their final task before moving on is to select one photo (memory) for each year to put in their lantern. This is such a beautiful reflection on what matters in a life and the things we want to remember most in the end. Each of the 3 stories in this book was touching in a different way and I sincerely hope this becomes a series like Before the Coffee Gets Cold and continues with more books. The premise is an easy one to add to and I would love to read more of these stories as well as learn more about the keeper of the photo shop.

In this novel, when you die, you get to review your life via pictures. You appear in a photo studio with a picture for every day of your life and you choose one for each year. These are displayed to you before you move onto the next stage. The man who runs the studio can take you back to your life for one day to retake one photo of your choice. This is the story of 3 people who die and end up in the studio to get this life review: an elderly former teacher, a murdered yakuza, and an abused girl (yes, warning for description of abuse). The life review and visit to the past are touching and interlinked in ways not revealed until the end of the book. This was a touching story of how lives have meaning and how others can help us see that. Sweet, warm, quick read. I wish there were more stories, but I also appreciate the interlinking that was possible with the limited scope. The author was able to bring closure in a way that wouldn't be possible in a larger story. Still, each story was rewarding in its own right.

Cozy death stories? I mean, I wasn't expecting it but was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable of a read this was. Soft and warm and I loved how each persons story felt like a novella inside a larger novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It is a very unique take on what happens after you die; your "life flashing before your eyes" is actually a collection of photographs from every year of your life being played on a magical turning lantern. This lantern is in Mr. Hirasaka's photo studio, a pit stop between life and the afterlife.
This was a quiet, quick read that really packed a punch. I was immediately enraptured by the first person to pass through the photo studio, a woman who was a nursery school teacher during the post-WWII reconstruction period in Tokyo. We then meet a member of the yakuza, and finally, a young girl who suffers from repeated parental abuse. All three of these stories add something unique to the narrative and build upon each other, meeting in a satisfying conclusion. I really enjoyed this!

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a beautifully crafted short story that touches upon the cyclical nature of life, one's purpose in life, and how humans of all shapes and souls can find kindness within them. I'm a big fan of episodic narratives, which are somewhat of a trend amongst contemporary Japanese stories, and this one is perfectly executed. The core element of this story is a magic photo studio that people visit before they die, which is a cute and cozy fantastical take on death, which is another weird niche that I now love. It is a slow book, meandering at times, but manages to deliver a punch by the end, which makes it an extremely satisfying read.

This is for Studio Ghibli, Makoto Shinkai, and Before the Coffee Gets Cold fans, and is the perfect complement to a rainy day. Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review! The Lantern of Lost Memories will be published in the US on Sep 17, 2024.

The Lantern of Lost Memories has all the emotions. It will make you laugh and cry and will fill you with wonder. A short book, it immerses you quickly, and leads you through the magical journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this engaging ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC copy of this book.

If you like "Before the coffee gets cold", especially the heartfelt and warm feeling it gives, you're probably going to like this book.

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a story that talks about death in a way that I have never read before. It is respectful and wholesome, but it still makes sure to mention how difficult it can be to deal with death in general.

The three stories told in this book might have the same theme in common but are completely different from each other. My favorite one out of the three is chapter two "The Hero and the Mouse."

This book made me laugh, cry (a lot), and helped me think about living my life to the fullest so that at the end of it my memories are only great ones.

It might be a short book but conveys it's message perfectly. Definitely one of my favorite books so far.

I love slice-of-life/magical realism books like these, and I find that translated literature (specifically Japanese) usually does it best! This was a great collection of stories and a solid translation, filled with wonder and meaning as it explores how we view death and the afterlife in a creative, bittersweet sort of way. I'd definitely recommend this out to others!

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi is a novel about a magical photo studio where people go after they die to view key moments from their lives—and relive one precious memory before they pass into the afterlife.

The book had interesting stories about the transition from life to death that these characters find themselves in.

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a quick read and is enjoyable, touching, intriguing, and engaging.

#TheLanternofLostMemories #NetGalley @GrandCentralpub

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a well-written novella, translated from Japanese, that leaves you pondering long after you finish reading. The book, told from the perspective of three very different people, tells the story of Mr. Hirasaka who ostensibly runs a photo studio, which is in fact the door to the afterlife. Everyone who enters the studio gets to pick out a photo for each year of his or her life, which is then assembled into a lantern, giving the person a chance to see their life flash before their eyes as Mr. Hirasaka spins the lantern as they move into the afterlife. They also get to relive one special memory and retake the photograph as Mr. Hirasaka takes them back in time. He can not interfere or change the outcome. Mr. Hirasaka’s life itself is part of the mystery. He can’t remember his own past and there is only one single photograph of him to provide any clues as to his background.

I had trouble getting into the book in the beginning. It felt like three very distinct stories with little connection until the very end. The first story, which details someone’s goodness, was the longest and could have been shorter. The last story was certainly the heaviest, touching on child abuse and neglect, but it showed that it is possible to return from a horrible situation and rebuild your life. What happened in Mr. Hirasaka’s life? He could never form a lantern of his life since he only has the one photo. So who is he really? Does that affect his identity and purpose? Or is he satisfied helping others serving as a guide to their journey to the afterworld?

The book clearly touches on how memory and identity are intertwined and can provide meaning to a life. What photos would you choose to represent each year of your life? Which are the most important or representative of your identity?

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an e-arc. I would recommend this novella to anyone. All of us should give consideration to our lives and reflect on what would be in our photos that provide memories for us and others.

Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me this advance review copy in exchange for a honest review!

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a charming tale that touches on how life is as sacred as it is and why memories are so special, whether they are of a big moment like reaching a long awaited goal or simply showing kindness to a stranger.

Hirasaka works at a special photo studio that is in between life and death. He helps the deceased choose a photo from each year of their life to look back on before departing to wherever it is they seem to go. The book tells the story of three characters and their most beloved memory.

This was such a quick and bittersweet read! I completely devoured it in a day. The themes of the book are very important and with Hiiragi’s simplistic and endearing writing style, you can actually enjoy the story without getting a headache thinking about the heavy topics in the book.

Hiiragi really made me stop and just appreciate life and how amazing it is to be able to do the things we can, mundane or extraordinary. I highly recommend reading this!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Hiiragi Sanaka is a third person multi-POV Japanese speculative contemporary. Mr. Hirasaki helps the dead choose the last moments they see before they die, helping smooth their path into the afterlife. If a photo isn’t clear, he takes them back in time to retake the photo and let them relive that moment. But he’s not allowed to interfere and change the course of their fate.

The concept of the story is essentially a thought experiment for ‘what if you could choose the moments you saw when your life flashes before your eyes’ and it’s fascinating. You have seemingly unlimited time to choose one photo from every year that you’ve been alive and someone is there to help you relieve an important one before passing, but you’re also doing so with the knowledge that your time is pretty much up. How compassionate is that, to be given the time to grieve your life and come to terms with death?

The small wrenches thrown in the plot are that Mr. Hirasaki can’t remember his own past, with only a single photograph that provides him with any clue of who he used to be and that, every once in a while, sometimes someone comes who will escape death but will come back later. I liked that the story recognized that possibility and worked with it to create something both heart wrenching and beautiful.

What stops me from calling this book a cozy fantasy is that the last of the three stories features some uncomfortable themes in enough detail that moves it away from cozy for me, personally. It is a hopeful book, it is a beautiful, human concept, it has fairly small stakes, and I really enjoyed it.

Content warning for depictions of child abuse

I would recommend this to fans of novels that are thought experiments, readers looking for a Japanese speculative contemporary novel that is lighter on the fantastical elements, and those who really love books featuring cameras and photographs

I enjoyed this heartwarming story. I would recommend it to lovers of sentimental fiction. Thank you for letting me read it!

This was an absolutely incredible read. I don't think I can even articulate how important this felt to me.

For such a short book, I felt such a deep connection to the characters and their stories. Finding out the reason for Hirasaka only having one remaining photo? Devastating. I love this with my whole heart.

"These, Hatsue, are the photos of your life. One for every day, three hundred and sixty-five for every year."

⁕⁎⁕⁎⁕⁎ 3,5 stars rounded up ⭐ ⁎⁕⁎⁕⁎⁕

What happens after you have died? "The Lantern of Lost Memories" discusses the concept of a stop in a photo studio to choose and sometimes retake a favorite single photo for every year of your life to see before you go into the afterlife.
"You see, once you get here, it doesn't matter how wealthy or important you were in life. All you're left with are your memories."

In three completely different stories we get to know four different main characters, and, at least for me, a little bit more about Japan.
""You were broken." said the Mouse, looking right at him. "And I couldn't fix you. [...] I conducted as much research as possible. But I couldn't fix you. [...] I wanted to fix you."💔

And how can I not round up my rating to four stars, when a book with not even 200 pages, and especially the last two short stories with less than 40 pages each, made me drop a few tears?
"I find myself wondering what it even means for me to die if I don't remember anything and nobody knows who I was. A boring life, a boring death, and no one to ever remember me. Is there any meaning or purpose to my existence that way? Why was I even alive in the first place?"

I read "Before the Coffee gets Cold" earlier this year, and yes, my mind started to compare the two stories. But in the end, besides a small place for a short amount of time, they don't actually share that much in common (in case you were wondering).
I read the majority of the book in one sitting, and loved to get to know the people, especially their stories. This book is for everyone, that enjoyed the vibes of "Before the Coffee gets Cold" and wants to experience something short but meaningful. 🫰🏻

Thank you NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Sanaka Hiiragi for the advanced copy! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. "The Lantern of Lost Memories" in the English translation will be out on September, 17.