Rated 3.5 stars on Storygraph.

This book was an easy yet hard-hitting read, and emphasized that our lives intertwine with others, and that our memories are powerful.

The Plot:
The book follows Mr. Hirasaka, who is given the task to meet people at their deaths, and help them as they make peace with their lives. Each person who enters the photo studio must select one photo from each year of their life in order to make their "Lantern of Lost Memories" before they can move on to whatever comes next. And each person realizes they have a cherished memory from their lives that they have revisited so often in their head, the picture in Mr. Hirasaka's studio is faded and almost unrecognizable. But each gets a chance to go and relive that day, and retake a picture of their most cherished memory.

As Mr. Hirasaka follows along, he learns more about the person's life, the memory they are capturing, and how people's lives are intertwined with others.

What I Liked:
The description of this book promised charm, whimsy, and nostalgia. And I feel like it did a fantastic job at just that. This was an easier read, as there was no high stakes, no stress; it was simply a book about the best moments of a persons' life. I enjoyed the simplicity and the nostalgic vibes from the book, as we got to see three people reflect on their lives, the people in them, and the moment they held most dear.

The ending of the book was also quite darling, and it ended up weaving all three storylines together in a very precious way.

What I didn't Like:
While the book follows three separate visitors of Mr. Hirasaka's studio, it did not feel as if there was much purpose behind following these three specific characters until the end of the book. And don't get me wrong- I really enjoyed how the ending wove the storylines together, but it wasn't until the end that I understood. I would have preferred having a bit more semblance of an overarching storyline throughout to keep me more engaged.

Going in, I knew that existentialism and feelings of disassociation can become a problem for me as a reader and human. While this book stayed on the cozy and positive sides of themes of dying and existentialism, there were moments I found myself drifting towards unsavory feelings and had to pause for a moment, pulling me out of the story. But if you are someone who likes these themes, or specifically someone who enjoyed these themes in Becky Chamber's Psalm for a Wild Built, you will like this aspect of the story. And to be fair, the theme of dying and existentialism was not heavy throughout, the stories of the person's life and their memory were the main focus.

Overall, this was a very nice read, and I will be recommending it to people.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Lantern of Lost Memories in exchange for my honest review.

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a beautifully translated fiction about the afterlife's waiting area where individuals review the years of their lives through photos. It is touching in a way that every human can relate to. It shows the struggles, triumphs, dreams, and perseverance of three incredibly different individuals.

Hiiragi's writing truly takes you into the lives of the subjects. From a post-war Japan, to a small repair shop, and a small balcony you truly feel like you get glimpses into each character's life.

The only critique I had is that I felt like there was no closure with the film keeper's story. I still have questions swirling in my head about if he will ever figure out answers to his own questions. I do believe that it was purposeful on Hiiragi's part, but as a reader it did leave me wanting more.

One of the particularly enjoyable elements in The Lantern of Lost Memories are descriptive. There is a lyrical undergirding to the novella in the way that the Hiiragi builds an analogy between memory and photos, and in how that analogy is connected to preservation of identity, purpose, and meaning. Some transitional scenery at the end of the stories serve a similar function. The highlighting of different themes in reflecting on main characters’ lives per story, and the tangential connections between some of the characters in all three gave a circular but refreshing flow; while the narratives swayed from serious and hopeful to levity and humor.

Yet there is an oddity in the choice of slang colloquialism for translation. While I am appreciative of the interest in balancing the concerns of fostering relatability to readers with accurately capturing a connotation or meaning in text translation, occasionally such usage made the characters seem foreign to their settings. It thus occasionally seems to be a wonky rendering.. Other translations didn’t quite fit in their contexts despite the understandable intent. Yet, the translation diction becomes only a minor detraction.

I also would have welcomed an elaboration on the Japanese spiritual mythology relayed at the beginning of the novel, and on how it tied in with plot lines of its stories. It is implied that these beliefs are somehow central to a successful transition to the afterlife, without much explanation on how they fit into the transition..

Finally we don’t get a full appreciation of what may well be the ultimate dilemma in the novella: Hirasaka’s mysterious history and identity prior to his involvement in the photo studio. We come to know only that his life has been consequential since working there. Ironically for a guide to the afterworld, his lantern of lost memories remains eternally empty and/or malfunctioning . And so it seems, he will be eternally lost. This slightly parallels treatment of Shohei Waniguchi in the “The Hero and the Mouse”. Some details of a past life for him prior setting up the workshop are hastily thrown in without acknowledging how they could have fit into the theme of his redemption from crime and alienation.

I may post a slightly longer review essay on my (main) Goodreads profile shortly.

This was a delightful read. A sincere gratitude to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for furnishing the advanced readers’ copy.

A heart-warming story about a photo studio people go to after they die, where they select one photo from every year of their life to complete a photo lantern, with the chance to revisit one day of their life to retake a photo of their favorite memory. The recurring character is a man named Hirasaka, who runs the photo studio and guides the guests through the process. Unlike the guests, Hirasaka has only one photo from his whole life, and has no memories of anything else.

This story takes the concept of a sōmatō, which is basically like your life flashing before your eyes in a life-and-death situation, and turns it into something literal, where you can choose the images that show up when you’re dead/close to it. It initially felt like three separate short stories taking place in the same world, but by the end you realize how it’s all connected and that made it a five-star read for me.

It started a bit slow, and honestly I wasn’t the most interested in the first story out of the three, as it seemed a bit forced in showing people’s goodness (or maybe I’m too cynical, idk). But the second one caught my attention, and by the end of it I almost got teary-eyed at seeing this unlikely friendship form even after death. The third story also started confusing, and it’s on the heavy side with child abuse and neglect, but when it all came together, and we got to understand Hirasaka’s situation, it was bittersweet but also oddly ended on a bright note by the end. I was really impressed by how these seemingly unrelated stories tied together eventually.

I wonder if the writing could be better. I was more moved by the plot than the words, as the writing style felt dry and mechanical. This is the second book I’ve read by this translator, and the writing style is very similar to the other one I read, so I wonder if maybe it’s more something with the translator than the writer, but without the original version I can’t say for sure.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

The Lantern of Lost Memories was a really good boook. I love the idea of creating a lantern from one moment a day, one day a year of your life. It’s such a unique idea and Sanaka Hiiragi does a great job describing it.

Heartwarming, bittersweet, moving, and life affirming, this pulled me in immediately, kept my attention, and made me really reflect on my own life and memories.

I love a novel that makes me think as much as this did, and I adored The Lantern of Lost Memories.

An absolute gem of a story, and a definite recommendation from me.



Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

Dear Author,

When we die, does our whole life flash before our eyes? Your book’s answers is a resounding Yes! and I loved every minute it took reading!
 
Entranced by each detail of these special moments between here and the next, I couldn’t put your book down. In this endearing novel, you show us what happens in the between; a simple yet magical photoshop awaits, with a pleasant and mysterious guide, and a spinning lantern holding photographs depicting our lives.
 
Your story has us follow the lives of three starkly different individuals, their sorrows, their joys, and how tragedies shaped and triumphs molded each. What you gorgeously depict is a glimpse, a photograph, a memory of their lives that was so important to them that it will be the last thing they see.

Smiling, turning the last page, I asked myself, “What’s important to me, what would my last photograph be?” Memories whiz by…


Yours truly,
J. D. McCoughtry

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the chance to read this e-arc.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. "From acclaimed Japanese author Sanaka Hiigari comes a heartwarming, life-affirming novel about a magical photo studio, where people go after they die to view key moments from their life—and relive one precious memory before they pass into the afterlife." Everything about this book was so magical. I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. I loved how different each of the characters were, and how each one brought out a different side of Mr. Hirasaki. The ending was pure poetry, and in the spirit of not giving away any spoilers, I won't go into details but I absolutely LOVED the way in which Everything came together.

This book is a great example of the slice of life genre. It's got fantastical elements to it, but at it's core it's about the day to day moments that make life so important. A touching read, if you're looking for something a little sad but ultimately a joyful celebration of life then this is for you.

4.5 Stars

A lovely story of a magical place, a photo studio where those people who are technically no longer living, but are temporarily waiting for the opportunity to revisit some of the more meaningful moments of their life.

When they arrive, they are given a box of photographs of their life over the years, and may choose one photo for every year that they lived. Before they leave to go to the what follows, the photos are shared with them through a lantern where they are able to revisit these moments of their lives.

Each of their stories are very different, as are the characters, but I found this to be, at times, a touching and uplifting story that might leave you revisiting some of the moments in your life.


Pub Date: 17 Sep 2024


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Grand Central Publishing

If you are looking for a change of pace in your reading routine, a book that can make you look at your life in a different way, The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi may be the right pick for you. It's a short book (224 pages), lovingly translated from the Japanese, which imagines an outpost for the newly deceased where the host (also dead) asks you to put together a collection of your own photos--one for each year of your life--that will be combined in a lantern that ushers you into the afterworld. But that's not all. You also have the opportunity to visit one day, one place, that was special, to experience it again--this time as an invisible observer.

Once the premise is explained by the host, we spend some time with three people who confront their mortality in wildly varying ways. One is a 92-year-old nursery school teacher who succumbed to a disease in her old age. Another is a 47-year-old yakuza who was stabbed in the back by someone who didn't like the way he lived. The third is a little girl who was brutally mistreated by her violent stepfather and her negligent mother. And then there is the host, who can't remember any of his past or why he died. He's hoping one of the people he meets will recognize him and thereby restore his lost memories. This is such a deceptively simple, beautiful book that provides a window into what makes these three travelers special and how they are connected, and allows us new insights into how we will be remembered, and what is worth remembering. The ending is unexpected and deeply satisfying. I loved it

My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

This book was warm and cozy, in such a sad and humbling way. I found the prose of the book to flow beautifully and provide such rich feelings throughout the narrative. I loved each of the characters and there was something so raw and humbling about experiencing with them moments of their lives. I think, in some ways, it prompts you to think about what you would reflect on in that moment. I really enjoyed this read. I cozied up with a cup of coffee and a warm blanket on a rainy day and it felt like such a vibe.

Absolutely fascinating and quite unique premise! I love a good book that is different from the usual tropes and this one fits the bill perfectly. I read it in one sitting, it was that good, and kept me turning the pages. I loved the characters as well as the mystery of Mr. Hirasaki and why his own memories are missing (mystery solved by the end, and I'm not telling!). The story and the characters really made me think about my life and my own memories. I am still wondering what photo I would choose from each year of my life!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is wonderful. Sanaka Hiigari and Jesse Kirkwood work together in this translation to create a wonderful story. The writing is poetic and transports you right into the world of our characters and brings about the everyday beauty of life and the people around us. This story is about life and seeing the good in it and remembering the good in it. It is such a beautiful story and I highly recommend it.

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi is magical novel about a photo studio where people stop on their way to the afterlife. It’s a clever metaphor for your life flashing before your eyes when you die. People are given a box of photos, one for each day of their life, and they pick one photo for each year. The photos are placed into a lantern to view before they move on. They are able to travel to one day of their life and retake a photo which leads to a more detailed story from their life. Hirasaki is the caretaker of the studio, he assists people on their journey. The stories are heartwarming and not at all what I was expecting. This is a fresh take on the afterlife.

I would recommend this book for all readers. It has a profound message that allows you to reflect on your daily life and imagine how your own box of photos would be. As a photographer, I can truly appreciate the photo project of a a daily photo and revisiting the moments through this medium. This is a quick read, I truly wish there were more stories in the book.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.