I cannot express enough how great this book is. The narrator did such a wonderful job with her pauses, emphasis, and different voices for characters. Her emotions were excellent. I learned so much about this time in history. The only thing I'm missing is an authors note at the ending, I would love to know the authors background on why she wrote about this and any connection they may have.

Thank you FSG and Macmillan Audio for my free ARC of Flashlight by Susan Choi — available Jun 3!

» READ IF YOU «
🚤 want to deep dive into complex family trauma
🌅 love learning about historical events through the lens of a personal narrative
🔦 enjoy a slow burn story with a gradual reveal

» SYNOPSIS «
Ten-year-old Louisa loses her father one night on the beach, and he never comes back. Where did he go? Is it her fault? To find out, we'll take a step back and walk through his life leading up to this moment, as well as that of Louisa's mother. And Louisa as an adult has some tricky situations of her own; are they just shockwaves tracing back through time to the original traumas of her parents?

» REVIEW «
This is a lush, emotional story that explores the traumas haunting one little family, and how those impacts can be felt for generations. I loved the shifts in perspectives and experiences, and my jaw was on the floor by the end of this book. Not because it was SHOCKING, per se, but because it was so packed with humanity and depth of feeling—and also, kind of devastating.

Too, I learned about some things I have never read about before, relating to Korea and Japan in the aftermath of WWII. I love when a story that's so compelling on a character level can also educate me about something I wasn't aware of when I started. A great read for all historical fiction and family saga lovers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Susan Choi’s Flashlight is a slow-burning, symbolically rich novel that lingers long after the final page. The audiobook is beautifully narrated, with a soothing yet emotionally agile voice that brings nuance to each character, particularly in their most introspective moments. As a listener, I found the narration immersive—gentle in tone but powerful in its ability to communicate deep internal conflict.

Much like Familiaris by David Wroblewski, Flashlight carries a mythic quality, almost legendary in tone. It’s the kind of story that reveals more with each revisit, rewarding slow, thoughtful reading. The prose is atmospheric and layered, with a style that often feels more symbolic than strictly plot-driven.

Thematically, Flashlight deeply engages with memory, grief, and cultural dislocation. The story draws on the real-life trauma of the North Korean abductions between 1977 and 1983—a history well-known in Japan, where I've lived. I wasn’t surprised by the novel’s inclusion of this topic, but I was moved by the way Choi handled it, especially through Serk’s abduction and his harrowing later journey. This final section, focused on his escape to China, strongly reminded me of the memoir River of Darkness. Having read that book prior to this, Serk’s ordeal felt familiar, authentic, and emotionally grounded in real-world trauma.

Personally, I found Serk and Anna the most relatable. Anna’s struggle with chronic illness and Serk’s disillusionment with his homeland——both resonated deeply. These emotional threads gave the novel much of its power.

However, by the novel’s end, I felt somewhat adrift. After the climax, the narrative lingers so long on another character that we lose touch with Louisa, Anna, and Tobias—characters whose relationships and unresolved tensions were central earlier in the book. Louisa’s final moments in the story gesture toward emotional closure, but the conclusion felt muted, as if several important character arcs were left unfinished.

Despite this, Flashlight remains a powerful novel—one that blends personal and political histories with literary grace. It's both intimate and expansive, inviting reflection on what it means to be remembered, to disappear, and to find—or lose—home.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. This is my honest review.

I almost gave up on this because it had a strong 'one damn fact after another' vibe, but I'm so glad I didn't because it ended up eventually pulling everything together brilliantly.



Review copy provided by publisher.

A long, sad book about mostly unlikeable characters caught up in the geopolitical struggles between Japan and Korea, then (later) Japan, South and North Korea, and China. I understand it is based on actual events, and I am pleased to know more about the difficulties many families and individuals faced. There is also a story line about mixed race children and the troubles they face in school.

The story jumped around and (thankfully for length) jumped over scores of years at one point, not really fleshing out what happened to the protagonist. It’s an interesting subject, but perhaps more suited to historical fiction fans? I found the time spent in some eras too long, filled with ultimately inconsequential minutiae, while whole decades and relationships were only referred to in passing.

The writing is good and so is the narration. Here’s a passage I wrote down from the audiobook because I liked it so much:
“Louisa gazed back at him unflinchingly, first clothing him with pity, then contempt, and then pity again, trying to decide which was best as if he were a paper doll.”

My thanks to the author, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #Flashlight for review purposes. Publication date: 3 June 2025.

4 stars

Because of its length and subject matter, this is not the kind of book to listen to casually. Press play when you have the time to focus and are feeling in a particularly literary mood.

The central pain point in this novel is the disappearance of a man named Serk while he is on the beach with his young daughter, Louisa. In the present day, the characters are decades removed from this incident, and there are still very few answers, not only about what happened to Serk but also about what THEY experienced in the immediate moments and aftermath.

When a main theme is how we're impacted by the passage of time and the various pieces of our lives that shape us but are either hidden or nonsensical in the moment, the delivery method cannot be short and clear. Choi puts readers in the position of each character, so we can understand only their experience in particular instances and start to fit all of the pieces together throughout the lengthy narrative. As they are making meaning of their lives, we are right alongside them. This can make for a frustrating read at times; I felt the time passing. It also fosters more empathy and critical understanding of these characters and maybe even some grace for ourselves and for the unknowns we are also still working to grasp.

The right reader in the right headspace will really appreciate this novel. Though I had my moments of restlessness during the listen, ultimately, I enjoyed this journey.

A flashlight illuminates something invisible in the darkness.

While there is a literal flashlight in this book, and while it bears relevance to the story, it is a metaphor, as well, for secrets kept, things unseen, and things understood only when the cloak of darkness has been vanquished.

I found this book quite interesting, and I applaud the character, cultural, and historical development, but everything was painfully dragged out, making it a challenge to always remain engaged. I am glad I saw it through, though, as the ending made those sluggish moments worth enduring.

I am immensely grateful to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.