I was so looking forward to reading this book and really enjoyed the turns it took along the way. I absolutely loved the idea of the lanterns (no spoilers as to why here!) and the lives that were explored through this book really surprised and captured me more than I expected them to. The way things all panned out and the links between were so interesting to work out and I felt that the pace and build up between the stories was very cleverly done. The tone throughout made the book so readable and I didn’t want to put it down! (There are some difficult topics that are mentioned and explored so please do check the trigger warnings before reading) ❤️‍🩹 ✨ Thank you so much to Sanaka Hiiragi, Pan MacMillan and Picador Books for access to the eARC ✨

4.5 rounded up on Goodreads. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel for the latest translated and global fiction news and reviews: https://www.youtube.com/@PageTurnersWithKatja

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a deeply moving and magical novel that beautifully captures life’s most precious moments through a unique and heartwarming lens. Set in a magical photography studio perched between this world and the next, the story offers a fresh perspective on life, memory, and the afterlife. Hiiragi masterfully blends slice-of-life storytelling with magical realism as we follow three very different individuals: an elderly lady, a middle-aged yakuza, and a young girl. Each character arrives at the studio at different times, surrounded by photographs that capture their most treasured memories. A kind man guides them through a special task—a chance to revisit a cherished moment.

Hiiragi delves into the depths of human experience, making the characters incredibly relatable. Their journeys add profound emotional depth to the narrative—honestly, the last story brought me to tears. Kirkwood’s translation brilliantly captures the essence of fleeting moments and the bittersweet nature of memory. The descriptions are vivid and atmospheric, making the setting feel both otherworldly and familiar.

This book is a celebration of life, love, and the connections that unite us all. While it touches on darker themes like bullying and physical violence, the overall tone remains hopeful. Hiiragi’s storytelling gently reminds us of the lasting impact of our most cherished experiences. Though some parts are more hard-hitting than similar cosy Japanese novels like Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Aoyama’s What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, it’s still a positive and uplifting read. I highly recommend it to fans of literary fiction, especially those stories that touch the heart and remind us that, while we are all individuals, we share many common experiences.

What a cozy, heartwarming read!

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a comforting translated novel about the power of memories. It talks about how memories can give you solace and comfort.

My favorite aspect of The Lantern of Lost Memories was its stand-out characters. They have really interesting backstories that will make you smile, laugh, and even tear up. I didn't expect to be rooting for a former Yakuza as much as I did with this novel!

Overall, The Lantern of Lost Memories is a heartwarming page-turner that you can finish in one sitting. If you like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, you'll absolutely love this one!

This is a simply beautiful and well told story but like a lot of seemingly simple stories it actually has a great depth and a lot of meaning. This story is incredibly heart warming and just a perfect read.

I loved this gorgeous and gentle book. The Lantern of lost memories is about the ones that make us and the experiences or moments in life that change us. I keep thinking about which photos would I choose for my life. Each person we meet has had their own unique life and stories to tell, I was invested in them all and found their stories engaging.

I’ve reviewed The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaa Hiiragi for book selling and recommendation site LoveReading.co.uk

I’ve chosen the book as a Liz Pick of the Month and LoveReading Star Book.

Please see the link for the full review.

A good way to go.
I loved this, such a comforting thought that when you die you arrive at a photographers studio, pick a picture for each year of your life and watch a lantern show of them as you pass to the afterlife.
The first person to arrive is an old Nursery school teacher, who saved a child's life and goes on to help build a Nursery and care for many children.
The second person is a gangster who tells an engaging story of a money laundering shop, he employs a person go may be Autistic who goes on to repair articles bought in by people.
The last person is a child whom Hirasaka helps is a child who suffers abuse and cruelty and dies, he helps her in subtle ways, but this leads to him losing his own memories.
Thank you Sanaka, NetGalley and MacMillan for this delightful book.

This book is amazing. It is hard to describe but each visitor gets to select a photo for each year of their lives and then this becomes the "life flashing before your eyes".. If however a photo is missing then you can go back to that day and retake it. They are guided by the owner of the photo lab (the area they go to before passing on)
The premise is simple but the story arcs so well The owner has his own reasons for being there which start to be revealed.
I could not put this book down and it is probably one of my favourite books in this genre for a long while.

Interweaving 3 stories of disparate characters who each find themselves at the end of their lives with the task of looking back, this novel is a beautiful exploration of life that manages to be eternally hopeful even when exploring tough characters a situations.

I enjoyed this read a lot! A tender and heartwarming story, the chapters were concise and at a good reading pace. The story concept is intriguing and got me not wanting to put it down. Although it can be defined as a light read, the main subject matter and subtopics included were somewhat heavy, and may be triggering to some. The MC is intriguing; would love to read more of his backstory. Recommended read!

I like the concept of this book — on the day you die, you get the chance to choose a photo for every year you live, like whenever you are in a near-death experience you see your life flashing before your eyes through those photos. A chance to look back on your life.

The book starts with Hirasaka tending the photo studio, a post that one must pass first before moving to the afterlife. His job was to patiently accompany the dead through the process of anger and grief.

The first story is about an old lady looking through her 92 years worth of memories, some she can't really recall until she sees it. She thought that once she'd forgotten them, it was as though those memories don't exist but just like as Hirasaka says, "That's the way it goes, we have to let go of certain memories as we make our way through life." I also love the part about the important memories, where it fades and you can go back to that certain time to retake the photo.

The second story was short and a not-so-light read, I was really touched from the words "You were broken and I fixed you" to "You were broken and I couldn't fix you" to "I conducted as much research as possible. But I couldn't fix you" to "I want to fix you.". I had expectations on this story because the first one was a good one but this story didn't exactly met it though I still like this one. There's also a line here about us being a product of our own choices, I like that one and that kindness can really be seen to every one - even those you least expected it.

The last story was a brief one, like just a story that shows the connection among the stories - the thread. There were also bits of hints about Hirasaka which made me more curious about his identity.

Overall, it’s still an enjoyable read which will make you wonder about your own life experiences and about which moment in your life you would revisit if given the chance.

PS. Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC! 🫶🏻

I loved this book. It took a while for me to realise what was going on, then I thought what a fabulous idea for a book. . It is a very well written book. It is quirky, happy and sad. You can't help thinking what pictures you would choose yourself. I loved it.

If you are a fan of Japanese literature and books like “Before the coffee gets cold” or “What you are looking for is in the library” then this book is a must read.

It is just another wonderful, heartwarming Japanese book that reads so easily and will fill your heart with warmth.

The book is broken into three parts and like in many similar style books, the three parts are linked through the characters or places in them. Hirasaka looks after the point between life and the afterlife, guiding those who have just died onwards. He hands each guest (one per chapter) photographs from each day of their life and the guest has to choose one for every year they were alive. Hirasaka then creates a spinning lantern which flicks through these memories before the guest moves onto the afterlife. I love the idea that this is the reason why our lives flash before our eyes when we die.

Of course there is more to the book than just that: we get to know each guest, and Hirasaka too, in more detail as they spend time choosing their photographs and visiting one day they choose to go back to from their life.

The book is just wonderful, heartwarming and makes you ponder what makes a “worthwhile” life, why you were given the chance to be on this Earth and what you will remember from your time here. I highly recommend this book if this is a genre you enjoy. I loved it!

Thank you so much to @panmacmillan and @picador for the gifted copy.

A sweet, and rather lovely book. It's a shame it was very short, but I still loved it and would thoroughly recommend it.

A short but sweet read that I really enjoyed in one sitting. The Lantern of Lost Memories is a really interesting concept and although a little sad, it was also very touching and wholesome.

Oh, my heart, this was a good one. The slice of life with magic realism/paranormal vibes as a genre is a beautiful, elegant one. It's a fine balance, and I've read half a dozen that haven't hit, but this one did. It's a wonderful concept to play with, the idea that when someone dies, they get to pick the last reel to watch their lives. As such, we follow three individuals to review their lives, decide what moment was most important to them, and maybe learn something in hindsight. The lessons are subtle but felt deeply by the characters and I will happily recommend it for people looking for a gentle story.

Another bonus is that this is very well translated, with sentences that flow well and no weird disconnecting phrases that mean nothing if you know no Japanese. Too many of these books suffer from bad translations that are too literal and leave the English jolty or unreadable, but this was very smooth and retained a lot of the inherent gentleness that these books embody.

The Lantern of Lost Memories is about a photo studio that you visit when you die in which you are shown photos from everyday of your life and you can choose one photo per year to add to your lantern. Additionally you get the chance to revisit a prized memory and take one final photo to add to your lantern.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book and thought it was very unique and unlike anything else I've ever read! All three stories were extremely heartwarming and Hiiragi's writing style is packed with emotion. I loved that the stories told were very human and I found all of the stories captivating even though the events taking place were fairly mundane. This is definitely the sort of book which I will think about for a while after finishing the last page as the themes explored within this book make you reflect on your own life. I feel like the central premise of this book has so much potential and I hope that this becomes a series.

Overall I adored this book and had no choice but to rate it 5 stars! I will definitely be buying a physical copy of this book when it is released as I absolutely love the cover.

𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 .𐦍༘⋆

This book was so good!
I truly enjoyed every aspect of reading this book.
It was so beautifully written and I loved the discussion about loss, fear of moving on, letting go and coming to terms with what will eventually happen to us.

I loved all the characters and their stories were all so beautiful and heartbreaking.
I do think certain parts of the book could have been edited down a bit but that’s the only little issue I have with it.

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi captivated me with its intriguing premise: on the day of one's death, a person chooses a photo for each year of their life and watches their existence unfold through those images. This unique concept drew me in, offering a compelling and thoughtful way to reflect on one’s life.

The first story in the book set a high bar, immediately engaging me with its rich narrative and emotional depth. I was eager to see how the subsequent stories would compare. However, I found it challenging to connect with the characters in the later stories. While the second story didn’t quite evoke the same emotional resonance as the first, and the third felt somewhat rushed, I still appreciated the book’s exploration of personal reflection.

Despite these imperfections, The Lantern of Lost Memories remains a thought-provoking read. It inspired me to consider my own life and the moments I would choose to revisit. Overall, it’s a memorable book that, despite its flaws, offers a meaningful journey into the heart of memory and self-reflection.

I’d like to thank @netgalley and @panmacmillan for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Lantern of Lost Memories is an amusing book to read. Have you ever heard the saying of "your life flashes before your eyes just before you die"? Well, this is an immensely interesting take from it.

"Say you meet someone for the first time, but you're convinced you've met them before. Or you feel like you know a place even though you've never been there. That might be one of the memories that has accumulated in your soul."

For quite some time, Hirasaka has been tasked to run this photo studio, a staging post that must be passed before a recently deceased person moves to the afterlife. His task is pretty simple, guiding them.

The book follows three people as they are suddenly awoken in Hirasaka's place, confusion etched across their visage. A few frightened, which is to be tolerated. It is precisely why Hirasaka is there to greet those people the moment they reopen their eyes. I find it comforting to imagine after a horrifying death we would be met with such a kind and loving creature to help us figure out the next step.

You see, one is inclined to enter a denial stage, especially if one is tied by an intense emotions to the world of the living still (like resentment, regret, and more often than not yearning—be it towards someone or material possessions). When it occurs, their soul is trapped, therefore they are unable to go anywhere at all. Hirasaka ensures things will go according to plans. Upon achieving that, he helps them arranging their own lantern filled with pictures, one for every year, until the moment they take their last breath.

We get to learn about the lives these three people led before they met their end, but nothing much about Hirasaka. It piques my curiosity that I cam scarcely put the book down in order to discover things quicker. Finally, the unexpected connection comes as a surprise to me, I will not elaborate further for it will take an element of fun from placing the puzzle pieces altogether yourself.

This was a pleasant read. I enjoyed every second spent reading it. Highly recommended.