In the style of Before The Coffee gets Cold, this is another simple but well written and heart-warming book about real people and what really matters in life. We get to meet three people from very different walks of life who have recently died and before they move on to the next step in the afterlife get the chance to relive some of their memories through a collection of photographs.

One of those cosy easy reads that are very popular right now.

A lovely idea about the one last stop before here and the afterlife. We get 3 stories about people and their lives, how they lived, what they felt and it's like what they say "when you die your life flashes by like a movie". The difference here is, that it goes deeper than just a brief flashing by. We get to know the people, what impact their life choices had, not only on them, but on everyone. It reminds me a bit of "Befor the coffee gets cold" it has a similar concept, but still is it's very own story and theme.

Sanaka Hiiragi's "The Lantern of Lost Memories" is a beautifully crafted tale that enchants readers from the start. With lyrical prose and a hauntingly evocative setting, the novel explores themes of memory, loss, and hope. Hiiragi's masterful storytelling and richly drawn characters make this a poignant and unforgettable read. The intricate plot, filled with twists and deep emotional resonance, keeps readers engrossed until the last page. "The Lantern of Lost Memories" is a testament to Hiiragi's literary prowess, making it a must-read for fans of heartfelt and thought-provoking fiction.

I have not hidden my absolute love for translated fiction, particularly Japanese and Korean fiction, and so was super thrilled to get to read an early copy of this.

I absolutely loved the cover, it's so pretty and eye-catching but simple.

It has got so much hear to it, and shows the comfort that comes with teas and memories. It's cosy ad heartwarming and beautiful right from the off, but there are some tougher moments that pull at your heartstrings.

What I've come to realise - and this is no different - is that translated Japanese/Korean etc. novels all have this warmth about them. They're all about family and friends and love and peace and happiness and memories. I am always happy when I'm reading one and I'm always happy when I've finished them as they're always, overall, uplifting, and it's always a pleasant experience to read one.

It's a short novel, quick to read, able to fit in between your day jobs, but it's still exciting enough for the reader.

It has this really interesting concept about death and the afterlife and how we shouldn't fear it. The amount of books I've read recently that touch upon that...it's just beautiful to read. To read about this notoriously frightening and unknown thing, but put a warm and comforting slant on it, it really lovely.

I found it very similar to the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and I have a feeling it will be like that in the sense that there will be many sequels. Which is a good thing, because it's enjoyable. But where I think the Coffee series lost its charm was in its repetitiveness, and after the first 3 books, I didn't bother reading anymore as I knew it would just be more of the same. So I hope that if this does become a series, that there's enough difference between them to make them fresh.

I do wish it was a bit longer. Not necessarily longer in terms of page count, but to have more people involved. We see three dead people, and we get to see their lives etc. and they're all very interesting but I really wanted more people, but I suppose it does give more scope for future books.

Oh my heart! This is how you write a feel good "novel" to win me over!
This feels very much build on the recipe as Before the Coffee Gets Cold. So much so that I could have sworn it's been written by the same author, lol! But I will dare say The Lantern of Lost Memories is actually better story wise! Each story has its charm, brimming with hope. There's always a way to overcome adversity, there's humanity even in the most cruel criminals. And then we have that twist in the last story! I have not seen that coming! But it was exactly what one wants from humanity!
What can I say? Hope in humanity restored?!

This is the story of a photo studio that's the final stop between life and the afterlife. Visitors are asked to choose 1 photograph for every year of their life to see for a final time. They can go back to retake a photo from 1 day of their choosing.

The book covers 3 visitors to the photography studio. We get insights into their lives and what's important in life. Although the final story is about abuse, the book ends with hope. It's lovely to find out more about Hirasaka through the 3 stories too.

I've really enjoyed all the translations of Japanese books so far and this is no exception. It's a thought-provoking book that I already want to read again to connect all the bits that I missed the first time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Lantern of Lost Memories” follows three stories of three people who have died and relived one of their memories before they go to the afterlife. First of all, I love the premise of the book. The stories are very touching, but some stories delve into darker themes (check the trigger warnings). The storytelling and the parallels are some of my favorite parts of this book. It is a beautiful and heartwarming read.

I don’t think it brings anything new to the literary world. As much as I like short books, I would have liked this more if we were given more stories– it felt quite lacking. Another thing that I struggled with is the writing. I am not quite sure if that is because of the translation or the writing itself (e.g. lack of emotion), but it was difficult for me to connect to the book because of it. Despite these, I find this book still a beautiful reflection on life and death. The concept is amusing if you think about it; how beautiful would it be if we could go back to our memories, relive them, and make lanterns out of them for us to be able to see before we pass away. The book shows how our actions, however small and mundane, can have a long-lasting impact on others.

It reminds me of the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” series, so if you enjoyed that, you might enjoy this as well! It is a short, but heartwarming read; I recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for providing me with a copy of this book in advance!

Link to Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6652804139?book_show_action=false and https://www.instagram.com/p/C9NtpOUyd8r/?igsh=MXM3NnlibTczb245YQ==

The compilation of short stories centered around a specific location or person has quickly become one of my favorites. Anyone who enjoys the ‘Before the coffee gets cold’ series will love this book. Heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once.

This so reminded me of - before the coffee gets cold. It is so comforting and heartening to read. A reflection on the importance of memories. Delightful.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Lantern of Lost Memories' by Sanaka Hiiragi.

'The Lantern of Lost Memories' is a collection of short stories which showcase a group of people who are about to die reflecting back on a moment in their life that was significant to them. The sense of nostalgia they feel is shown beautifully through this novel and it is pleasurable to read.

A photo studio as the bridge between life and death. A guide that doesn't remember his past, and three very different life stories that need to be summarized in pictures, one picture for every year we spent on this planet.
What makes a life worth living? What is that day you'd give everything to experience again? A bitter sweet (mostly sweet!) short novel that is able to cover these important and hard themes with respect, reverence and an attitude towards life I only encountered in Japanese literature.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Beautifully written, not a cosy book as I thought originally and has some quite triggering themes so please check the trigger warnings!

Reminds me a lot of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Really makes you think and cherish just the little things in life and was a really good concept and was executed really well. Enjoyed this!!

Again thank you to the publisher and Netgalley!

*e-arc provided by netgalley and pan macmillan*
The Lantern of Lost Memories is simple but beautiful.
The story follows a man called Hirasaka, a photographer between the living and the dead whose job is to help the dead choose photos of their life for when "their life flashes before their eyes". The premise itself was very intriguing and gave me Before the Coffee Gets Cold vibes.
With only 3 chapters, each one was compelling in their own way. The writing seems simple but it is very clever with its metaphor and balancing the complexity of its characters. I was not bored once!
Sometimes it was a little confusing with all the characters names and I had to flick back once or twice to double check if a name had popped up before or if it was their first mention, but I got over it pretty quickly by becoming enamoured by the charm of each chapter.
This novella deals with some dark themes and can be tough to read, but all of it is well-written and handled with care.
The Lantern of Lost Memories is a collection of tales about dedication, resilience and the unlikeliest of friendships; and all of it is heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the E-ARC.

Another wonderful example of the most beautiful translated fiction. Quiet, unassuming, enchanting - highly recommended!

The book is a series of seperate stories about three people who have died and find themselves in a kind of waiting room where a guide feeds and attends to their personal care. Hair combed and fed the guide then shows our dead a photo album of their memories and asks them to choose one photo from each year to talk about. If the photo and therefore, the memory is hazy it gets placed in a Magic Lantern and the guide takes the person back to that time and place so they can revisit it. Some of the memories are dark ones. I liked this book, it was different and made me runimate on my own life and what I would pick for the Lantern.

When I saw that there was a Japanese book called The Lantern of Lost Memories it reminded me a lot of the kdrama The Midnight Studio that premiered in 2024, which is based on the novel made by the same screenwriter.

Clearly they are not related but I felt that I wanted to read it and enter this very interesting world where before we die we can travel to a small photography store and choose one photo for each year we have lived. I think the concept is very nice and that through this story it can show us the life and work of the characters that the author wants.

In this case we find three very different stories between them. The first is the longest of all but it is not the one that excites me the most, as much as the second or third. I think it depends a lot on the person and that we would all find something to connect with, I'm sure of that.

The Lantern of Lost Memories has a very original basis that clearly could have other novels. I don't see that there are more translated ones and I don't know if the author wrote more... but I would definitely read more things by her.

Thanks Pan Macmillan for the ARC I read on Netgalley a change from an honest review.

The concept of this was lovely and it seemed well written but the truth of it is I just don't think this book was for me. I know there are many who would love it though and rightly so.

Thank you for the early access to this book.

In the tradition of Toshikazu Kawaguchi's books (the coffee shop series), we have a photographic studio that serves as a gateway between this world and the other ( we are not given to know which one) as long as we reconstruct our life through a series of photos.
I can't say it's a bad book, but it's not that there was a particular need for it in my opinion, or at least I didn't feel it.

Nella tradizione dei libri di Toshikazu Kawaguchi (la serie del caffé), abbiamo uno studio fotografico che funge da passaggio tra questo mondo e un altro ( non ci é dato di sapere quale) a patto di ricostruire la nostra vita attraverso una serie di foto.
Non posso dire che sia un brutto libro, ma non é che se ne sentisse un particolare bisogno secondo me, o almeno non lo sentivo io.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi is a delightful little book, examining what happens to us, when we are in the liminal space, between life and death. When we are all we are, and all we’ve experienced, flashes before us.
To help us through this experience, is Mr Hirasaka. A kind and compassionate man, who helps to distill all those memories, into a succinct snapshot for each year.

The original Japanese language book was translated beautifully into English by Jesse Kirkwood. The words conveyed the quiet emotions perfectly.

Each little vignette made me a little emotional at times, especially the third and final poignant story. I felt there were subtle lessons through the pages, and the understanding of the echo of a person having an impact, long after they have passed, like ripples in a pool.
I found myself thinking of the pictures that would form my own life, which day I might like to revisit to re-take a treasured image.

I think anyone who enjoyed the charming quietness of When The Coffee Gets Cold and Sweet Bean Paste, as I did, will love The Lantern of Lost Memories. It is a beautiful and heart warming 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

The Lantern of Lost Memories is intriguing, tender and sad.
There are three stories in this book. Hirasaka features in all of them, as the guide to after life.
The concept is 5/5
Hirasaka 5/5
Prose 3.5
Plot 4
Content warning: abuse, animal cruelty, suicidal ideation.