A simple and meditative novel. Four people get to meet the mourned ones for one night only, thanks to a go-between. A nice reflection on closure and grieving.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the option to review this book!

This is a captivating story about grief, obligations and guilt. It takes us along on a collection of different short stories, of people reachoing out into the land of the dead, Some out of greed, some out of grief and some, because they have unresolved business with their beloveds that passed along. It was moving, captivating but still lacked a certain something, which made me retract one star. Still a worthwhile read, especially if you are rather new to the asian contemmporary literature movement.

"When a life was lost, who did it belong to? What were those left behind meant to do with the incomprehensible, inescapable loss?"



Is it selfish wanting to reunite with a loved one whose life has ended while ours continues? In the midst of reading this book, I encounter this curious question. Such a thing never crossed my mind; perhaps I was too occupied with myself (indeed, selfish), pitying my own sorrow instead of considering the deceased's feelings. I have always been so hung up about my loss, not once stopping to think that my longing to keep them by my side for the longest time may disrupt their acceptance that their lives are no longer. They might have already moved on, at peace in the afterlife, and here I am, all miserable due to my incapability to embrace change. Through this book, I get the answer to the said question.

I was pleasantly surprised by this author's ideas and perception of things when I discovered Lonely Castle in the Mirror in the beginning of the previous year, and I was eager to see what other things Mizuki Tsujimura has in store for us, the readers. Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon has successfully replaced Lonely Castle in the Mirror as my all-time favorite book.

This is an interesting take about grief. I really love the concept and how the go-between doesn't take money as a means of payment. Can't wait for others to discover this masterpiece as well. The translation sometimes comes off a bit awkward, but nothing I will hold against the beauty of the book itself.

“Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon” is a collection of five intriguing stories about how the ‘Go-Between’ arranges encounters between the dead and the living. While the book only features four meetings with the dead, the final story adds a nice touch by uncovering the Go-Between’s history.

It’s easy to put oneself in the shoes of the characters who get the chance to see a deceased person. Who would you choose to meet for the last time if you had only one opportunity? Would you select a loved one or perhaps someone who made an impact on your life, such as an artist or a public figure? And would that person agree to see you as well?

People deal with grief differently, given that it’s a deeply personal journey. This book not only provides readers with a glimpse into the lives of those coming to terms with loss but also shows how the dead can help offer proper closure, allowing those left behind to find ways to move on with their lives.

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon by Mizuki Tsujimura, translated by Yuki Tejima
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is one of my most favourite translated Japanese books so I had high expectations for this one!
Lost Souls is a moving exploration of grief, longing, and the fragile hope of closure that centres around the Go-Between, who offers people the chance to reunite with a lost loved one - just once - on the night of a full moon. The only rule is that the living can only meet one dead person in their lifetime, and the dead may only return for one reunion.
Told through five interwoven stories, the novel introduces a cast of characters, each with a different reason for seeking the Go-Between - regret, love, or unanswered questions. Some find closure, while others realise no reunion, however miraculous, can truly heal them. For me the standout element of the book was the authors ability to balance emotions with restraint, avoiding sentimentality while still delivering moments of gut-wrenching poignancy. Initially, the stories feel separate, but as the novel progresses, subtle connections between them emerge, deepening the emotional impact and delivering a rich, layered reading experience.
Fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold will be drawn to Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon (interestingly, it was published in Japan five years earlier). However, Tsujimura’s novel feels weightier and more complex. It doesn’t offer easy resolutions, and its characters aren’t always likeable, but this only enhances their authenticity. Some meetings bring comfort, while others raise difficult questions about the responsibilities of the living, the finality of death, and whether closure is ever truly possible.
Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is a moving, quietly powerful book that reminds us of the weight of loss, the importance of memory, and the limits of what even the most extraordinary second chances can offer.

I went into this blind, as I loved "Lonely Castle in the Mirror" by the same writer so much. I should have informed myself, as this is in the style of these Magical Feel Good Short Story books a la Before the coffee gets cold. It feels as if every Japanese translation in the last year has only been these kinds of stories... Honestly I am over it. That means, it was good that I didn't know this title was in that genre when I started. I enjoyed the first story quite a lot. My disappointment started with the realisation in what direction the rest of the book would be going. This is completely my fault for not being informed. As these books go, this is one of the better ones. The topic of grief and finding peace was very well done and touching. Only 4 story arcs to follow along, it is more manageable and I did feel a connection to several characters. Unfortunately I also found out it is the first in a series. Thanks for the opportunity to read this in advance and be prepared for my customers. I am sure it will find its audience despite my personal preference.

Another instalment in the seemingly never-ending series of books coming out of Japan (and sometimes Korea) where there is some sort of gimmick (in this case, meeting someone who died) that allows the author to collect a series of short stories about people who struggle to accept some aspects of their lives. In this case, there are four such short stories, and a final, fifth, story that brings it all together and talks about the mechanism that enables these encounters and the people who employ it.

Now, I'm not against this genre per se. Enjoying such a book is mostly dependent on the quality of the stories and the complexity of lives it illuminates. In this case, as was the case with Marigold Mind Laundry, The Full Moon Coffee Shop, We'll Prescribe You a Cat, Before the Coffee Gets Cold and its terrible sequels), the stories are shallow and banal. They are really unremarkable. Another aspect that can make such a book tolerable is the quality of writing, which, in this case, was rather good, and comparable to Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. The proof is that I was able to finish it (unlike Marigold Mind Laundry, for example).

Either way, if you enjoyed the booked I mention above - you'll enjoy this one, perhaps more than most. If you are looking for a serious piece of literature, or something that showcases aspects of contemporary Japanese life, look elsewhere.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having read Lonely Castle in the Mirror a few years ago and loving Tsujimura’s writing, I was thrilled to dive into her latest book.

Her talent for crafting simple yet compelling characters shines throughout this novel. Initially, I had some doubts, as the book is divided into five chapters, each focusing on a different character's story. I worried there might not be enough time for meaningful character development. Thankfully, I was proven wrong.

The writing is deeply reflective, particularly when exploring themes of grief and death. While some readers might find the lack of neat, storybook endings in each chapter unsatisfying, I appreciated how it added to the realism. We never fully see the impact these encounters with the dead have on the characters, but I felt that was intentional. The lack of closure shifts the focus from the living to the perspective of the dead, making for a thought-provoking read.

This is a wonderful book for fans of Lonely Castle in the Mirror or anyone new to translated fiction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 ⭐️

I was originally introduced to Tsujimura’s works through the movie adaptation of Lonely Castle in the Mirror. Since then, I’ve been meaning to read her books so I was very grateful to receive an ARC for Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon.

While it’s always a bit tricky to judge when it comes to translated works, I enjoyed the prose which had a nice flow and pacing to it. I was a little skeptical about the plot and how it was set up, though. Each chapter featured a new story about a person who wished to see a deceased love one, the reasons being quite varied. Not all characters appeared likeable and some stories were more interesting than others.

However, already from the second story onwards, you could find little connections between the cases beyond the central character Ayumi who is the one to bring the deceased and living together. With each story, we learn a little more about him and the final chapter brings everything to full circle in a way I had not expected. It is a good example of how big of an impact the ending to a story can have on the plot as a whole. Which is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the individual stories, but I was definitely impressed with how things tied up.

I can even say that I viewed characters I didn’t care for much in a different light upon completing the book. There is a lot of food for thought in regards to how differently people handle grief and how everyone has a burden or another to carry in their life. My only complaint in regards to the story would be that it ended very abruptly - this may sound like a contradiction as I just said that I liked how things come full circle. They do, but then a hint of a new beginning is shown and it almost felt as though things ended mid paragraph. On the bright side, it makes me eager to pick up the sequel.

On a more technical note, perhaps I am just nitpicking, but I feel that a translation feels more authentic when proper name conventions are used. There were lines where characters were called by their first and last name, and I’d be very surprised if the original spans wouldn’t use surname-first name instead. This book seems to switch back and forth between correct and incorrect name order, I am not sure if it’s deliberate or not but it felt as though the translator couldn’t decide whether to use English or Japanese name conventions.

This is the stories of people who want to see a loved one, one more time.

It's much like other Japanese translations that I've read like The Lantern of Lost Memories. Each chapter is a separate story until the end when the story of the go-between brings everyone together. Each character is completely different and has different motivations for wanting to use the go-between.

The first couple of stories were sad but I got very intrigued by the story of the go-between and the little links weaving into his story.

The excerpt from the sequel is immediately intriguing, I can't wait for that.

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

If you enjoyed the series Before the Coffee Gets Cold, then you’ll probably lap this up. Personally, I liked this one better, probably because the stakes are higher. If you had the chance to meet someone again after their death, would you take it, and what might you tell them?

There were some interesting characters and dynamics, so I found this a reasonably quick and enjoyable read, but it would have benefited from more depth. It did feel like it was addressed to high school students, so everything had to be spelled out all too clearly. It seemed to be trying so hard to achieve emotional resonance that it wallowed instead in sentimentality, which is a shame because so much of Japanese literature thrives on ambiguity and a sense of unresolved wistfulness.

I didn't like this as much as Lonely Castle in the Mirror but it was still a really heartfelt and enjoyable read. The premise is that there is a boy called the 'Go-Between' who lets you have a request to see one person in the afterlife and speak to them again for a single night. The book feels like more of a series of interconnected stories as it mostly just looks at 4 different people and the ghosts they decide to request to visit. The end ties it up really neatly and actually goes back and focuses on the Go-Between himself and where he comes from, which was really cool and had more of a fantasy vibe to it like her last novel. I am excited to see where the story could go from here as there is a second book in this series coming out in English. I'd like for it to have felt a bit more like a cohesive novel and had a bit stronger of a plot but I did love the vibe of this.

I read this on recommendation after <i>Before the Coffee Gets Cold</i> and honestly I might have loved this even more. There is a quiet weight to each of these stories that feels so real as a discussion of grief and living after others have gone. That reality is embedded throughout: some gain closure and some can't, some are relieved of the weight and some take on more. Once time is up, it's up, and there will be no more. No second chances, no redos.

Each of the characters is well realised even in a relatively short space, and exist in the true complexity of humanity. No one here is flawless, we are not dealing with idealised characters, just people, in their complicated, beautiful, broken glory. Arashi's chapter in particular struck me with how painful it was, the lack of honesty with herself and others that she couldn't let go of and so never gained the closure she really needed. It was awful to read in how well it was done, and yet so accurate to how overwhelming every little thing can be as a teenage girl.

The internal monologue by Ayumi really hit me towards the end, trying to decipher whether these visiting ghosts are the true entirety of the person they were, or simply a collection of living memories about them. Are the dead ever entirely themselves again, or are they created by the living, by what lived on when they didn't, whether true or false or only half known? Like many things in this book there is no easy answer, inly the lingering question to dwell on after you finish reading.

I will definitely be picking up more books by this author. The translation is wonderfully done and has helped to capture a delicate, complicated spectrum of feelings throughout. I look forward to seeing more from both of them.

*Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

Lost Souls Meet Under A Full Moon is a lovely piece of fiction that gives us a glimpse into the lives of its characters and their grief. Other themes are also explored, such as guilt, obligation and jealousy. As the book is separated into episodes we meet quite a few characters but their stories interweave nicely. Each character is distinct and interesting but I didn’t get deeply attached to any of them. I felt like an outsider that was kind of watching from a high view point the whole time.
I did enjoy the story and the concept, it flowed well as a set of episodes. I would say there was slight repetition as to how the process of the reunions occur that was unneeded.
This would be great for a book club read, in terms of the themes and characters a lot could be discussed. Also for fans of Before the coffee gets cold as the concept is very similar.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Lost Souls Meet under the Full Moon, is where people get 1 chance to meet a deceased person they wish to, for whatever reason. We meet 3-4 people who the go- between sets up meetings for and at the end we also get to know the behind the scenes story of the go- between.

I enjoyed the concept, the people and their stories except for one of them where a teenager decides to meet her dead best friend, I absolutely struggled with this part as it went on and on. Rest of the story was nice, emotional however I felt it lacked depth and had scope for it be impacting as it felt like something was missing.

What an amazing title! Right from the starting till the end of was amazing and wonderful. The narration was brilliant and the characters were mesmerizing. The connection of life, memories and human was penned so nicely, I loved reading each bit of this book.

🌕 This collection of stories explores the theme of meeting the departed through a mysterious intermediary.
Set on the night of a full moon, each story grants both the living and the departed a single meeting, from sundown to sunrise.
The narratives deeply delve into emotions of grief, guilt, and responsibilities, offering a strong reflection on these themes.
Stories Include:
• Beloved Icon – A tale capturing the essence of a life that feels mundane and unfulfilled through the connection between a devoted fan and an idol.
• The Rule of the Eldest Son – An eldest son visits his mother, confronting the heavy weight of familial expectations.
• The Rule of the Best Friend – A best friend navigates a tumultuous mix of guilt, shame, and jealousy.
• The Rule of Lost Love – Following a fiancè left in limbo, pondering the mysterious disappearance of his partner. This tale stands out as the most heartwarming and features the most significant twist, making it the most engaging in terms of mystery and emotional investment.
Despite the simplicity in the writing, this collection offers a unique take on grief and emotional struggles.
The characters’ journeys, though less immersive, are still relatable and thought-provoking.
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon continues the trend of Before the Coffee Gets Cold readalikes. Again, we have a mechanism through which people can do something supernatural within the framework of arbitrary and clearly defined rules. In this case, almost identical to The Chibineko Kitchen, there is a way for any living person to request a meeting with someone who died. As is well-established in this genre, Mizuki Tsujimura offers four distinct scenarios, and a unifying thread focused on the person who offers the 'go-between' services.

As these books go, Lost Souls was not the worst I have read. The four scenarios has some interesting dynamics and lively characters. Two, both centring men, a story of a bullish son meeting his elderly mother and a man trying to find his bride who mysteriously disappeared seven years ago, were quite run of the mill. The two scenarios centring women, the story of a fan meeting her female idol and two schoolfriends going from friend to rivals, were a bit more interesting. The idol story stood out because of the lively and eccentric characterisation of the idol, and the schoolfriends story tapped into 'My Brilliant Friend'-style teenage female friendship co-dependency, a dynamic I find fascinating. In all of these cases, it felt like the author set up something that could be interesting and have a bit more bite to it than these books normally do, but ultimately fell short. In the friends' story especially, something that was set up in quite a brutal way descended into the usual moralising of the 'Coffee' subgenre.

Mizuki Tsujimura's Lonely Castle in the Mirror had an interesting central idea (more suited for a manga than a novel), but suffered enormously from inconsistent pacing. Lost Souls is, overall, an improvement, but the pacing is still off. 60% of the text focuses on the four stories, and 40% revisits them again from the perspective of the go-between. The last 'story', that of the go-between, was the worst offender in terms of banality and blatant moralising. Mizuki Tsujimura set up some interesting themes - femicide, co-dependent friendships, class dynamics in Japan - and coped out of doing anything interesting with them. In a world where you can read Mieko Kawakami or Sayka Murata, why read this?

If you want slice of life Japanese fiction for this JapanJanuary, read There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. If you like the sound of the Coffee books but are disappointed by them, the first 60% of Lost Souls is definitely a better read than that, so you can try it.

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

This was a wonderfully written and enjoyable book about the go-between who connects the living with the dead for one night. I really enjoyed reading about the various people who sought out the go-between and why, and my favourite chapter was definitely the one about the go-between himself and his experiences. I found it touching, exciting and at times, tragic and highly recommend reading this book. I can’t wait for the next instalment!

This is an excellent and emotional book about the 'go-between', a service that allows the living to speak with the dead.

Told in five parts, the first four interweaving stories show the different uses of the service. The reasons each person wants to speak with someone who has passed are as varied and personal as grief is to each of them.

The fifth story brings everything together from the perspective of the go-between service itself, including how it came to be and what's needed for it to work.

Grief, loss, unanswered questions, generational trauma, familial and societal pressure all play a part in the emotional landscape of this book.

Underlying everything runs the deeply personal common questions:
Is it selfish for the living to want to speak with the dead?
Who touched your life and made a difference?
Whose very existence shone a light into your life and made it bearable?
Who made you the person you are?

This is definitely not a light and meandering story. This is more of an emotional rollercoaster through grief, loss, and celebration of life.


*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*