Ishi recommends: The Lantern of Lost Memories gently weaves between the living and the dead, set in a photo studio that helps guide souls to the afterlife. Through the interconnected stories of a preschool teacher, a yakuza, and a rescued child, the book tenderly explores grief, memory, and loss. Despite its darker themes, there’s a quiet warmth throughout that brings comfort, reminding us that even the most mundane, fleeting moments can hold deep meaning in hindsight. It invites reflection on how we process loss, and how memory, both painful and healing, offers us a space to embrace and make peace with the past.
(Trigger Warning: This book contains themes of violence and child neglect).
