The Phone Box At The Edge Of The World - Laura Imai Messina

 

Description

*A moving, unforgettable story inspired by true events*

We all have something to tell those we have lost . . .

When Yui loses her mother and daughter in the tsunami, she wonders how she will ever carry on. Yet, in the face of this unthinkable loss, life must somehow continue.

Then one day she hears about a man who has an old disused telephone box in his garden. There, those who have lost loved ones find the strength to speak to them and begin to come to terms with their grief. As news of the phone box spreads, people travel to it from miles around.

Soon Yui makes her own pilgrimage to the phone box, too. But once there she cannot bring herself to speak into the receiver. Then she finds Takeshi, a bereaved husband whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of their loss.

What happens next will warm your heart, even when it feels as though it is breaking.

When you've lost everything, what can you find . . ?

Review

I usually love books set in Japan, and whilst this one did remind me in some ways of my time spent in Japan I didn't feel the presence like I have in other books.

The story is based on a real life location of the "wind phone" although they ask that tourists do not visit. It is certainly a sad story of those lost in the Tsunami in Japan in 2011, and whilst this is fiction it is obviously a very true depiction of what many suffered. 

The idea of being able to talk to those that have passed through a phone is a comforting thought and if it brings solace to those that seek it then it can only be a good thing. The book focuses mainly on two characters of Yui and Takeshi and their visits to the phone box. Strangers when they first meet the phone box unites them both through grief and overcoming it too.

Grief has affected Yui so much so that although she is a radio presenter when she isn't on air she has a an almost reclusive personality. At times I had concerns she would never find herself again and miss chances as she was so caught up in her grief. The portrayal of her actions towards the end of the book were so vivid I feared for her.  

A gentle read, although it covers a harrowing experience but with hope. There is a wonderfully comprehensive list of all the Japanese terms and the translation at the end of the book. I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.