Soul Lanterns

I've been loving middle-grade books lately, the way they pack in such meaningful messages and stories while being easy enough for anyone who reads

Having not read the blurb (yet again), I was deeply surprised by the way this book tackles the after-effects of war, the atomic bombing in Hiroshima in particular - a reminder of how utterly low humans can get and how despite it all, humanity prevails. A little compassion, a little empathy - we all need reminders to understand that those who suffer or have suffered are no different than ourselves, just a lot more unfortunate.

 We live and learn to take everything in great stride, but the cruelties and harshness of war should never be forgotten.

A middle-grade which is realistic and doesn't have completely perfect characters or writing but has beautiful storytelling. Based on real event, we get to know the survivors and their lives after they have lost their loved ones in the war and the bomb. Since it's from the perspective of a twelve-year-old, you are finding out about the stories as Nozomi, the protagonist, is just starting to understand what has happened and how it affected the people around her as well. I really loved that it was from her perspective because she remembers some things from when she was younger but never really questioned or asked her parents and grandparents about it. She's slowly putting together her memories and the things she was told when she was younger and finding out more about the people around her and understands them much better. The stories told in this book capture the emotions really well, so that anyone who reads it knows how tragic and devasting the loss of so many people at once was like. It doesn't really teach you about Hiroshima but you follow Nozomi and how she slowly learns the stories of the people around her, who have survived the war and the bomb, how it changed them and how they keep on living.

I definitely recommend this to people who like to read middle-grade books and Japanese-translated books. There's some repetition in this book which I personally didn't mind but some people might. Those who have enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold and How Do You Live? might also enjoy this book.