Soul Lanterns
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The haunting and poignant story of a how a young Japanese girl's understanding of the historic and tragic bombing of Hiroshima is transformed by a memorial lantern-floating ceremony. Twelve-year-old Nozomi lives in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. She wasn't even born when the bombing of Hiroshima took place. Every year Nozomi joins her family at the lantern-floating ceremony to honor those lost in the bombing. People write the names of their deceased loved ones along with messages of peace, on paper lanterns and set them afloat on the river. This year Nozomi realizes that her mother always releases one lantern with no name. She begins to ask questions, and when complicated stories of loss and loneliness unfold, Nozomi and her friends come up with a creative way to share their loved ones' experiences. By opening people's eyes to the struggles they all keep hidden, the project teaches the entire community new ways to show compassion. Soul Lanterns is an honest exploration of what happened on August 6, 1945, and offers readers a glimpse not only into the rich cultural history of Japan but also into the intimate lives of those who recognize--better than most--the urgent need for peace.
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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.
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.
