The Phone Box at the Edge of the World

A story of grief and how to overcome it, based on a real place in Japan. The phone box of the title is a phone disconnected from the phone lines in a windswept garden. People come here it to talk to the ones they have lost, trying to gain closure from being able to say all the things they wished they could say to them.

The novel here follows the story of a women who lost her daughter and mother to the recent Japanese tsunami and man she meets who has lost his wife, whilst travelling to use this phone. The main focus of the story is the unfolding relationship between these two people, both of whom have suffered extreme grief. Learning how to love again after such loss is a struggle. Laura Imai Messina deals with these heavy themes with a deft touch. There is a gentle sense of beauty and love pervading what is otherwise a very grief laden story.

This was such a charming book and so much more than I anticipated. Although the subject matter surrounding the novel was extremely sad and heart-wrenching it was surprisingly an uplifting story, one of hope, grief and moving forwards. Based on a real life natural disaster you are immediately drawn to the families that have been affected and cannot help but feel their pain and grief at losing love ones. The way they manage to still function is absolutely astounding and this is where the book's focus is, on the ones left behind learning to carry their pain and put one foot in front of the other day by day.

The story centres around Yui, who has lost her own mother and her young daughter. As a radio DJ she hears about a phone box where people from all over are travelling to to talk to their love ones. Yui decides to visit and meets a whole host of characters who are also grieving. Some who have lost love ones in the tsunami, others from natural illness or old age. All who find not only comfort in the ritual of visiting the phone box but a place to morn their love ones as part of their grieving process.

The story is told in such a beautiful way, almost poetic at times and I found it moving and humbling. The individual stories of the other characters were very touching, as well as following Yui on her own journey of self discovery after losing the most precious things in her life. This book made me reflect on my own life, my hopes, my dreams, my anxieties and on how blessed I truly am.

Many thanks to Bonnier Books for my gifted copy of The Phone Box at the Edge of the World.

LOVED IT!!!

The way of writing with the tiny details added in between chapters made the characters more relatable, enhanced the reading experience and made me even more emotionally invested.

Every loss Yui, Takeshi or any character went through could be felt from the words, just beautiful. The short easy to read chapters an added bonus :)

Takeshi, Yui and their little family have my heart 🥹🫶🏼

The ending was perfect as well, healed everyone in some way or the other ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

Also this cover is just so prettyyy and beautifulll, captures exactly what the book made me feel 🥹💗