The Phone Box at the Edge of the World – Laura Imai Messina

~ beetleypete

I am always complaining about lack of original ideas in books and films. Here is one that I can’t complain about. I hadn’t heard of this book before, but it sounds like an excellent idea, and an emotional read.

JennyLou's book reviews

I received ‘The Phone Box at the Edge of the World’ by Laura Imai Messina (translated by Lucy Rand) as part of my fiction subscription with @Bertsbooks. The idea of this book is beautiful, and the cover has a delicate, pretty design.

The book follows Yui following the death of her mother and daughter in the tsunami, in Japan. She learns of a phone box which allows you talk to your lost loved ones and decides to travel there to try it for herself.

On her journey she meets Takeshi, a husband who is dealing with the grief of losing his daughter.

Once they reach the garden they learn of its history and the stories of some that choose to visit the phone box.

The story explores the stages of grief and the emotions between two strangers who are trying to deal with the enormous devastation of their losses.

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27 thoughts on “The Phone Box at the Edge of the World – Laura Imai Messina”

  1. I’m intrigued. What would I say to my loved ones who are deceased? They already know of my love, now they might know my mistakes, and how do you bridge the distance between life and death with mere words? Warmly, C

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  3. Suggesting to read. . . An actual ‘book’? . . .with a binding? Have you gone completely daft lad?

    But really, thank you for the suggestion. 🙂 I just need prodding. . . have 5 books on my bedside, 4 of which are to do with disassembly, cleaning/maintenance, and re-assembly of WWII firearms of which I am a collector. Btw, things I learned this last year that a person can do in Arizona that you can’t do (very easily anyway) in California: rip a few hundred rounds through a German MG42 heavy machine gun, then turn around and run a few hundred more rounds through a gen II Canadian Stengun. . . And nobody bats an eye. Bloody marvelous! It makes the heat bearable at least. . .

    The 5th bound addition is “something, completely different”: “The Controlled Demolition of the American Empire” by Jeff Berwick. The way things are going, it may be the most useful of the bunch. 😉

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    1. Interesting to have a collection of firearms. Do you by chance have a Soviet PPSh-41? I read once that Germans fighting on the Russian front used to prize capturing one of those weapons, with its large-capacity magazine.
      You might be interested in this old post. (It’s quite long)

      The Right to Bear Arms


      As for the book, I got in in Kindle format. I have no more room for any real books. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Kindle, yes, of course. There is a 21st-century sensibility to digital books, no mistake. And sadly, ~95% of the image in text I consume is in digital format.
        But what I find missing is the kinaesthetic connection and optical resonance of my brain seeing still Black ink characters on White parchment, vs the flickering image of electrically created pixels.

        Soviet PPSh-41? No, I wish I did. Quite rare in the States, and quite dear to buy. The MG42 & Sten belong to a friend who is a Federal Firearms License holder (a licensed dealer), and Ken holds a class “3” license. They are both for sale, at a staggering cost, I might add.
        All full-auto firearms in the States are categorized as class “3” firearms, as are short rifles and short-barrelled smoothbore guns. There is an annual fee, much scrutiny, etc. Helping Ken is a perfect world for me- I get to enjoy them as we get them set right (which of course includes ‘testing’ them 🙂 and I don’t have the hassle or expense of ownership.

        And yes. . . I would “Love” to have the opportunity to shoot the rare drum-fed Russian gun one day.

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    1. Reading the review on the linked blog, it does seem to be very emotional, Mary. I think I am going to buy this though, as it might get me back into reading after my very long ‘Covid slump’.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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