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Flashlight
Flashlight | Susan Choi
A novel tracing a father's disappearance across time, nations, and memory, from the author of Trust Exercise. One night, Louisa and her father take a walk on the beach. He's carrying a flashlight. He cannot swim. Later Louisa is found washed up by the tide, barely alive. Her father is gone. She is ten years old. In chapters that shift from one member to the next, turning back again and again to that night by the sea, Susan Choi's Flashlight chases the shockwaves of one family's catastrophe. Louisa is an only child of parents who have severed themselves from the past. Her father, Serk, an ethnic Korean born and raised in Japan, lost touch with his family when they bought into the promises of postwar Pyongyang and relocated to the DPRK. Her American mother, Anne, is estranged from her family after a reckless adventure in her youth. And then there is Tobias, Anne's illegitimate son, whose reappearance in their lives will have astonishing consequences. What really happened to Louisa's father? Why did he take Louisa and her mother to Japan just before he disappeared? And how can we love, or make sense of our lives, when there's so much we can't see?
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review
Amor4Libros
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Bailedbailed

Giving up at 52%. I was enjoying it for the first 30% or so, but I keep picking this back up and wishing I was reading something else 😅

Lesliereadsalot I bailed on this one too, pretty sure I didn‘t even read 30%! 2w
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
AnneCecilie
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

A night Louisa and her father goes out for a walk along the beach. When Louisa is found, her dad is gone.

In this puzzle of a book we get the backstory and what happened afterwards.

The language is a little dense, but other than that I loved this one. I especially loved learning about Korean and Japanese history.

I had a hard time believing some of the things that happened in North Korea, but nothing would surprise me

Suet624 If you‘ve read any books by people who have escaped North Korea, you wouldn‘t have any trouble believing parts of Flashlight. 2w
59 likes1 stack add1 comment
quote
AnneCecilie
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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The modest space of Walt‘s living room - a square footage allotment that in Anne‘s version was exhausted by just sofa, coffee table, and TV - was given over to bookcases so numerous they didn‘t stand against the walls but in rows perpendicular to them, and so close together that Walt - appearing out of his labyrinth to greet her - could only squeeze himself sideways.

Suet624 I loved Walt for just that reason 3w
AnneCecilie @Suet624 Me too. A fellow reader of everything 3w
55 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Jas16
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Mehso-so

I finished this #booker2025 title days ago but have been struggling to explain why it didn‘t work as well for me as it seems to have for everyone else. A long book told in multiple perspectives across many years, it touches on so many impactful themes but never really gelled for me as a whole. Some sections I never wanted to end, some sections were harder to get through. I appreciate its inclusion on the shortlist but I wasn‘t excited by jt.

ChaoticMissAdventures I am curious (have not read it yet) do you think you had higher expectations because it was a Booker? 3w
Jas16 @ChaoticMissAdventures I might have because it was a book that everyone else reading the long list seemed to really like. Me disagreeing with the Booker selections is never a surprise. 3w
ChaoticMissAdventures @Jas16 I worry for myself that I put too much pressure on prize books, and I wonder if I could like them better if they had not been listed. 3w
Jas16 @ChaoticMissAdventures I can absolutely see how that would lead to heightened expectations. 3w
Lesliereadsalot I bailed on this one, can‘t remember why! 3w
46 likes5 comments
review
Suet624
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

Finished this a week ago & scenes come back to me randomly. It‘s epic in scope. Family trauma, family hopes, cultural shifts from North Korea to Japan to the US, misunderstandings, painful departures. It sounds so depressing but it‘s a journey I was willing to go on. If you‘ve read any memoirs by people who have escaped North Korea you‘ll know that parts of this book do not stray from the truth. Yes, it could be shorter but it‘s worth it. #booker

BarbaraBB Fab review. Really want to read it 4w
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I‘m so curious to see what you think of it 4w
squirrelbrain I really appreciated this one too - great review! 4w
Suet624 @squirrelbrain thanks so much! 4w
49 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
AnneCecilie
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Louisa and her father are making their way down the breakwater, each careful step on the heaved granite blocks one step farther from shore.

#FirstLineFridays

Suet624 And then….. 😳 4w
29 likes1 comment
review
Chelsea.Poole
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

#BookerLonglist delayed review. I was surprised at how quickly this read for such a long book. I was also a bit surprised at the straightforward nature of the story—no gimmicks, nothing to distract from the story of this torn-apart family. Identity…what does it mean to be a person living in another country from which you were born? How does one live with an illness? Are we merely living in relation to who we are to other people?

Ruthiella I‘m glad to hear this worked for you! It‘s on my list. 1mo
BarbaraBB You make me think I do need to read this. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Ruthiella @BarbaraBB I‘m not overly enthusiastic about this but it was surely more than a “so-so”. I‘m going to say it‘s a light pick 😊 1mo
Lesliereadsalot This one didn‘t do anything for me right out of the gate, so I gave up without giving it much of a chance. After your review I don‘t think I‘ll try it again. Thanks for your review and comments! Just this second saw it made the Booker short list. (edited) 1mo
85 likes2 stack adds4 comments
blurb
vlwelser
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Um why is this book so long?

Nebklvr That‘s what I‘ve heard 1mo
42 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Hooked_on_books
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

I‘m so glad I got over my hate of Trust Exercise to read this one, as I really liked it! Exploring themes of belonging and nationalism by zooming in on a single small family, the reader gains greater understanding of Japan and Korea. I‘m glad I had already read Pachinko so I had some background with Korea/Japan. I do think this could have used a bit of editing, but it‘s quite good.

#NBAlonglist, fiction

TrishB On my pile to take to Gladstone‘s this week. 1mo
squirrelbrain Yay! I‘m glad you liked it! 1mo
ImperfectCJ I just started this one the other night and hope to spend some quality time with it today. Glad to see you enjoyed it! 1mo
Ruthiella Good to know! 1mo
57 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Hooked_on_books
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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I haven‘t even started this book and yet already have a history with it. When it first came out, I was firmly opposed to reading it, as I HATED Choi‘s last book. Then I read a description and it sounds completely different. I eventually decided I actually want to read it and put it on hold about a month and a half ago, but the line‘s still crazy long so I used a Libro credit. Now to start while I work on my crochet plant!

Suet624 I hated her last book too. Totally immersed in this one now. 1mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
44 likes2 comments
blurb
charl08
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Book vs Richard Osman...

Ruthiella Which one won? 😆 1mo
charl08 @Ruthiella let's call it a respectable draw. 1mo
charl08 (I should know by now trying to read in front of the TV is not for me!) 1mo
39 likes3 comments
blurb
Amor4Libros
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Starting this and hoping to finish before the #Booker shortlist is announced.

review
TheKidUpstairs
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

Catching up on reviews! #BookerLonglist edition

While this one has some pacing issues, I'm glad I stuck with it to discover its many, murky layers. A story of family disconnection and buried trauma, I appreciated the thematic ideas of a flashlight's focused beam obscuring more than it illuminates, and how difficult it can be to see the full picture of those closest to us.

Cont'd in comments...

TheKidUpstairs Despite the aforementioned pacing issues, the themes, scope, depth, and ambition of this novel would earn it a spot on my Shortlist. It's unlikely to make my best of the year, but I deeply appreciate what Choi had accomplished here. 2mo
squirrelbrain Yes, my thoughts entirely. None of the Booker books will make my best of the year, but this is on my shortlist too. 2mo
57 likes2 comments
review
Graywacke
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

My 6th from the #Booker Prize longlist is a book of surprises with an international scope. It opens in LA after dad has gone missing in Japan, along a rocky beach. A mystery of sorts. Louise and mom must carry on.

It's wordy by style - the key strength and weakness of the book. Choi uses this to create atmosphere. There is also a lot of Japan, and Korea.

I enjoyed this. It was tough for me up front, but nice once it got going.
#Booker2025

54 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
JenP
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

Book #3 (and last for today) is Flashlight. This was less polarizing for our panel than others. I loved the writing style (sentences meticulously crafted and beautiful) but wasn‘t my favorite and dragged in some parts. #booker prize

Our panel reviews are at the link below. Drop a comment with your reviews/links.

https://thereadersroom.org/2025/08/29/2025-booker-longlist-flashlight-by-susan-c...

review
rmaclean4
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this novel and never found it predictable. It was much more than I thought it would be in the end. I did have trouble picking it up. 4 🌟
#booker2025
@Bookistrish @JenP @AnneCecilie @TheKidUpstairs @Leniverse @charl08 @Chelsea.Poole @JamieArc @BarbaraBB @Graywacke @Ruthiella @ChaoticMissAdventures @vikaplus321

Ruthiella Glad to hear it! I think she is an interesting writer. I am definitely going to pick this up at some point. 2mo
Graywacke Yay. Glad to see this. I have about an hour left on audio 2mo
BarbaraBB Great recommendation. I want to read this too. 2mo
23 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Mattsbookaday
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

Flashlight, by Susan Choi (2025)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Premise: A man‘s disappearance while out for a walk on the beach with his daughter in 1970s Japan reverberates across the decades.

Review: Books told from multiple perspectives rise and fall with the sharpness of those perspectives, and this was my experience with this Booker longlist title. The sections dealing with the mother and daughter‘s lack of understanding of each other shine. ⬇️

Mattsbookaday It‘s a hard relationship told with so much empathy from both perspectives. Compared to these incredible highs, the chapters about the father felt a bit flat to me, but even these are saved by their strong themes of displacement and exile. In all, this is a remarkable achievement

Bookish Pair: For similar themes, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017)
2mo
Chelsea.Poole I‘m looking forward to this one. Nice review! 2mo
Mattsbookaday @Chelsea.Poole I hope you really enjoy it! 2mo
Suet624 Just starting this one and I appreciated reading your review about it. 1mo
12 likes4 comments
review
mjtwo
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

13-5 Aug 25 (audiobook)
#Bookerlonglist2025 No 3
Epic story of a broken American Korean family‘s lives in various locations in the American mid-west, Korea and Japan. Each character battles with isolation, exile, disability and the tension of family ties.
I found this to be a gripping story which provided some further insight into 20th century Korea. Interesting that Korean stories seem to be trending in the past few years.

19 likes1 stack add
review
squirrelbrain
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Pickpick

#bookerlonglist #12

I loved this epic, character driven chunkster. Louisa goes walking on a Japanese beach with her father one night. Sometime later Louisa is found, barely alive. Her father is never found.

We look back at their lives, and those of other peripheral characters, & also at the post-war history of Japan / Korea and China, a period of time I don‘t know much about and found fascinating.

At the top of my list, alongside Seascraper.

TheKidUpstairs Great review! I've got this one lined up next 👍😁 2mo
BarbaraBB Sounds like a book for me too! 2mo
JamieArc I just got Seascraper today! It was out for a little while after the Longlist was announced so I‘m glad to finally get it. 2mo
See All 11 Comments
squirrelbrain I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! @TheKidUpstairs 2mo
squirrelbrain Yes, I think you‘d really like it @BarbaraBB 2mo
squirrelbrain @JamieArc - I‘m sure you‘ll enjoy Seascraper - looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 2mo
Cathythoughts Great review Helen , I like the sound of this one. Stacked. 2mo
squirrelbrain I think you‘ll really like it @cathythoughts (edited) 2mo
Chelsea.Poole I have this one checked out. Happy to hear it‘s a winner for you! 2mo
Hooked_on_books I was originally going to avoid this one, as I HATED her last book. But this sounds completely different and also interesting to me. I have it on hold, so we‘ll see where I land on it! 2mo
squirrelbrain @Hooked_on_books - I haven‘t read any of her authors so can‘t compare. I hope you like it! 🤞 2mo
62 likes3 stack adds11 comments
blurb
RaeLovesToRead
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Bookshop.org.uk haul (Station Books)

I want to read all the books but I'm feeling rather ill today so am not really good for much except lying around complaining.

Jas16 Hope you feel better soon 2mo
AmyG Feel better! 2mo
Eggbeater I complain when I'm too sick to read, too. I hope you feel better soon. 2mo
See All 9 Comments
RaeLovesToRead @Jas16 @AmyG @Eggbeater If I complain enough maybe I'll complain myself better! 😅🤣 2mo
PurpleyPumpkin Ugh so annoying when that happens! Hope you feel better soon. 💜 2mo
RaeLovesToRead @PurpleyPumpkin Thank you! 💕 2mo
RaeLovesToRead @Luke-XVX Trust me, I'm a doctor! 2mo
Gissy 📚😍🙌 2mo
62 likes9 comments
blurb
JenP
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Traveling through Italy while the character in my book are also moving around. Really enjoying this book so far but I‘m reading very slowly this vacation.

wildwoodreads I hope you have the best vacation! 3mo
33 likes1 comment
blurb
JenP
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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Making my way through the Booker list. Loving the writing in this book. In 2 days I leave for vacation with my daughter to Italy where we will eat, read, and go to the beach. This is our annual tradition - 1-2 weeks traveling to a new to her place (I have been to Italy many times) over the summer. Time flies, she will be 15 this year and our trips will likely stop when she goes off to college. #bookerprize

Ruthiella This is probably the one longlisted title that I will read regardless. I really liked and was pleasantly confused by 3mo
squirrelbrain This is the last one I can get hold of - waiting for a library hold….. have a lovely trip with your daughter! 🇮🇹 3mo
JenP @squirrelbrain thanks! You are speeding through the list. I‘m enjoying your reviews. 3mo
See All 8 Comments
JenP @Ruthiella this is the first of her books I‘ve read. I own trust exercise but haven‘t read it. Heard it‘s great by people who generally have same book tastes as me 3mo
BarbaraBB Hopefully you‘ll have plenty of time to read in Italy. How wonderful to travel with your daughter 💕 (edited) 3mo
squirrelbrain Thanks Jen! 😊 3mo
Chelsea.Poole Your breakfast looks delicious. Have a great trip! 3mo
tpixie What a beautiful tradition with your daughter!! ( that bagel 🥯 looks delicious) 3mo
30 likes8 comments
blurb
Graywacke
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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I get so excited about the #Booker longlist, and then I start the 1st book, and it‘s like - wait, who are you? I need to step back and look a bit and get acquainted with this year‘s list of books. Can‘t take these relationships too fast…. This one is 1st. Possibly my only one on audio. Not sure yet if this ten year old in the prolonged is a sociopath. #Booker2025

squirrelbrain From the synopsis, I wondered if this might not work well on audio. I‘m waiting on a hard copy from the library but I‘ll still be interested to hear your thoughts when you get a bit further in. 3mo
Graywacke @squirrelbrain The opening works ok. Maybe only ok. Narrator is only ok. 🙂 3mo
ImperfectCJ @Graywacke That's unfortunate to hear! I usually love Eunice Wong's narration. 3mo
Graywacke @ImperfectCJ you may really like it! It‘s a taste thing - readers. 3mo
50 likes4 comments
blurb
Graciouswarriorlibrarian
Flashlight | Susan Choi
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I opened up my #stayaction package just now. @bumpinthenight , you spoiled me! I have discovered new authors and can‘t wait to dive into these books. The bookmark, neon stickers, hair clip are amazing. And the teas and popcorn are amazing! Thank you so much and many thanks to @Chrissyreadit and @DinoMom for organizing this #staycation.

bumpinthenight I hope Flashlight is great - I picked that up before I saw your comment about something more romance-themed and so far I‘ve heard really good things from those who have read it. 4mo
Chrissyreadit 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳 4mo
DinoMom That butter rum crunch sounds delicious! 4mo
43 likes5 comments