There were moments where I dived head first into some of the lyrical prose, and other times where I just found it heavy and far too much.
It was a tough read for me, as I didn't know what was happening at least 40% of the time.
It's essentially about belonging, finding one place in the world, especially as a Korean growing up in war torn Japan. Who are we when we are no longer wanted and forgotten? When politics and war define families and identity?

Flashlights appear throughout the book. Sentences are repeated multiple times, sometimes, where I wasn't sure if I had read the page or not.
While Louisa and Serk are memorable characters, this book had me in a whirlwind loop.

Sadly, not for me. I thought it sounded really good but couldn't slog through Seok's first chapter. I chucked it at 8%.

Beautifully written book. tells its story quite slowly, but this generally matters little, as it leaves you engrossed anyway. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

It's unfortunate that time does not allow for rereads of books in the same way you can rewatch a movie. So your mood at any given time can impact your experience. I think that happened here. I didn't like the story but I couldn't explain why beyond I just didn't feel it. Technically, it's excellent.

This book was absolutely not what I expected, both from the summary and from having read and loved Trust Exercise. While different from what I anticipated, I found it to be beautiful and moving and extremely informative on a subject I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t even know existed.

The book is gorgeously written and the characters and plot felt fully developed. Without giving away the plot, which feels unfair to do, this is a story about memory, about culture, and about family and mostly about how life just keeps plodding on. I found the direction of the book to feel unexpected but nothing ever felt forced. The non linear format really worked well and added to the feeling of memories unraveling and retrieving over time.

It was interesting to learn about Koreans living in Japan and the relationships between both Koreas, Japan, and China. I found myself Googling throughout the book to learn more.

Highly recommend this beautiful read. Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read and review.

There are many difficult issues raised in this book.
They are raised in a sensitive manner.
The tale is a simple tale told in difficult times.
Serk is an ethnic Korean mixed up in the political aftermath of the war years, when with the defeat of Japan it is not clear where he belongs.
He chooses to go to the United States but is not totally accepted there, he visits his homeland with his family, and disappears.
This story can only be told effectively by switching from one character to another, working the way to the truth of the matter in increments. This is essentially because traumatic events lead to partial memory loss.
I enjoyed this story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I don't think I really enjoyed this, but at the same time I did feel compelled to finish it. At times it felt like I was reading two different books, about halfway through. I'd say give it a chance!

Choi has implemented a fascinating structure for this novel, with sections of the book rotating between character points of view, but with limited vision, much like using a flashlight. Also, flashlights often show up as props in the scenes. While the scaffolding intrigued me, it was difficult to fully grasp the trajectory of the novel or the true motivations of characters until about 50% into the book, which was too far for me. The oddness of the characters and their dysfunctional relationships detracted from the importance of the storyline of the North Korean, South Korean, and Japanese tensions, kidnapping, and torture.

I loved this until about 2/3 of the way through. It was such an intriguing mystery and it was cleverly told through the different timelines and from different people’s points of view. It felt like it lost momentum towards the end though.

This long novel has some historical fiction aspects, but they are difficult to discuss without revealing the plot. [Nevertheless I encourage readers to google the historical allegations when you finish the book, and you will find they indeed took place.]

The story centers around the family of Serk and Anne Kang and their daughter Louisa. Serk is Korean although he was born in Japan. He met Anne after moving to the US, first to study electrical engineering at UMass, and then he stayed to take a teaching job.

When Louisa was ten, Serk accepted a year-long sabbatical teaching assignment in Japan, and the family moved there. During that time however, which occurs at the beginning of this book that goes back and forth in time, Serk went missing after going out on an early evening walk with Louisa. As it was later described:

“Her father, it was understood, had slipped and fallen off the breakwater, and drowned. Louisa had been found unconscious on the shore. His father, his body, had not been found at all. Currents explained Louisa’s father’s body’s disappearance. Shock explained Louisa’s ending up, without remembering how, on the sand.”

Although they were a somewhat dysfunctional group before this, Anne and Louisa never really recovered from the shock of what happened.

Meanwhile, another character had entered the story before they left for Japan. Tobias was a child Anne had seven years before her marriage to Serk. She had given Tobias up to his father, and never saw him again until he was 16. He came to Japan when the Kangs went there and built something of a relationship with Anne. Louisa resented him; mainly it seemed to be because (besides the fact that he existed), he so closely resembled Anne in appearance.

Louisa was critical, unaccepting, and lacking in compassion. In fact, not only was this family odd, but all of them were unlikeable in different ways. I didn’t really understand why Choi would write about a horrible historical event with not very sympathetic characters.

As for the story itself, I appreciated the heads-up about the history of that time and region. But the author left a number of loose threads and unexplained plot aspects. There were also long narrative passages that didn’t seem to have a point. I wish it had been better balanced.

Trust Exercise wasn't for me so I was a bit hesitant to start this book, but this was everything I'd hoped for based on the description: a meaty, complex family saga with a compelling (if not front-and-center) mystery that explores family secrets, estrangement, geopolitics, and more. Such a good book club book as well—there are endless discussion topics here.

Choi’s book started out strong as we were introduced to Anne and the troubles she faced as a high school dropout and teenage mom. It sadly slowed early on with the introduction of her husband Serk, her estranged son Tobias and daughter Louisa.
The family friction was painful to get through. I could not identify with any of the characters. Each of the 3 main characters were fairly insensitive and had peculiarities that made their life difficult and their characters unpleasant.
The story did not take off until 3/4ths into the book. That is when Ann meets Walter, Louisa travels to Europe and we run into Serk again. I was just about to shelve it when it did a 360 at that point. It was then I found I actually couldn’t put it down. I’m glad I did finish it and found out what happened to Serk and Louisa.
The end, however, left me wanting more. There was no resolution.I found the book a little choppy and cold. I rate it a 3.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book. These opinions are my own.

This was probably a 3.75 stars for me, very near a four star read but not quite there because of a few different factors.

I did not know what to expect with this as this is my first book by this author, but I own a couple of her other books that I have always been meaning to read such as “my education“ so I was vaguely aware of the authors writing style and fan base and I thought I’m might be one of them, and while there is a lot about this that I appreciate I don’t think I am one of the people who is very gung ho on her work and that feels it to be very unique.

One thing I will say for this is that I was very impressed by the large scope of this family saga, it extended far further than I was expecting and contained a lot of the family within its pages. I happen to love a family saga so this ended up working for me in the end but there were a few bits and pieces that I thought were left unresolved or at least not understood fully by me.

dnf. i tried so hard to like this, but it just wasn’t compelling at all :/ i started reading it back in like february and just found it a chore to carry on, so i decided to call it quits.

In this poignant novel, the author intricately weaves the tale of a family shattered by tragedy when a father and his young daughter mysteriously vanish during a seaside stroll. As the story unfolds, we learn about the complexities of Serk's upbringing as an ethnic Korean in Japan and the emotional struggles of his wife, Anna, a high school dropout grappling with their tumultuous marriage. The narrative's pace shifts dramatically, pulling readers into a whirlwind of grief and the impact of Serk's absence on Anna, Louisa, and her estranged brother, Tobias. Choi's exploration of hidden histories and the depth of familial ties creates a rich tapestry of emotions, leaving readers both frustrated and empathetic toward the flawed yet relatable characters. While the writing occasionally drags, demanding a patient reader, the book ultimately rewards those who immerse themselves in its beautifully crafted prose and the profound themes of survival and identity.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC which I was provided in exchange for my honest review.

This was a 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars for me. The 4.5 is because the set up for the story took up much of the book and the latter part felt needlessly truncated. The story itself, however, was deeply engaging. The characters were often unlikeable and miserable, but they were just right for telling this story about the secrets and omissions that have lasting effects. The family at the center of this story suffer for all that they cannot communicate and the consequences are drastic. I was caught up in the drama of it and this made it a satisfying read.

Flashlight - Susan Choi
Rating: 4.5/5

One night, Serk, a Korean man born in Japan, takes a sunset walk along the beach near his family’s rental home with his 10-year-old daughter, Louisa, leaving behind his American wife, Anna. Hours later, Louisa is found washed ashore, barely alive. Serk, who never learned to swim, is nowhere to be found.

In Flashlight, the highly anticipated novel from Susan Choi (author of the brilliant Trust Exercise) Choi crafts a sweeping, multi-decade narrative that follows Serk, Anna, and their troubled family across Japan, Korea, and the United States. What sets this novel apart is its portrayal of familial discord. Rather than depicting a family bound by love and resilience, Choi presents characters who are often cruel to one another—outsiders in every sense, shaped by hardship yet incapable of finding solace in each other.

For such an expansive novel, I tore through it at a rapid pace and cannot wait to discuss it upon release. Many thanks to NetGalley and FSG for the advance copy.

This beautifully written novel tells the story of a fractured family, torn apart by a tragic event that unfolds when Serk, a Korean-born father, and his 10-year-old daughter, Louisa, go for a walk on a Japanese beach one evening and never return. Hours later, Louisa is found half-drowned with no memory of what happened, while Serk remains missing. The first half of the book moves slowly, introducing Serk's childhood as an ethnic Korean in Japan, Anna's struggles as an American high school dropout, and their complicated marriage. But the pace shifts dramatically in the second half, as Serk's disappearance reshapes the lives of Anna, Louisa, and even Tobias, Anna's estranged son. The story evolves from a family saga into something much deeper-exploring grief, survival, and the weight of untold histories. Just when you think you understand where the story is going, Susan Choi masterfully twists the narrative, revealing a hidden layer tied to a lesser-known piece of Korean-Japanese history. The characters, flawed yet deeply human, grew on me over time-I found myself frustrated with them, rooting for them, and ultimately heartbroken by their fate. Gorgeously written and emotionally powerful, this novel is perfect for someone who enjoys coming-of-age, intense family dynamics and historical fiction.
The only drawback of this book was the occasionally sluggish writing style, which I may simply not be accustomed to. There were moments where this made it harder for me to stay fully engaged, affecting my enjoyment at times. I couldn't engage on why some parts of the story seemed extremely skimmed but then other parts of the story were minute but explained in great detail that really was never needed. I think this will be something quite a few people will have issues with - but I can be wrong!
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this novel. This will be published and released on June 3, 2025.

This is a beautifully written story of a broken family, one that was split by an event that has to remain a mystery because of spoilers. Korean-born Serk and his 10-year-old daughter, Louisa, go for a walk along the beach in Japan after dinner one evening, leaving Anna, their American wife/mother, sitting on the porch of their modest Japanese home. Hours later, when neither has returned, Anna alerts the authorities and a search gets underway. Louisa is found later, half drowned, with no memory of what happened. Serk is never found.

The first half of this book went by a little slowly for me. In it, the reader is introduced to Serk and Anna and told of their childhoods in Japan and America, respectively. Serk’s story includes his Korean family’s flight from Korea to Japan, and their subsequent return to Korea later, without Serk. Anna’s story includes estrangement from her family following the birth of an illegitimate son.

The second half of the book redeems itself for the slow start. Serk’s disappearance that fateful night changes everything for Anna and Louisa, and even Tobias, the illegitimate son, and makes the final chapters fly by. This is a well-written story filled with nuanced characters. It’s full of history and humanity, and its characters face many challenges, both physical and mental. The characters really became real to me in the second half of the book, and the story ended on a poignant note. I have not read the author’s award-winning “Trust Exercise” yet, but my reaction to this book makes me want to. Recommended.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with this e-ARC. This title will publish in early June.

Flashlight is not what I expected it to be at all: at once a literary family novel and an examination of history. The short story, which is the first chapter of the book, was published last year and sets the tone: somber, reflective, emotional, gripping, and sharp as nails. Absolutely incredible, Susan Choi should win all the awards. She writes in such an exacting way and her characters feel so real you could touch them. Simply superb.