The Soul-Catchers - Naoko Higashi;Lucy North

Discover the charming, moving literary gem for fans of Banana Yoshimoto and Kawaguchi''s BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD

What if you could come back after death to watch over your loved one, installing yourself in a treasured mug, for example, or perhaps your mother''s hearing aid, a diary, or even a climbing frame, to be clambered over by the younger sister you will never meet?

Eleven recently deceased protagonists find themselves floating in the afterlife where a nameless ghost offers them one last chance to spend time with their loved ones.

But not as you would expect.

In a world where souls roam restlessly around after death, unwilling to depart, The Soul-Catchers is a soothing, witty, and surprisingly sensual take on the Japanese folk belief that objects can be inhabited by human presences. Equal parts charming, profound, immensely moving, Higashi''s powerful classic is an astonishing and original exploration of our eternal need for comfort and connection.