Flashlight by Susan Choi is a novel set in Korea, Japan and the United States. Serk is Korean, but born and raised in Japan. When his family gets the chance to go back to Korea, he stays behind, eventually ending up in the United States where he marries, has a daughter and one day brings her back to Japan with him.

When Serk drowns and his daughter’s life is forever altered, the mystery of his disappearance is more complex than one could imagine. This novel is historical fiction, and is partly based on what was happening in North Korea after WWII. It sent me down my own journey of discovery about a time and place I knew very little about.

This novel absolutely blew me away. Choi has created a story and characters that are unforgettable. The writing is incredible and the story unfolds in such a way that I could not put this book down. Highly recommended.