The Phone Box at the Edge of the World

Reeling after the 2011 tsunami in Japan, mourners journey to a disconnected phone box in a garden to speak to loved ones lost.

Inspired by the true story of the wind phone set up in Iwate Prefecture, Laura Imai Messina's novel explores how grief and love are intertwined, and the slow journey towards healing after a tragedy.

Two of those struck by loss are Yui, whose daughter and mother died in the tsunami, and Takeshi, who lost his wife.

The pair are slowly and delicately drawn together by their fascination with Bell Gardia, the mysterious garden perched on a hill, battered by the wind.

Their longing is anchored to reality by the lists of everyday things - snacks, conversations, bookmarks and clothes - with which Messina punctuates their ruminations.

A quiet, elegantly told story of how life goes on after loss.