Susan Choi’s novel is told in alternating chapters focusing on several characters. The main characters are Anne, Serk, Louisa and Tobias. Anne and Serk are married and Louisa is their child. Tobias is Anne’s son from an earlier relationship. Serk was born in Korea, spent most of his childhood in Japan and moved to The United States when he was a young adult. Anne, Serk and Louisa move to Japan when the college Serk is teaching at practically forces him to take a teaching assignment there. One night Serk and Louisa are walking along the beach in Japan gazing at the stars. Serk slip and falls into the sea. His body is never recovered and he is presumed dead.

My summary of Flashlight does not do it justice. This very fine novel is part history lesson, part family tale and part mystery and much more. Flashlight is one of the best works of fiction I have read this year. Also, I always appreciate books with simple titles that are really not so simple.