From the author of the international bestseller The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World, an enchanting novel about a tiny island post office in Japan, the undelivered letters that collect there, and the extraordinary power of writing
Off the coast of Japan, on the small island of Awashima, a tiny post office gathers letters that haven’t reached their intended destinations. The island, though beautiful, is in decline: schools are closing, the inhabitants are growing old, and the young no longer want to live in the middle of the sea. Yet Risa has chosen to come to Awashima. She has offered to help at the post office.
It’s an immense task, but Risa does it out of love. Her father was a postman, and from a very young age, she admired his dedication to ensure nothing was ever lost, as he tracked down addresses, searched for missing recipients, and carefully preserved letters sent to no one, so they wouldn’t be destroyed.
But Risa, like all of us, carries her own secrets and sorrows, and the real reason for her presence in Awashima is more personal. She suspects that among the thousands of letters, there are some meant for her. From the beloved bestselling author Laura Imai Messina, The Island of Lost Letters is a touching novel of family, love, and dedication to our ideals.