“Listen, Kazu. Everyone says that humans are equal, but we don’t all get the same chances in life. You know that, don’t you? You’re a big boy in fifth grade. Some people are born healthy, and others are born with illnesses and disabilities. There are beautiful people who get adored by everyone, and people of fine character who never get any credit due to their looks. Some children get good grades without studying, while others study like crazy for nothing. Plenty of things in this world are not fair and equal, Kazu. But one thing is the same for everyone, Kazu. Not only on the surface, but through and through. It affects the smart people, the rich people—no matter what they do, they cannot get more of it than their due. Do you know what I’m referring to? Time, Kazu. Time is the same for everyone. Men, women, young people, old people—everyone. A day is a day. An hour is an hour. Time is the one thing applied impartially to all humans, and to every living creature.”
Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba
A few weeks ago I read The Village Beyond the Mist by Sachiko Kashiwaba, which is the Japanese middle grade novel that inspired the movie Spirited Away. I absolutely loved it and when I saw another novel by this author, Temple Alley Summer, I decided to listen to the audiobook. This was another wonderful novel and I enjoyed it so much.
Kazu is a young boy who sees the ghost of a young girl one night. The next day, the girl shows up as part of his community as if she has never been anywhere else. Everyone he meets acts like she has always lived there, but Kazu knows the truth. Akari is someone from the dead who has returned to life. Kazu spends the rest of his summer vacation investigating the Kimyo Temple, a temple that is said to possess the power of bringing the dead back to life.
This story has two stories running through it. The story of Kazu and Akari as they attempt to learn more about the temple, but also another story called The Moon on the Left. Akari remembers having begun this story when she was hospitalized as a child, but she never got to finish it. Kazu tracks down old issues of the magazine and is drawn into the story himself, only to realize it is unfinished. The Moon on the Left reads like a fairy tale. It’s a gorgeous story woven throughout the main novel, Temple Alley Summer, and it was so mesmerizing to get lost in these two stories and see how they connected in the end.
I adored Sachiko Kashiwaba’s writing style. Her stories are so immersive, filled with magic and wonder, and both novels were so full of heart. I highly recommend both if you can get your hands on them. Both also feature beautiful illustrations as well. If you’re looking for a story to get lost in, this book is the one for you.
Of Worlds Forgotten 
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