Written by American author Susan Choi, Flashlight (published in 2025) reflects the mood of the novel's story, which follows a father, named Serk, and his ten-year-old daughter called Louisa. At the start of the novel, the duo walk at dusk. The light is dim, and Serk carries a flashlight with him to guide their way. The flashlight doesn't work, and their family and community grow concerned when they don't return. After some time, Louisa is found cold and near death. Her father is missing and presumed dead by being swept to sea by intense tidal forces. It is a novel about Serk's past (especially his life in Japan pre-World War II), and the ways he and his family had to bend their identities to do what they needed to in order to survive in an increasingly challenging world. Likewise, it is a novel about history, familial trauma, and shifting identity.
When it was published, Choi's novel received mixed -- but mostly positive -- reviews from critics and audiences. Though some critiqued Flashlight for giving a history lesson towards the tail end of the novel instead of advancing the story, others thought this development was a breath of fresh air. Beejax Silcox of The Guardian also praised the novel's twist, writing "the plot twist mid-novel was a jolt that added suspense and intrigue to the work."
