The Lost Souls of Benzaiten

by Kelly Murashige

Overview

This heartfelt and quirky young adult fantasy debut follows a young outcast on a journey of transformation . . . into a robot vacuum cleaner.

A fresh twist on Japanese mythology that doubles as a deep, honest dive into mental health.

“I wish to become one of those round vacuum cleaner robots.” That’s what Machi prays for at the altar of Japanese goddess Benzaiten. Ever since her two best friends decided they want nothing to do with her, Machi hasn’t been able to speak. After months of online school and a carousel of therapists, she can no longer see the point of being human. She doesn’t expect Benzaiten to hear her prayer, much less offer a different prayer on Machi’s behalf—that Machi  discover the beauty of humanity, ultimately restoring her to her previous self.

Benzaiten is enamored with the human world and, as she’s the goddess of love, humanity is enamored right back. Being second-best once again isn’t helping Machi move past her trauma, and with each adventure they share, Machi is reminded of everything she’s lost. It isn’t until Machi starts interacting with the souls of the dead—which tends to happen around Benzaiten—that she starts to rediscover her place among the living.

From an author to watch, The Lost Souls of Benzaiten is a highly original debut about the nature of happiness and the potential for healing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781641295741
Publisher:	Soho Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	07/23/2024
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	349,782
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Kelly Murashige is a writer, reader, and dreamer who was born and raised in Hawaiʻi. She primarily writes contemporary fiction with fantastical twists rooted in Japanese mythology and culture. Though she is a total introvert, she hopes to connect with readers around the world. You can visit her online at www.kellymurashige.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/29/2024

Murashige’s fantasy debut follows an outcast teen who, after striking a deal with a Japanese god of fortune, embarks on a transformative journey to discover life’s beauty. Following a friendship fallout, 17-year-old Machi lost “the will to speak.” Now, she ardently wishes she was a robot vacuum cleaner instead of a person: “They’re treated like humans... but no one expects them to be anything more than what they are.” Unexpectedly, the goddess Benzaiten appears and counters Machi’s prayer with a plea that she “realize the beauty of being human and rediscover my voice.” With each new encounter on Machi’s quest—and each new question posed by her therapist throughout—Machi comes to accept her broken relationships as well as herself. This heartfelt and original exploration of one teen’s reasoning for her way of thinking and her growth into a new version of herself focuses on connection and communication in fun, fantastical ways. Murashige’s fresh blend of Japanese mythology and frank depictions of mental health challenges rendered via simple prose allow readers to relate to Machi’s emotions and struggles and gain new perspective into the complexity of human nature. Ages 14–up. Agent: Savannah Brooks, KT Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Lost Souls of Benzaiten

“[A] novel about trauma, mental health, and understanding how many ways a person who doesn’t speak can still communicate . . . While the story frequently feels so grounded in reality, and in the struggles of coping—and of wanting to cope—that come with losing friends and loved ones, that makes the divine elements feel even more whimsical and dazzling.”
—Paste Magazine

“Tenderly told and vividly imagined, The Lost Souls of Benzaiten shines with originality and empathy. A stunning debut.”
—Sarah Suk, author of The Space between Here & Now and Made in Korea

“A shimmering story for anyone who’s ever been hurt enough to want to be somewhere—or even something—else, Kelly Murashige’s vulnerable, magical tale chronicles the sweetness that can draw us back into the world and toward each other, even after our hearts are broken.” 
—Jodi Lynn Anderson, New York Times bestselling author

“A poignant, powerful character study. Murashige has crafted a novel that, for all its metaphysical questions, finds its answers in examining the little moments in life: the thousand tiny things that shatter and shape the human spirit.”
—Zack Smedley, award-winning author of Deposing Nathan

“Kelly Murashige's beautiful first novel glows with raw emotion. Her nuanced portrayal of Machi, a girl who no longer speaks after a heart-wrenching friendship trauma, is expertly illuminated with a dreamy touch of magic. The Lost Souls of Benzaiten is a stunning and poignant debut.”
—Brianna Bourne, Carnegie-nominated author of The Half-Life of Love

“Murashige brilliantly captures the specific sense of anguish that stems from the first time a friend breaks your heart. A new take on contemporary fantasy that will leave you glancing down at your well-vacuumed floor and wondering: Is my Roomba lonely?”
—Jeff Bishop, author of A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy

“A thought-provoking deep dive into self-awareness and the power of human connection. For anyone who has lost their way, The Lost Souls of Benzaiten offers a beacon of light and hope in the darkness.”
—Robin Reul, author of Where the Road Leads Us and My Kind of Crazy

“A breathtaking journey from sorrow to solace through worlds both magical and mortal, this book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. A powerful, uplifting antidote for anyone who has ever experienced feelings of depression or despair.”
—Susan Azim Boyer, author of The Search For Us and Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win

“A totally original tale about the friendships that make and break us.”
—Lisabeth Posthuma, author of Baby & Solo

“Murashige’s debut YA novel inventively weaves Japanese mythology and dark humor with themes of mental health, selective mutism, teen friendship dynamics, and connection in unlikely places.”
—Booklist

“Written with tenderness and vivid emotion . . . The story takes a compassionate and introspective approach to emotional trauma in the wake of a codependent friendship. As a narrator, Machi is appealingly wry, expressive, and self-aware.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Heartfelt and original . . . Murashige’s fresh blend of Japanese mythology and frank depictions of mental health challenges rendered via simple prose allow readers to relate to Machi’s emotions and struggles and gain new perspective into the complexity of human nature.”
—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2024-04-20
When 17-year-old Machi makes a wish at an abandoned shrine, the last thing she expects is for a god to appear.

It’s been a year since Machi stopped talking. No one can make her explain why: not her parents, not the many therapists she’s seen, and definitely not Sunny and Angel, her former friends. When Machi’s latest therapist suggests that she explore someplace new, Japanese American Machi begrudgingly visits a Shinto shrine, where she prays to be transformed into a robot vacuum cleaner. This unusual request catches the attention of Benzaiten, the shrine’s deity who’s a God of Fortune. She reveals herself to Machi but refuses to grant her wish. Instead, Benzaiten asks Machi to give her until Tanabata, the summer Star Festival that’s just five weeks away, to help her appreciate being human and find her voice. A series of magical field trips ensue, during which Benzaiten demonstrates an affinity for the stranded spirits of deceased children. Despite trying to stay aloof, Machi slowly grows attached to the beautiful, charming Benzaiten. But when the god’s affection for an infant spirit turns obsessive, Machi finds herself once more facing her biggest fear: rejection. The story takes a compassionate and introspective approach to emotional trauma in the wake of a codependent friendship. As a narrator, Machi is appealingly wry, expressive, and self-aware. Journal entries interspersed throughout help readers piece together the events that led up to Machi’s silence.

Written with tenderness and vivid emotion. (content warning) (Fabulism. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews