This is a collection of 15 surreal short stories about relationships that vanish without warning - between people, ghosts, and sacred things. Each tale, quick to read in a single night, explores strange connections: from a forest spirit chasing a stolen stone, to a doctor speaking with a spirit house, and a therapist confronting the soul of a Fortuner car. Woven through are eerie, poetic accounts of love, loss, superstition, and longing in unexpected places.
Although I read this in its Thai language and some of it may have been lost in translation (thanks to Google Translate, it did a surprisingly decent job!), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was clever and entertaining, blending irony, spirituality, and humanity in ways that felt both whimsical and profound.
I loved how the stories seamlessly wove gods, ghosts, and sacred objects into everyday life, highlighting the absurdities and quirks of human behaviour with both humour and heart. The themes felt so universal, touching on belief, loss, and connection, that the language barrier hardly mattered.
One story that particularly stood out to me featured a psychotherapist offering counsel to ghosts who remained tethered to the living - a bittersweet reminder that even in the afterlife, some souls still carry their burdens. The concept was as funny as it was touching.
Overall, this was a short, sweet, and surprisingly heartwarming read. Despite the language barrier, I felt deeply connected and entertained with its messages. 4/5