Emily, Josh, and Jinn, unknown to them, are related to each other in some way. The events in their lives cause all three of them to travel to Japan to Aokigahara and the Jukai forest. The dense forest of Jukai is a place for people to commit suicide.

As interesting and detail-rich as these characters’ physical journey is, their real journey takes place inside them, showing their humanity, and along the way, despite the supernatural thrown in the mix, their backstories unfold logically to display bits and pieces of their earlier experiences. The actual setting also adds a true sense of place and highlights the boundaries in their relationships. This process of blending the supernatural with the natural works effectively to emphasize the original concept and goal of the story.

Without giving away too much of the plot, I can easily say Journey to Jukai is redemption story, a love story, and a teaching story when a reader looks at it carefully. The characterization is superb with Jinn’s passion for life creating a stunning contrast to the depression Josh and Emily feel. The story is deeply layered with creative twists and turns, some of which were unexpected for me. The most stunning was the author’s knowledge and insight into the characters’ minds’ darker shades and her delicate manner of showing their struggles.

The story follows a more or less chronological order with stirring scenes, and the author’s prose and use of language are flawless and exquisite.

how the author blended the past and the present and the supernatural with the natural.

is our Fyn-elf

the facts in it are well researched; the story flows well and is written with the hope of preventing suicides through the power of fiction.

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Created Apr 22, 2015 at 10:50am • Submit your own review...