For day seventeen of our Books for Grief, we feature another novel (now-turned film): Strangers, by Taichi Yamada.
This book tells the story of Harada who, while visiting his childhood home, meets a man who resembles his late father. Set in a dilapidated Tokyo apartment, the novel explores isolation and grief.
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Strangers
by Taichi Yamada
Strangers (1987) by Taichi Yamada follows Harada, a middle-aged, divorced TV scriptwriter who returns to his childhood home in a rundown Tokyo district. There, he meets a man who looks exactly like his deceased father, and soon discovers that his parents appear to be alive, frozen at the age they were when they died years earlier.
As Harada grapples with this unsettling reality, the novel delves into themes of isolation, grief, and the blurred boundaries between memory and the present.
Featured Amazon review…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Haunting in every sense
“I’ll admit I read this ahead of the Andrew Haigh film, curious to see the source material before the adaptation. The novel more than stands on its own, though, with a heart-wrenching exploration of loss and love, of regret and goodbyes. Though the concept could have lent itself to a horror, Strangers takes a more wistful approach and leaves the reader with more contemplation than fear.“
Amazon customers say…
Readers find the story captivating and well-crafted, with vivid descriptions and a compelling first-person narrative. The book offers valuable insights and intriguing details, providing a rewarding learning experience. The character development is praised, and the heroine is particularly engaging. Overall, the book is seen as an excellent read that fulfils its purpose effectively.
Photo by Brenda Godinez on Unsplash
🧠 Understand the ‘Stages’ of Grief
Many people first encounter grief through the idea of “stages,” but the model is often simplified or misunderstood.
Our Stages of Grief page looks at where the framework began, what each stage represents, and how it can support understanding – without suggesting that grief unfolds in a tidy order.
Explore the page to learn:
📘 A clear explanation of what the Five Stages are (and what they’re not)
🧭 Why grief rarely moves in a straight line
🌊 How feelings can rise and fall in waves
🧩 Other grief models that may resonate more with your experience