NPR's Book of the Day Susan Choi’s 'Flashlight' is about an alternate-universe version of her own family
Jan 2, 2026
In this episode, novelist and National Book Award winner Susan Choi dives into her latest work, Flashlight. She shares the poignant story of Louisa, a girl grappling with her father's mysterious disappearance. Choi discusses Louisa’s emotional barricades, influenced by her complex family background as an ethnic Korean in Japan. The conversation highlights historical tensions between Korea and Japan and Choi’s unique approach of writing chronologically to weave generations together, all while personalizing Louisa’s struggle to embrace love.
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Chronology Solves Narrative Complexity
- Susan Choi arranged the novel's events in strict chronological order to manage complexity.
- That simple structural choice made tracking decades and many characters far easier during writing.
Defensiveness Masks Deep Loneliness
- Louisa resists connection and questions, yet she yearns for companionship beneath her defenses.
- Susan Choi shows that her sharp refusal to engage masks deep loneliness and leads her to reveal more than intended.
A Character Who Embodies Historical Displacement
- Choi created Sirk as an ethnic Korean born and raised in Japan to explore Korea–Japan historical tensions.
- He embodies statelessness after empire's end and the ambiguous identity of ethnic Koreans in Japan.