SuitabookWar and survival
Ichiro and Hiro try to survive the bombing’s immediate aftermath while searching for Keiko; injury, destruction and hard decisions shape their journey.
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Book details
Kerry Drewery - Author
This is a serious historical novel about Hiroshima’s bombing and its long aftermath for one family. Its movement between prose, poetry and haiku gives the story a distinctive shape, while the paper cranes connect grief, promises and hope.
Book Brief
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Sign in for personalised guidanceThis is a serious historical novel about Hiroshima’s bombing and its long aftermath for one family. Its movement between prose, poetry and haiku gives the story a distinctive shape, while the paper cranes connect grief, promises and hope.
Ichiro and Hiro try to survive the bombing’s immediate aftermath while searching for Keiko; injury, destruction and hard decisions shape their journey.
Ichiro cannot keep his promise to Hiro and remains distressed about losing Keiko; Mizuki later encourages him to tell the story.
Decades later, Mizuki listens to Ichiro’s account and tries to help him with his grief and sense of failure.
Expect emotionally intense scenes of wartime destruction, serious injury, death, separation and uncertainty about loved ones. The overall account is also described as compassionate and hopeful, but its treatment of the bombing is not emotionally light.
This is a grounded book brief while Suitabook strengthens the analysis: the book’s treatment of its main themes is not yet firm enough; some draft conclusions still depend on unresolved evidence.
Momo celebrating time to read: The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery illustrated by Natsko Seki
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Checked: 21 September 2026.
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