'The Lost Soul Atlas' Review

"A boy awakens in the Afterlife, with a pocketful of vague memories, a key, a raven, and a mysterious atlas to guide him as he sets out to piece together what happened, and try to find his way home..."

'The Lost Soul Atlas' is the latest book by Australian writer Zana Fraillon, author of 'The Bone Sparrow'.

Twig has died and gone to the afterlife, where he meets his animal guardian, Kruuk. But instead of accepting his fate and going deeper into the afterlife at the cost of his memories, he chooses to undertake a dangerous quest that will restore the memories of all 'lost souls' and possibly reunite him with his father. Dipping in and out of the eclectic and perilous afterlife, the quest takes Twig into his own memories - precious moments with his father, and his life with other homeless children on the rough city streets. But each time Twig crosses into the past, he risks disappearing entirely.

This is a charming, imaginative and poignant story that, at its core, deals with loss, grief, friendship and economic hardship. The fantastical conceit draws us in, and ultimately serves to deepen themes of memory and guidance. Lines between fantasy and reality are blurred, while the fun of the adventure and innocence of childhood complements the sad realities of poverty and homelessness, making for a beautiful and bittersweet experience.

It is a perfect follow-up to Fraillon's novel about the Forgotten Generation, as a sense of loss hangs over the story and its sometimes dreamlike prose. Here she chooses to subtly emphasise social issues by taking us into the perspective of children - we ourselves wander, lost, in the looming and unforgiving city, feeling the keen sting of abandonment from authority figures, and the hopeful call of community and friendship. We are never sure of the setting, either time or place. Sometimes it feels modern, while at others it suggests at an almost Victorian darkness. And this timelessness serves to emphasise that these issues are constant - not merely the problems of the past, and not confined to the present either.

The nature of memory in this story - from the gods who like to consume human memories (though they feature some slightly out of place comedy) to the threat of 'disappearance' - is a commentary on how easily we forget, or push away, the more undesirable aspects of our societies or histories.

Twig's quest to restore the 'lost souls' can thus be read as a kind of righting of wrongs, a powerful remembrance. But it also mirrors his own psychological journey - from fear and loss to acceptance; from passivity to actively choosing. It is Twig's choice to remember that is ultimately empowering, moving, and reflective of the work we must do in real life.

'The Lost Soul Atlas' creates a beautiful, magical world while managing to touch on important themes with depth, subtlety and sensitivity. It is not just a YA novel, but something to be enjoyed by adults as well.

Find out more about Zana Fraillon here

Purchase The Lost Soul Atlas here

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