The Day the Sun Fell captures on a deeply human and personal level the devastating effects of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. The author, who at fourteen was seriously injured by the A-bomb, skilfully combines tender lyricism and stark realism to recount her own experiences and those of other members of her immediate and extended family in the aftermath of the bombing, and decades later. Not only a harrowing depiction of tragic historical events, nor just a remarkable story of survival, The Day the Sun Fell reveals aspects of the bombing never aired openly before, forcing the reader to pause to reflect on these haunting events and their continuing legacy seventy years on. It also makes for inspiring reading, for Hashizume never fails to discover hope and joy in living even in the darkest of moments.