Kamizen: Fortress of Lost Memories

About this book

12-year-old Jonty and his mum are staying at his grandfather’s place in Yorkshire. They are looking after Gramps who is living with dementia, and whose memories are slipping away. Jonty is desperate to help and gets his chance when he meets a talking bonobo who invites him into a hidden, magical world where he can recover his Gramps’ memories.

Once inside the world of Firenzo, Jonty faces trials to collect memories from his grandfather’s past. Along the way he encounters yōkai, mischievous beings from Japanese folklore, who both help and hinder his progress. All the while he must fight against the looming threat of an evil sky pirate crew who seek to destroy each memory for good. 

This wonderfully imaginative story unfolds beautifully and is packed with jeopardy, emotion, Japanese folklore and plenty of action. Alongside the adventure, there is a thoughtful thread about family, memory and holding on to the past. Jonty’s relationship with his grandad is very tender and the challenges around his dementia are dealt with sensitively. 

Sawa Oikawa's illustrations are a standout feature and add so much to the book’s charm with their anime style and Studio Ghibli-like magic. This will appeal to many readers and is such a clever blend of emotion and excitement, and of Northern England and Japanese folklore. Brilliant.