Reviews

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

eleana_p's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

kellyjcm's review

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hopeful informative sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Based on the true story of how the author’s grandparents met at Minidoka, a Japanese internment camp. Text and author’s note emphasize that this miraculous event does note excuse or minimize the pain and trauma of being wrongfully imprisoned. Bittersweet and lovely. 

Illustrations evoke the 1940s with a nostalgic air. Gouache and watercolor. 

watuts's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

bookheart_dreams's review

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emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

marieleigh73's review

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5.0

A well done story of the injustice of forced internment for Japanese Americans in World War II.

vouyagers's review

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hopeful informative lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

aliciacoultas's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

esabetta's review

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5.0

"Their love for their family they made was constant. Even if the injustice their family as created in was constant too."

Ahh! I picked this up on a whim at work and am so shaken and moved by this book. Some parts were hard to read, especially in the author's note, but it is such an important pain to be reminded of. This book did not minimize Japanese internment by saying "well the main characters found love in the camp, so it was worth it". It highlights that some terrible things are constant, and that it is hard to find light within those terrible things. It importantly does not shy away from the horrific reality many Americans faced because of the interment camps. All the while, it displays a love story the author holds dear to her heart.

And truly. If you read this, do not skip the authors note. Do not skip the words that may seem harsh. Let them sink in. This was brilliant. This was beautiful.

sicntilla's review against another edition

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hopeful fast-paced

4.0

_reedmylife_'s review

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5.0

This is a beautiful book about finding humanity in an inhumane situation.