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lilays43's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pam2375's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good story that I enjoyed very much. I really think that Ford put me right into 1942 Seattle. It is a great love story all the way around. From the very beginniing to the very end. I highly recommend this for a great summer read.
reena2's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
3.5***
Henry Lee, a 12-year-old Chinese American, has only one friend at Rainier elementary school in 1942 Seattle. She is his fellow cafeteria worker/scholarship student – Keiko Okabe – a second-generation Japanese American. The events of World War II will greatly affect these two young people, on the cusp between childhood friendship and teenage love. Fast forward to 1986 Seattle, where Henry has recently lost his wife, Ethel, to cancer. When the Panama Hotel’s new owner begins renovations to restore it to its pre-war splendor, workers come across a cache of personal belongings stored in the hotel’s basement since WW2, when the neighborhood Japanese families were sent to internment camps. Henry happens to recognize a particular item and thus begins his quest.
If this plot sounds like a maudlin romance, I have not done it justice. The book is something more than that. Ford also explores the cultural mores of the ethnic groups, the Americans who were too quick to cast blame on any Asian for the attack at Pearl Harbor (and those with cooler heads and compassionate hearts), and the multi-generational patterns of communication (or lack thereof) in families.
I was caught up in the story, which alternates between the present (1986) and the war years. However, Ford’s writing is somewhat simplistic and repetitive. How many times must he tell us that Henry and his father couldn’t communicate? Or that Henry and his son seem to have repeated this pattern? How often does he have to repeat how much Henry missed Keiko? I found the ending somewhat pat and dissatisfying. Still, I can see why it has been enjoyed – even loved – by so many. It is a good – but not great – novel.
Henry Lee, a 12-year-old Chinese American, has only one friend at Rainier elementary school in 1942 Seattle. She is his fellow cafeteria worker/scholarship student – Keiko Okabe – a second-generation Japanese American. The events of World War II will greatly affect these two young people, on the cusp between childhood friendship and teenage love. Fast forward to 1986 Seattle, where Henry has recently lost his wife, Ethel, to cancer. When the Panama Hotel’s new owner begins renovations to restore it to its pre-war splendor, workers come across a cache of personal belongings stored in the hotel’s basement since WW2, when the neighborhood Japanese families were sent to internment camps. Henry happens to recognize a particular item and thus begins his quest.
If this plot sounds like a maudlin romance, I have not done it justice. The book is something more than that. Ford also explores the cultural mores of the ethnic groups, the Americans who were too quick to cast blame on any Asian for the attack at Pearl Harbor (and those with cooler heads and compassionate hearts), and the multi-generational patterns of communication (or lack thereof) in families.
I was caught up in the story, which alternates between the present (1986) and the war years. However, Ford’s writing is somewhat simplistic and repetitive. How many times must he tell us that Henry and his father couldn’t communicate? Or that Henry and his son seem to have repeated this pattern? How often does he have to repeat how much Henry missed Keiko? I found the ending somewhat pat and dissatisfying. Still, I can see why it has been enjoyed – even loved – by so many. It is a good – but not great – novel.
abaugher's review against another edition
4.0
set during ww2, tells the story in flashback chapters of a young chinese boy, separated from his first love, a japanese girl who is sent to an internment camp. shows a side of ww2 america that has been long been downplayed but needs to be shared.
taylersimon22's review against another edition
4.0
Henry is Chinese and the story flashes back and forward to him in his adolescence and him and his 50s. This book takes an interesting look at race relations in America during the War, especially that of White people, Chinese people, and Japanese people. Henry grapples with his fiercely Chinese family, loyal to China, but striving to fit in as American. He has a button throughout his childhood forcing him to remember “I am Chinese”.
Then he finds Keiko, who is second generation Chinese American. It is dangerous to be Japanese during this time, but Keiko and her family see themselves as American. Keiko has never been to Japan or even speaks Japanese. Henry and Keiko’s friendship is forbidden because of China and American’s relationship with Japan; it doesn’t matter that Keiko and her family are American.
Even today as we see so much violence against Asian Americans because of this virus. It goes to show that if you are a person of color, you are never quite seen as fully American. That is the power of White Supremacy.
I did have some feelings about the author being a white man writing as if he knows about the experiences of Asian people during this time. That goes to the general feelings I have about white people telling stories from the perspective of people of color, but that’s a whole other thing.
Then he finds Keiko, who is second generation Chinese American. It is dangerous to be Japanese during this time, but Keiko and her family see themselves as American. Keiko has never been to Japan or even speaks Japanese. Henry and Keiko’s friendship is forbidden because of China and American’s relationship with Japan; it doesn’t matter that Keiko and her family are American.
Even today as we see so much violence against Asian Americans because of this virus. It goes to show that if you are a person of color, you are never quite seen as fully American. That is the power of White Supremacy.
I did have some feelings about the author being a white man writing as if he knows about the experiences of Asian people during this time. That goes to the general feelings I have about white people telling stories from the perspective of people of color, but that’s a whole other thing.
nextfavoritebook's review
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0