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maddietsteele's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This book absolutely destroyed me. My heart was not prepared for the emotional sucker punch that was the consecutive placement of Keiko’s, Twitchy’s, and the All of Us chapter. I cried, hard.
At the start, I was a bit worried about a book with 14 different narrators, and at times it was difficult to keep the stories aligned with the correct characters. However, as the book progressed and travelled outside of the first incarceration camp, it was clear that all the perspectives were needed and each added a new layer to the story.
The emotion and connection between the characters themselves and between the characters and the reader swells as the story progresses. The last 5 chapters absolutely make this book one to remember.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and War
useyourwordsmarisa's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Child abuse
kaitlinlovesbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse
codyemma's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: War, Racism, and Racial slurs
aromarrie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Grief, Hate crime, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent
houndoflove1985's review
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
sofff's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, War, and Death
maeveroyal's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
porshea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
elleisntabell's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? No
5.0
My god, this was really good.
I feel like I can't give it a 5 because there are just a couple of chapters that followed characters that I felt were weaker than the others. That had slightly less interesting plots. Also, there was an entire section in the second person, which I usually dislike (but it wasn't that bad), and a part written in verse, which I'm not always a fan of. (I like Tommy and that part of the story but the writing itself was my least favorite part of the book.) One character I forgot had had a chapter already until I realized that I was at the end.
But, this book is like a 9/10. Because the rest of the book more than made up for the weaker parts. Most of the characters were great, and I eventually got used to the fact that we wouldn't go back to them after their chapter was done. That fact made it all the better when we: 1. Got the chapter that combined them all together after Twitchy died. 2. Revisted Minnow for the last chapter. He was my favorite character and I probably would have loved this book a little less if we hadn't had his perspective again.
I learned much more about Japanese internment camps than I ever knew before. It's a subject I've been interested in ever since my 8th grade history teacher made sure to focus on it in class and played Kenji by Fort Minor. I look forward to reading more books that focus on the subject and seeing different Japanese perspectives on it.
Lastly, I just want to mention how much this book made me cry. I cried when I read Mas' chapter. I cried when Twitchy died. I cried the entire chapter after Twitchy died. I needed five tissues. It was fantastic. THat chapter was amazing. I love all the characters so much. Minnow and Frankie and Stan and Mas and all of them.
I feel like I can't give it a 5 because there are just a couple of chapters that followed characters that I felt were weaker than the others. That had slightly less interesting plots. Also, there was an entire section in the second person, which I usually dislike (but it wasn't that bad), and a part written in verse, which I'm not always a fan of. (I like Tommy and that part of the story but the writing itself was my least favorite part of the book.) One character I forgot had had a chapter already until I realized that I was at the end.
But, this book is like a 9/10. Because the rest of the book more than made up for the weaker parts. Most of the characters were great, and I eventually got used to the fact that we wouldn't go back to them after their chapter was done. That fact made it all the better when we: 1. Got the chapter that combined them all together after Twitchy died. 2. Revisted Minnow for the last chapter. He was my favorite character and I probably would have loved this book a little less if we hadn't had his perspective again.
I learned much more about Japanese internment camps than I ever knew before. It's a subject I've been interested in ever since my 8th grade history teacher made sure to focus on it in class and played Kenji by Fort Minor. I look forward to reading more books that focus on the subject and seeing different Japanese perspectives on it.
Lastly, I just want to mention how much this book made me cry. I cried when I read Mas' chapter. I cried when Twitchy died. I cried the entire chapter after Twitchy died. I needed five tissues. It was fantastic. THat chapter was amazing. I love all the characters so much. Minnow and Frankie and Stan and Mas and all of them.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia