A review by amina2002
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee

adventurous challenging emotional 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

This book taught me so much about the Japanese concentration camps that were created during WW2 because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The author was able to use her own family’s experiences in these camps to depict these character arcs. I didn’t know how far the American government really went to keep Japanese Americans away from the rest of society. In history class this was definitely glossed over and seemed like it really wasn’t that bad. In the beginning I thought that 14 perspectives would be way too much but since all of the characters were friends with each other we still got to learn about most of the characters in each chapter. I absolutely loved the potential romances in this book with Twitchy and Keiko, and Frankie and Bette, it was so cute and heartbreaking at the same time. I just wanted happiness and freedom for these  kids who are Americans but happen to share an ethnicity with people who chose to come after the US. Honestly these concentration camps were eerily similar to what I have learned about what was happening in Germany around the same time. Mas’s storyline where he joins the army to prove his loyalty but not having freedom in the country just aligns with how African Americans were treated at the time. How Japanese people were treated after they were able to go back home is similar to that of Asian Americans today due to the coronavirus. So many of them live in fear because Asian American hate crimes have increased substantially and people blame anybody that is Chinese or “looks Chinese”. 
The friendships in this book were incredible and I was amazed by how they continued to grow closer together when they are in such a tough situation. I really wish that I had a group of friends who will be there for each other no matter where they are in their lives. I loved this book so much and even though it is just a YA book I feel like people can truly learn so much. I can’t wait to learn more. 
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