A review by emilyeehaw
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee

emotional sad
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
oh this was lovely. it combined so many of my favorite things: historical fiction from non-white perspectives, the found family trope/group of ragtag kids finding each other, multiple points of view...truly loved it!

this book follows 14 perspectives during the 1940s when Japanese people living in america were forcibly removed from their homes and put into detention centers, basically prisons just for their identity. through these 14 different lenses we get to see how the war and the racism and prejudice of the 1940s has impacted them and their families.

though i have read several books about this time period, it is always horrifying to read about the reality of the situation and how Japanese people were treated. traci chee did a great job of exploring these atrocities and connecting it to modern day....how history will repeat itself if we're not aware of what's going on in our world. 

though i struggled to connect with some of the perspectives, i still loved the overall story and how it incorporated mixed media elements. 
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