Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
This book was a real surprise to me. I wanted to read about a little know part of America's WWII experience, and expected a book that tore at my heartstrings like The Diary of Ann Frank What I didn't expect was a book that was truly "bittersweet." This is the story of a Chinese American boy, Henry, who fell in love with a Japanese American girl, Keiko, in WWII Seattle. They met at an exclusive private school to which they were both sent in an attempt by their parents to further Americanize them. Neither of them fit in and thus began the story a first love which never died despite her internment in a Japanese war camp.
The story is masterfully told by Jamie Ford and left me in tears. I felt like I knew these two people intimately and grew to love them. I have read that the Depression brought families and communities together in a way that prosperity never could. I think that is what sets this book apart. During the rough times during the war, people found a way to be happy and despite what happened to them, they were able to rise above it.
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