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tomato_bisque's review against another edition
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"And remember, its better to bend than to break."
Fast-paced story about the forced confinement of Japanese people during the 2nd world war. Its mostly about people keeping their head down to survive. Its one thing to read about the conditions of the camps in a textbook, but its another to read about how mind-numbingly boring and hopeless they were.
Fast-paced story about the forced confinement of Japanese people during the 2nd world war. Its mostly about people keeping their head down to survive. Its one thing to read about the conditions of the camps in a textbook, but its another to read about how mind-numbingly boring and hopeless they were.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, and Xenophobia
grey_writes_love's review
challenging
dark
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Racism, and Deportation
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
literarychingona's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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: Animal death, Racism, Violence, and War
directorpurry's review
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Torture and War
stephalopuff's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The last chapter of this book is powerful and stands on its own as a poem, for sure.
My star rating is reflective more of the audiobook than the book itself. Do yourself a favor and read a hardcopy. The narrator sounded so prim and proper, her style of narration felt inappropriate for the subject matter and the way the book itself was written. That being said, the book itself feels a little detached from its audience - do I dare say a SparkNotes of the characters' experiences? I'd like to read more detailed, thorough accounts of Japanese internment.
My star rating is reflective more of the audiobook than the book itself. Do yourself a favor and read a hardcopy. The narrator sounded so prim and proper, her style of narration felt inappropriate for the subject matter and the way the book itself was written. That being said, the book itself feels a little detached from its audience - do I dare say a SparkNotes of the characters' experiences? I'd like to read more detailed, thorough accounts of Japanese internment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, War, and Deportation
erinblue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Racism
Moderate: War
kennethwade's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Forced institutionalization
rory1387's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Hate crime, Racism, Grief, and War
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
adrianna_isabel's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I feel like the author did such an amazing job with narrating from a child's perspective. It wasn't too innocent, but it was absolutely there. They think the way a child would (daydreaming about when their lives got back to normal etc.) Flashbacks were well formatted. Learning about experiences in the camps was informative and eye opening.
I loved the awareness raised around PTSD and the discrimination victims from the camps went through when returning home. I loved how the author described adjusting getting back home. And, the way the family's identities as Asians during a time of war felt so authentic. It was so sad, seeing them feel ashamed for their ethnicity.
I loved the ending. It was realistic, and it was ending that gave good closure to the reader but was not perfect, whatsoever. important spoiler >>when the father finally reunites with his children in the end, he's a completely different person (due to the ptsd). And the way the children reacted to it and described it felt so shockingly real.</spoiler
Very informative. It was an honor to read this book
I loved the awareness raised around PTSD and the discrimination victims from the camps went through when returning home. I loved how the author described adjusting getting back home. And, the way the family's identities as Asians during a time of war felt so authentic. It was so sad, seeing them feel ashamed for their ethnicity.
I loved the ending. It was realistic, and it was ending that gave good closure to the reader but was not perfect, whatsoever. important spoiler >>
Very informative. It was an honor to read this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and War
bookedbyelizabeth's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Forced institutionalization