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lucygwrites's review against another edition
4.0
It was a solid book but it felt lacking for me. I wasn’t very hooked and I was sold a much more emotional story than I actually got. I was just hoping for something a little more touching, but it’s not a bad book.
namsmommy09's review
3.5
Eye opening look at the American interment camps during WWII as told from the perspective of both an Asian American and a child of a suspected Nazi collaborator.
kim_j_dare's review against another edition
5.0
I had no idea until I read this captivating novel (and Hesse's note on historical accuracy) that our country's World War II internment camps were as widespread as they were. Hesse does a masterful job of bringing a little-known piece of history to light in a compelling way. German-American Margot and Japanese-American Haruko form an unlikely but utterly believable friendship in the Crystal City camp, the only one where both German-Americans and Japanese-Americans were housed together. Through their eyes, we experience the day to day life in this camp, the injustices, the rampant prejudices, and the highs and lows of relationships that are doomed from the beginning.
Hand this to fans of Elizabeth Wein and Ruta Sepetys-- all of these authors have a remarkable ability to discover and tease out the moments in our past that have not made it into the history books, and that are essential for us to be familiar with, especially in this time of political divisiveness.
Hand this to fans of Elizabeth Wein and Ruta Sepetys-- all of these authors have a remarkable ability to discover and tease out the moments in our past that have not made it into the history books, and that are essential for us to be familiar with, especially in this time of political divisiveness.
josiethompson's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly didn't really love this book. I'd probably give it a 2.5 if there were half stars on this thing. I was really excited for it to begin with because I read so many WWII novels that the premise of this one was one I hadn't seen before. But it was just kinda weird. The relationship between the girls was never outright romantic but it eluded to it a little bit and I didn't love that. But i guess it was still an educational novel for me regardless. It just became another fluff book for me.
angielina's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
UGHHH THE ENDING WAS JUST... NOT IT... which is why this book doesn't get 5 stars :( Even so, this book was just a roller coaster of emotions. Margot, a German-American, and Haruko, a Japanese-American, both meet at an internment camp in the 1940s during World War 2. Unsuspectingly, they become friends, but their friendship is full of ups and downs. I admired the attention the author put toward making their friendship complicated... because their friendship is not full of rainbows. I also praise the author for focusing on a variety of other subplots, such as Haruko trying to find out what her brother is hiding and Margot desperately trying to keep her family from falling apart.
The most important thing I have to say to the author is... I love you. Thank you so much for not writing another generic World War 2 novel about some hero trying to save the world. Instead, the author wrote from the perspective of two young girls stuck in an internment camp. They are what the outside world sees as the "enemy," not the hero.
UGHHH THE ENDING WAS JUST... NOT IT... which is why this book doesn't get 5 stars :( Even so, this book was just a roller coaster of emotions. Margot, a German-American, and Haruko, a Japanese-American, both meet at an internment camp in the 1940s during World War 2. Unsuspectingly, they become friends, but their friendship is full of ups and downs. I admired the attention the author put toward making their friendship complicated... because their friendship is not full of rainbows. I also praise the author for focusing on a variety of other subplots, such as Haruko trying to find out what her brother is hiding and Margot desperately trying to keep her family from falling apart.
The most important thing I have to say to the author is... I love you. Thank you so much for not writing another generic World War 2 novel about some hero trying to save the world. Instead, the author wrote from the perspective of two young girls stuck in an internment camp. They are what the outside world sees as the "enemy," not the hero.
katstacksbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
odurant8's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I will be thinking about this book for a long time. It hit me almost in the same way as Code Name Verity, though the stories are quite different.
bookish_brenna's review
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
imalittletbott's review
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5