toritori's review against another edition
Interesting premise and I like the prose. Picked it out completely at random from the library.
However, due to the content (mainly), which is NOT a deal breaker for me but in this case felt just poorly handled I am gonna drop this. I probably would have pushed on but since I just wasn’t having fun when this happened I will DNF. Too many books to read for me to read something I’m not enjoying
However, due to the content (mainly
Spoiler
pregnancy loss
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
passionatereader78's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
4.0
This was a beautifully written book.
It's a refreshing telling of WWII. It follows three character from Australia, America, China, and Japan. I enjoyed reading about three young people trying to survive the war. Emi is the daughter of the Japanese diplomat. She is in love with a Jewish boy she met in Australia before the war began. When she and her mother are sent to a camp in Texas she meets Christian a German American who is there with his family. This book follows the three of them during WWII.
It's a refreshing telling of WWII. It follows three character from Australia, America, China, and Japan. I enjoyed reading about three young people trying to survive the war. Emi is the daughter of the Japanese diplomat. She is in love with a Jewish boy she met in Australia before the war began. When she and her mother are sent to a camp in Texas she meets Christian a German American who is there with his family. This book follows the three of them during WWII.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Bullying, Confinement, and Genocide
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Car accident
amandatastic's review against another edition
3.0
I've never read anything about living in a Japanese-American or German-American internment camp, or about Jewish refugees living in Shanghai, so I appreciated this book for bringing some of those places to light. However, this book is first and foremost a romance (or three, really). It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting or really looking for. I also think all the main characters were a little too perfect... all only children and adored by their parents, all very intelligent, all from well-off families, etc etc. I feel like none of them had a character flaw (other than being Japanese or German or Jewish). I did enjoy the writing style and the ending.
overlookingcovers's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, so I recant my previous statement about the book after talking to my World War II teacher. That is all.
katiejwu's review against another edition
hopeful
relaxing
slow-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? No
3.5
goug220517's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Great read to learn about different cultural perspectives during the world war. Ending was wrapped up a little quickly, but overall pace of book had good character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, War, Child death, and Death
shighley's review against another edition
3.0
The main thing I gained from this book: learning about some aspects of history that I should have known about before. My main conversations with others who read this book: "Did you know that...?" with the typical response, "No, I didn't know that, either." (I read this as part of a book club.) There is certainly much to think about and discuss regarding war, imprisonment, propaganda, nationalism, and more.
mbondlamberty's review against another edition
3.0
As the daughter of a diplomat I was drawn to this book. As a student of history I had hoped to learn a little more on the experiences during WWII but felt that this one book didn't dive as far off the beaten path, though it was obviously an entertaining read.