by Jamie Ford
Loved this book! Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I’m a sucker for a dual timeline. I studied the internment of the Japanese in camps on the West Coast when I was in law school and remember what an impression it left on me. The setting of this book is fabulous: Seattle, the Panama Hotel, Japantown, the International Zone, West Coast swing jazz, and the internment camps. It all really comes to life! The story of a young Chinese boy and Japanese girl, who befriend each other and fall in love despite the fact that their families and society thinks they should be enemies, is gripping, beautiful, and heartbreaking. I have Jamie Ford’s third book, Love and Other Consolation Prizes, waiting for me on my shelf. I can’t wait to get to it now!
