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Indlæser... Hotellet på hjørnet af bitter og sød (2009)af Jamie Ford
Historical Fiction (109) Books That Made Me Cry (138) » 17 mere Books about World War II (189) World War II Books (26) The American Experience (113) Books Read in 2011 (142) To Read (159) I Could Live There (43) Mooie titels (41) I Can't Finish This Book (134) Books Read in 2010 (498) Indlæser...
Bliv medlem af LibraryThing for at finde ud af, om du vil kunne lide denne bog. Der er ingen diskussionstråde på Snak om denne bog. I’ve heard this book’s title over the years but never knew what it was about - I picked it up because as a, “Hmm, I’ve heard this one was good.” I’m so glad I did. As a huge fan of all things WW2, I am always surprised when there is more out there to learn - the United States’ Japanese internment camps is one of those subjects for me. While I knew of them, I knew nothing about them. Bitter and Sweet is not necessarily about the camps themselves, but how Keiko, an average 12-year old American born Japanese girl ended up in one, and how her best friend and school mate, an American born Chinese boy named Henry, would not let her go, until he did. But did he? Beautifully written, the reader will not even realize the nuances of racism and hatred that runs deep and pervasive throughout the book as you feel the childhood crush turn to real love in its truest sense. The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, written many years ago, could not be more timely in today’s world, where so much is going on regarding culture, race, hatred. Read the book - fall in love with Keiko and Henry’s sweet pubescent journey as they navigate the differences in their cultures, their families, their race. I think you will remember this one for a very long time; I know I will. Things I liked about this book: It is really fun to read a good book that takes place in the city where you live. It makes everything seem more real and you can always make conversation about it when you pass by a place mentioned in the book. For example, I learned a lot about Seattle's jazz history reading this book and now when I go to the I.D. to do Karaoke I will pretend I am Ray Charles. Also fun: tragic love stories with redemptive endings. Indeed. Another thing I enjoy: well-researched historical fiction. And to top it all off, the author is a great storyteller. I think this is a book you can recommend to readers as young as 14 or 15, but at the same time will appeal to people who lived through WWII. Things I did not like about this book: I had some issues with the dialogue. Sometimes it sounded wrong or forced. And I wasn't bowled over by Ford's writing. He's a good writer, but not a superb one. Also, as Madeline said, I think I spotted a few anachronisms. For one, I found it hard to believe that in 1986 a person could be tracked down via computer and telephone in just a few hours, especially if that person had changed her name. Also, I think meddling with letters between star-crossed lovers is a really played out thing to put in a novel. I think we're all overly familiar with that particular injustice thanks to [a:Nicholas Sparks|2345|Nicholas Sparks|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1273850585p2/2345.jpg], right? Come to think of it, this must be on tvtropes.com... And it is! Overall: Recommended for an airplane trip or a long weekend in a cabin. Set expectations to medium and enjoy. This fell a bit flat. It may not be fair because romance is one of my least liked genres. It was actually okay as far as the romance part went. The characters felt stagnant, the story felt like it was told by a tired narrator, there seemed a few too many inconsistencies, and the kids seemed a bit young for the bond depicted. The ending was a bit too "perfect", though that seems to be how romances generally go. I didn't totally hate the book, but it wasn't a favorite and I'd not recommend it.
While the novel is less perfect as literature than John Hamamura's Color of the Sea (Thomas Dunne, 2006), the setting and quietly moving, romantic story are commendable. Although Ford does not have anything especially novel to say about a familiar subject (the interplay between race and family), he writes earnestly and cares for his characters, who consistently defy stereotype. A timely debut that not only reminds readers of a shameful episode in American history, but cautions us to examine the present and take heed we don't repeat those injustices. In his first novel, award-winning short-story writer Ford expertly nails the sweet innocence of first love, the cruelty of racism, the blindness of patriotism, the astonishing unknowns between parents and their children, and the sadness and satisfaction at the end of a life well lived. HæderspriserDistinctionsNotable Lists
Set in the ethnic neighborhoods of Seattle during World War II and Japanese American internment camps of the era, this debut novel tells the heartwarming story of widower Henry Lee, his father, and his first love Keiko Okabe. No library descriptions found. |
LibraryThing Early Reviewers AlumJamie Ford's book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter And Sweet was available from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Forfatter-snakJamie Ford chatted with LibraryThing members from Feb 1, 2010 to Feb 14, 2010. Read the chat. Current DiscussionsIngenPopulære omslag
Google Books — Indlæser... GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature English (North America) American fiction 21st CenturyLC-klassificeringVurderingGennemsnit:
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Along with the beautiful love story, I enjoyed the influence of art and music in the story. The writing also evokes a strong sense of place- Seattle in the 1940s. I did find some of the events a little far-fetched, but I don't to include any spoilers in my review. 4 out of 5 stars. ( )