Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford My rating: 4 of 5 stars I enjoyed this historical fiction novel about a dark period of American history- the Japanese Internment Camps during WWII. Henry Lee, of Chinese descent is lonely in the all-white elementary school his father forces him to go to. Keiko, a Japanese- American soon joins him, and they form a close friendship that develops into love. Keiko, along with thousands of other Americans of Japanese descent is forced to a Interment camp in Idaho (very near where I grew up. In fact, in my school were some descendants of those in the internment camp, and my Dad, a Doctor, had several patients of Japanese descent.) Henry vows to wait for her, but his resolve is thwarted by a fiercely loyal to China father. It's a sad - bitter- and sweet story. It goes from present (in the '80s) to past throughout the novel, so we see Henry grow up, and see him as a man in his 50's with a son of his own. I think the characters in the novel are memorable. I especially liked Sheldon and came to appreciate Mrs. Beatty. Jazz music play throughout the book as Henry and Keiko love the jazz music of the time and it becomes the musical background of the book. I really think this should be a movie. I can picture it; I can hear it- the jazz music playing. It needs to be done before all those who lived through WWII are gone, too. My parents would have loved it. Who do I talk to? View all my reviews