Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Soho Press. To be published August 3, 2021. (Includes a “More reading and resources” section at the end with primary source materials on the era.)
In 1941, a few months after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt signed an order that forced over 100,000 West Coast Japanese-born (Issei) and American citizens (Nisei) to sell everything they owned, including homes, farms, and businesses, and relocate to internment camps with only the items they could physically carry. Though Aki and her older sister Rose had been born in the United States, they and their Issei parents were relocated to California’s Manzanar Relocation Center in March 1942. There they had to make a new life in heavily guarded, crowded, poorly built barracks.
A year later “loyal” Nisei were allowed to leave, but couldn’t settle on the coast. Rose left for Chicago that September, and the rest of the family followed in early 1944. Everyone was happy to leave, but worried over what the future would hold. Their worries multiplied when they arrived to find that Rose had died under the wheels of a train at the Clark and Division subway station. The official report said she had committed suicide, but Aki refused to believe that her beautiful, full-of-life sister had killed herself. She was determined to find out what really happened but, as clues began to materialize, she discovered a world of gambling, thievery and criminals flourishing without repercussions. Aki’s quest to uncover the truth about Rose will force her to uncover hidden truths in her own life.
Life for Japanese-Americans and their parents during and after World War II was very difficult, and Hirahara pulls no punches in her historically accurate descriptions. I was eager to read this book when I saw it on Edelweiss+, as most books that detail life in the relocation centers don’t go on to tell what happened after the Nisei and Issei were released. This book is inspired by historical events, and an important window into the prejudice that has long been part of America’s life. It also gives firsthand knowledge of what happens when people in power choose the fate of those they deem to be “other.” I thank the author for bringing an important light to this dark corner of our country’s history.
Highly recommended for Adults.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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