Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
For my December core book I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. This novel is about a young Chinese boy named Henry, who is growing up in Seattle’s 1940s. He must keep his only friend, a Japanese girl named Keiko Okabe, a secret from his parents who abhor the Japanese for their brutal invasion of China. I think the author’s main messages are what is it to be American and to do what is right. Henry shows both of these themes throughout the book. He and Keiko were both born in America, but still they must face huge prejudice. When Keiko and her family are sent to interment camps they obediently go for their country, America. Henry despite his parents’ disapproval helps Keiko and her family. He visits them bringing them supplies. He also hides their family photos and things that they could be persecuted for. Henry is willing to do what is right, even if his father disowns him.This books point of view really made it good. Half of the chapters take place in the 1940s, when Henry was a boy, and half of the chapters take place in the 1980s, when Henry is an adult. It shows Henry’s different views on his parents, and his friends. I liked the book’s use of conflict. Henry wanted to be obedient to his parents, but at the same time he wanted to be with Keiko. The kids at Henry’s all white school constantly bullied him. Even when in Chinatown he was called a “White Devil” for going to his all white school. Like in both situations Henry could never satisfy everyone. I really loved the characters in this book. One of my favorite characters was a grouchy lunch lady, Mrs. Beatty whom Henry helped serve lunch everyday. At first she seems like another racist, smoking, grouchy adult. She was never nice to Henry. When Keiko left I think she felt empathy for Henry. She helped him, but never showed much emotion. She helped serve food at the interment camp Keiko was in and offered him a job helping her work there on the weekends. Henry’s parents let him go because he was earning money. Mrs. Beatty explained how her father was the captain of a ship and was captured by the Germans. She also told him how her father’s best friend, who was Chinese, was just like an uncle to her. Mrs. Beatty’s character evolved throughout the book as she opened up to Henry. I really liked this book. Its extremely complex and I couldn’t do it justice through a simple book review. This book is truly “Bitter Sweet”. If you are interested what it was to be Chinese in America’s 1940s you will like this book, but I honestly think everyone will like this book. I read a lot of "historical" books, mostly biographies or memoirs, and don't delve too heavily into historical novels, but the era is the one that interests me and the original structure looked like it would appeal to me. Not to mention, in a book group I belong to, a trusted person highly recommended it. I have to say that I found this book an outstanding read. I liked everything about it and the only drawback is that I really wanted "more". I am hoping that the author will develop the vaccums in the story in further books, because he created lovely characters, piqued my interest in even some of the minor characters and now I want to find reading material on the internment camps, the Japanese brigade sent to Europe and the history of the Japanese Americans. I truly loved this book and recommend it to everyone. I have to also admit that there were pages that had me crying profusely, and that is a rare occurrence that fiction does that to me!
What do You think about Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet (2009)?
A Chinese-American teenager (Henry) meets and becomes close friends with a Japanese-American teenager (Keiko) in Seattle during World War II. Henry's father is super-traditional and super-prejudiced against Japanese people (as is most of the city), so he clearly does not approve of the friendship. Keiko and her family are sent to an internment camp just as a young romance is beginning between the star-crossed lovers.The story flips back and forth between the present day and the 1940s. The story is sweet and the history represented is very important and from a very interesting perspective. I enjoyed reading it. It didn't knock my socks off, but it was a lovely story.
—hopesings
I really got caught up in the lives of these teens growing up in the shadow of WWII in Seattle's International District. Star-crossed lovers of Chinese and Japanese heritage, they were forced to choose between love and family with the horrific intern camps in the Northwest throwing a wrench in their lives. Seattle during that era comes alive thanks to this gifted author. I dare you to not have a tear in your eye by the end of this very real and heartbreaking story.
—Nick
Loved it ... such a great read, so much interesting history, beautifully told
—stevo
Enjoyed this book that I read for my book club.
—Rika
