Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

I just finished reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.

The story of the Japanese Internment in Seattle during WWII, but seen through the eyes of a 12-year old Chinese boy, named Henry. Henry is sent by his father to an all-white private school to ostensibly “become more American” and there he meets Keiko, a young Japanese girl sent by her parents for similar reasons. There they form a unique friendship and innocent love, amid the hysteria and chaos in the wake of the bombings of Pearl Harbor. But it’s also the story of Henry, as a grown man, reflecting on the choices he made, the things he said, or left unspoken, all those years ago. At its core, it’s a love story.


It's inspired by the author's father, who wore an "I Am Chinese" button in Seattle in World War II so he would not be mistaken for being Japanese.

The book was a quick and easy read and I can somewhat relate to the struggle of what does it mean to be more American and relationship between parents and their 2nd generation in a foreign land. It also shed a light on the lives of Asians during WWII. Overall an enjoyable read!