Some of the ladies in our new ward have a book group and I have been trying to participate as much as I can - which so far means I've read two of the books, but haven't attended any of the monthly meetings. I figure I'll get there at some point.This is the book we're reading for January and although I struggled to really get into it - the beginning is very slow - I ended up liking it.
The story is about a young Chinese boy, Henry Lee, living in Seattle during WWII. He befriends a Japanese girl, Keiko, and an innnocent love develops between the two of them. His father, however, adamantly disapproves of the friendship because the Japanese are the enemy. Henry, however, refuses to give up his friendship with Keiko, but the two of them struggle to maintain contact after her family is sent to an internment camp in Idaho.
Jumping back and forth between 1942 and 1986, the story slowly pieces together what happened with Henry and Keiko. The book also explores the relationship between Henry and his ultra-Chinese father, as well as the relationship between Henry and his own son, Marty. Despite my dislike of the writing style, I did enjoy reading about the cultural conflicts taking place right here in the United States during WWII. The perspective of the Chinese Americans during that time is something I never thought about before. It was a difficult and confusing time for many of them, especially those like the fictional Henry Lee who didn't see any difference between themselves and their Japanese friends.
Overall, it wasn't my favorite book, but I'm glad I read it.
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