This story was gripping and instantly pulled you into the 1940s in California shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It deals with a relatively unknown topic: the treatment of Americans with Japanese ancestry. This subject is not discussed in schools and rarely appears in books. With WWII, YA being my favorite sub-genre within YA, I knew that I would love this book, and I was not wrong!
I enjoyed reading this book but I wish that there was more interactions that we see happening instead of just through the letters. I felt like there were a lot of loose ends such as when Evalina went to school and did not get along with the professor. We never find out what happened, we only know that she graduated from college.
Evalina had a strong go-getter type of personality that was fun to read about. Girls don't go into politics so she did. She was not supposed to like a Japanese boy, but she did.
Taichi had a very enjoyable family and the dynamics were perfect.
The ending of this book was fantastic and wrapped up the story in a nice conclusion that made me want more.

Personal Rating: 4.5 Stars
Content Rating: 4 Stars

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required. ( )

RTC ( )

CW: Racism, hate crimes in a detention center. ( )

Within These Lines is at its heart a love story. Not a conventional love story, but one nonetheless. Evalina is the daughter of Italian family and Taichi is second generation Japanese American. They are just starting to get to know one another when the Pearl Harbor attack happens. As any of us who know the horrible history of the internment of the Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans during WWII will know what follows. Taichi and his family are “evacuated” to the Manzanar camp “for their safety.” I read these stories because I feel they need to be read because this history cannot be forgotten.

This book is written for the YA audience and yet it held my interest quite well. The relationship between Evalina and Taichi was sweet and despite the hardships they had to overcome to be together in this time they persevered. Since it was written for the younger reader it was a little more simplistic in the plot and the overall sharing of the horrors of the internment camps but the point of removing people from everything they have simply due to their ethnicity comes through quite strongly. It’s a book that resonates with the current atmosphere in the country.

It is a a good book to introduce the young adult reader to this sad period in history with a romantic plot. It will, I am sure, encourage them to further research the internment camps and hopefully it will never again happen here. ( )

I received a free advanced copy of Within These Lines as part of the FFBC Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.

Enter the GIVEAWAY on my blog, Absolute Bookishness. (Ends 3/15/2019.)

Told from the alternating perspectives of two young lovers, Within These Lines tracks Evalina Cassano and Taichi Hamasaki through emotional & psychological disaster, while exploring the social and physical landscape of America in the grip of world war and prejudice.

1942, California. For the past year, Evalina Cassano and Taichi Hamasaki carry on their teenage love affair in secret–meeting when and where they can, brushing hands, and slipping letters to each other. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, their bittersweet budding romance is further strained when (per Executive Order 9066) Taichi, his family, and thousands of Japanese Americans are forcibly evacuated to concentration camps. Few decry these civil injustices. Among them, Evalina becomes bolder and more vocal even as she faces opposition.

Torn from their farm life and everything they know, Taichi and his family are forced to reside in the Manzanar War Relocation Center, one of ten American concentration camps where over 100,000 Japanese Americans are detained. There, he and his family have no choice but to live in hastily built, poorly constructed shelters, and endure neglect and harsh living conditions under the watchful eye of an administration and military police ill-prepared to receive them. Taichi, his family, and many camp residents try their best to hold onto their pride, dignity, hope, and patriotism. But it is not long before unrest takes hold of some and whispers of uprisings spread through the camp, threatening the fragile peace of all within its limits.

Morrill’s take on America’s war-torn past details enough of the socio-political climate, physical environment, and all manner of conflicts inside and out of Manzanar to remind us why we turn to historical fiction time and again. Morrill’s writing is eloquent as tackles many nuances of the everyday life and struggles of the people and the period. Miscegeny, racism, and feminism are just a few of the issues Morrill addresses.

Her carefully rendered characters each have distinct presence, commanding our attention in unique ways. Evalina is a force–a spirited young woman who, though plagued many doubts, is determined to fight for those she loves and what she believes in. Taichi is a gentle spirit, possessing an internal strength and calm that is welcome (especially in the devastating times he and his family face) and balances well with Evalina’s impulsive nature. Although not a main character, Aiko is bound to be a favorite with her no-nonsense attitude and stark, refreshing wisdom.

In Within These Lines, Morrill expertly blends historical fact and fiction to create an unforgettable story of love, suffering, and perseverance. Morrill’s timely narrative calls into question what it truly means to be free, what we should be expected to sacrifice, and what we are willing to tolerate–as individuals and as a society.

Rating: 3.75/5

The original review was posted on Absolute Bookishness.