After a somewhat slow start, this WWII-era novel picks up steam as it follows the fortunes of four young people in a world turned upside-down. From Maddie Kern to her overprotective brother TJ to TJ's good friend Takeshi "Lane" Moritomo to the trio's tomboy buddy Jo Allister, these four young people on the brink of adulthood find their plans utterly wiped out by events beyond their control. For Maddie and Lane, whose childhood friendship has blossomed into love, a spur-of-the-moment marriage on what turns out to be the eve of Pearl Harbor kicks off the biggest change of all.

McMorris, herself the child of a Japanese father and Caucasian mother, approaches the story from a unique point of view, and her careful attention to detail in painting the worlds of her characters makes the book a standout. Characterization is strong throughout, and even though some of the family dynamics swerve perilously close to soap opera at times, she always manages to yank them back to reality.

Multiple themes and images recur throughout the book, coming together neatly in a conclusion that carries hope, if not happily-ever-after for everyone.

One minor quibble -- I wish McMorris hadn't consistently used the term "gal" to refer to minor female characters. It would have been period-appropriate in dialogue, but sprinkled as it is through the narration, it's jarring and anachronistic. (Yeah, I know -- picky, picky, picky.) ( )

Fantastic choice for a book club discussion. The story involves the conflict between the Chinese vs Japanese cultures, life inside the Japanese camp during WW2, the role of a Japanese man participating in the US military, not to mention the story of several families adapting to all the situations forced upon them.
The book was very well researched and written. It was well worth the time spent reading it.
I seldom give high ratings, but this one was worth it! ( )

3.5 stars. It was enjoyable but not wonderful. Although predictable at times, I did like the storyline ( )

I've got to give kudos to this author and her attention to historical detail. The reader immediately gets how much research she has put into this and the care she has taken with the littlest of details. And there are just so many areas of WWII explored in this: intimate details of life in Japanese internment camps, the role of Nisei in the army, the horrific life in Japanese POW camps, the huge changes in the daily lives of Japanese American citizens on the West Coast both pre, during, and post war. The author brings it all to life in an astounding way.

The author pays just as much detail on her relationships and the characters in them. Every attachment between our characters is nuanced and has incredible depth. They ebb and flow with the changing events of WWII on the American home front to become something very different than in the beginning of the book. The author takes the time to illustrate how these historical events impact her characters and their lives in wonderful ways. The characters themselves are also varied and show the impact the war has on people. Every single individual goes through varied changes and emerges at the end of the war as a more rounded person, changed for better or worse by the heavy impact of war and prejudice.

I really enjoyed this novel. It tells an intriguing story in a historical setting that is researched well. The characters and their relationships show the author’s skills in the characterization and story-telling department. I would definitely read more books by this author. This was a great introduction to her and the era and setting in general. ( )

This book is the kind of book that leaves you feeling like you have been gently nudged with knowledge from new friends you have made. Every character wrapped around my heart even some that didn't appear often. I loved that Kristina's Authors note explained her journey in writing the book and that I somehow ended up with a "Reading Group" version with thought provoking questions...I could completely see a school using this as a summer read. ( )