Book Review: Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet

I read a lot and by a lot I mean on average at least two to three books a week on a slow week. I like a lot of what I read but since I read so many different books it takes something really different to stand out and make me say wow that was a really great book. I can count on my hand the number of books I've read in the last few years that were those wow books for me. Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford is one of them. I literally got chills today reading one of the chapters.

I was going to wait and review this book after book club but I can just add a new post once we discuss - maybe they felt differently. My feeling? Five stars, hands down one of the best books I've read in awhile.

A brief plot summary: Henry is a Chinese boy growing up in Seattle during World War II. His parents want him to be more American so he goes to an all white school. He doesn't fit in with the white kids, the Chinese kids or at home. He meets Keiko, a Japanese girl, at school. Eventually they become friends. And from there I won't give any more a way.

My one problem was the story starts when Henry and Keiko are 12 and we're supposed to believe that they are in love. I don't know about you but maybe kids grew up quicker back then. I can't imagine falling in love at 12. I'm willing to overlook their age though because the book is so well-written. It really drew me in - there is conflict on so many levels. Henry and his family. Henry and the other students. The war. Chinese vs. Japanese. The Japanese internment in the US. Finding the long lost record. I was rooting for Henry and Keiko to be happy and to some how make it all work.

So if you have only one book to read for 2010 this would be my pick - although its early in the year anything could happen.