Love is bittersweet.  A piece of your heart will always belong to your first love.  Such is the case for Henry, a 56-Year Old Chinese-American widower mourning the loss of his wife.  As he looks back upon his life, he is moved by memories of his first love, Keiko.  Henry learns that the belongings of Japanese-Americans who were interned in camps during World War II are stored in the basement of the Panama Hotel in Seattle.  When he goes to the basement, his memories are brought to life for the readers.

Henry’s story goes back and forth between Henry’s life in 1940 and  in 1986.  In 1940, Henry is a 12 year old boy going to an all-Caucasian school that he won a scholarship to attend.  After what happened in Pearl Harbor, his father insists that he wears a badge on his jacket that says “I am Chinese.”  He is often ignored by the other whites in the school, but that all changes when he meets other Asian person at his school is Keiko.  They form an instant connection even though she’s Japanese and he’s Chinese.   As the political and social issues get increasingly worse after the bombing at Pearl Harbor, it becomes apparent that Keiko and her family were going to be taken away and put in a camp. 

In 1986, Henry is learning to cope with a new life and getting to know his college-age son, Marty, in a much more meaningful way.   He builds a stronger relationship with him and makes a connection with Marty’s girlfriend who encourages him to find his long lost love, Keiko.

My Thoughts

After reading many positive reviews on this book last year, I welcomed the opportunity to join the TLC Book Tour for this novel.   In some strange way, I think all of those positive reviews set me up for a bit of a disappointment in that this book was so built up in my mind that I expected too much from it.  Hotel  does, however, bring forth the reader’s feelings, especially hope. 

In considering what occurred in the Japanese-American internment camps, I find it an atroscity that our nation would lock up an entire population of its citizens and residents merely based upon their race and heritage.  Frankly, I do not understand the thought process that Japanese-Americans would conspire against the nation and bring harm to it.  Was this really our great nation that did this?  It’s reminiscent of Hitler locking up the Jewish in camps.

While this book did bring me a good story, I did not form a strong emotional connection to its characters.  It certainly did provide a sweet tale of young love and the eternal belief in its strength.  But the truth of the matter is that love does not conquer all.  Sometimes life is based on decisions and their consequences thereto.  For Henry, this is the case… as it is for many of us.

The Rating

Neither outstanding nor poor, I think that this book hits that “sweet spot” in the middle of the spectrum.  It’s predictable and at times takes a bit too long to take the reader to the point.  If you’re a fan of jazz, history, or Seattle’s history, this is surely a book that you’d find interesting.  As far as my recommendation and rating, on ANM’s “Out of Ten Scale,” my rating for Hotel On The Corner of Bitter & Sweet a rating of 7 out of 10.  It’s quite a good book… check it out!

Giving Thanks

I wanted to thank TLC Book Tours for including A Novel Menagerie in the Hotel On The Corner of Bitter & Sweet Book Tour.

FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided to me from the publisher.  Clicking on the either the photo of the book cover or the link next to the purchase price stated above will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page.  No purchases are necessary. 

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