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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
surprisingly touching and insightful! enjoyed the central relationship a lot and the themes felt very natural and well-developed
pretty sad though... makes you realize that maybe we were better than hitler because we only put people in jail based on their culture/ethnicity and at least we didn't kill them but that doesn't make us good
pretty sad though... makes you realize that maybe we were better than hitler because we only put people in jail based on their culture/ethnicity and at least we didn't kill them but that doesn't make us good
Really 4.5!! Book had me crying and cheering. All the emotions. It was very powerful
WOW.
This is one of the books that everybody, especially Americans, should read at least once in their lifetime. I honestly wish that I could've read "This Light Between Us" during the time that I was reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. In my opinion, that would have been the perfect reading combination.
I don't usually read historical fiction, but as soon as I saw the cover and read the description, I knew that I had to read this book. The internment of Japanese Americans in the United States of America during World War II was horrifying and unfair, but it (along with the Armenian Genocide and the Nanjing Massacre) is completely shadowed by the Nazi Holocaust. This may be an incorrect assumption, but most Americans may not even know of the Japanese Americans internment, Armenian Genocide, and the Nanjing Massacre until perhaps high school, but they have learned of the Holocaust in elementary or middle school. Yes, the Holocaust was still a terrible event that should have never happened, but I'm glad that author Andrew Fukuda also decided to inform readers of the mini-Holocaust that was happening in the United States, the alleged land of liberty and equality. I also really appreciate that the author's research on the events of the Japanese Americans internment (and also how Fukuda dated every chapter -- it makes the book so much more realistic!).
Starting from Alex's brusque response to Charlie's first pen pal letter, this book had me absolutely hooked, and it was not to my surprise that I finished reading this book within three-and-a-half hours. For me, the pacing, though, was a little bit slow near the end, but goodness, THAT ENDING. I wish we got to know more about Charlie's story, but I suspect the unable-to-know-for-certain part was on purpose to indicate the reality of the situation.
This is one of the books that everybody, especially Americans, should read at least once in their lifetime. I honestly wish that I could've read "This Light Between Us" during the time that I was reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. In my opinion, that would have been the perfect reading combination.
I don't usually read historical fiction, but as soon as I saw the cover and read the description, I knew that I had to read this book. The internment of Japanese Americans in the United States of America during World War II was horrifying and unfair, but it (along with the Armenian Genocide and the Nanjing Massacre) is completely shadowed by the Nazi Holocaust. This may be an incorrect assumption, but most Americans may not even know of the Japanese Americans internment, Armenian Genocide, and the Nanjing Massacre until perhaps high school, but they have learned of the Holocaust in elementary or middle school. Yes, the Holocaust was still a terrible event that should have never happened, but I'm glad that author Andrew Fukuda also decided to inform readers of the mini-Holocaust that was happening in the United States, the alleged land of liberty and equality. I also really appreciate that the author's research on the events of the Japanese Americans internment (and also how Fukuda dated every chapter -- it makes the book so much more realistic!).
Starting from Alex's brusque response to Charlie's first pen pal letter, this book had me absolutely hooked, and it was not to my surprise that I finished reading this book within three-and-a-half hours. For me, the pacing, though, was a little bit slow near the end, but goodness, THAT ENDING. I wish we got to know more about Charlie's story, but I suspect the unable-to-know-for-certain part was on purpose to indicate the reality of the situation.
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This Light Between Us is a devastatingly beautiful tale of friendship and immense loss. Fukuda’s writing plays deeply on human emotion and appeals to the sympathetic side of the reader. As a minority myself, I felt Alex’s and Charlie’s pain when they see their neighbors who they thought liked and cared for them turn their backs on them. Of course, I will never understand the extent to which these two characters have suffered, but I can see connections between how they feel and how I feel sometimes.
I typically don't consider myself someone who is fond of historical fiction for the fact that when I think about it I always think it's about a patriotic white man going to war, but this book was so different from that.
Though the book mainly focuses on Alex and Charlie’s connection, I appreciated how Fukuda used these characters and their letter to highlight an important part of history. Everyone who’s been through high school history knows about the awful things that happened to Jewish folks during World War II, but I feel that the United States internment camps are glossed over or not even talked about. I think this book sheds a light on what happened to these innocent people in a way that doesn’t feel clinical and detached but instead compels the reader to feel alongside Charlie and Alex.
Also, this book made me cry which doesn't happen often so it's going to hold a special place in my heart from now on.
4.5/5
I typically don't consider myself someone who is fond of historical fiction for the fact that when I think about it I always think it's about a patriotic white man going to war, but this book was so different from that.
Though the book mainly focuses on Alex and Charlie’s connection, I appreciated how Fukuda used these characters and their letter to highlight an important part of history. Everyone who’s been through high school history knows about the awful things that happened to Jewish folks during World War II, but I feel that the United States internment camps are glossed over or not even talked about. I think this book sheds a light on what happened to these innocent people in a way that doesn’t feel clinical and detached but instead compels the reader to feel alongside Charlie and Alex.
Also, this book made me cry which doesn't happen often so it's going to hold a special place in my heart from now on.
4.5/5
From start to finish, "This Light Between US" by Andrew Fukuda had me hooked from the rawness and poignancy of the novel, its characters and the historical background in which the novel is set in. This book is set during the events before, during and after the Second World War and navigates Alex Maki's life, a Japanese-American teenager and his family living on Bainbridge Island in Washington and subsequently to the internment camp at Manzanar following the events of Pearl Harbour. At the core of me, as I was reading this, I realised just how significant the impact on the lives the internment camps had on those who were of Japanese-American descent having done nothing wrong but live their lives truthfully as who they were - Japanese-Americans. Not only does it serve as a pillar for the dark side of American history to be unveiled but Fukuda aims to portray the storyline with historical accuracy. Alex and his friendship with Charlie Levy across the Atlantic also gripped my heartstrings - their friendship endures through time and space through their letters as pen pals. I could not put this book down - everything about this novel really woke me up and made me question about my place and my identity in this world. It's also a stark reminder that as a global citizen, a young woman of Asian descent and a history major - that I must never forget what occurred within the most darkest times of the lives of Japanese-American society in those internment camps and educate others about as history is doomed to repeat itself. A fantastic and superbly written novel. 5 stars!
Tons of emotion came through this narrative. I didn’t know what to expect, being in the young adult category, but I really liked both protagonists and the book felt very real. Steamy scale 0.5 of 5 (Audible)
4.5 stars!
This Light Between Us is a beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of friendship and loss. I sobbed and I laughed. This book has left a mark on me and will be on my mind for a very long time.
The friendship between Alex and Charlie was so sweet and touching. They were each other’s rocks and comfort. Both characters were very well written and complex. You can’t help but root for them to meet. I really enjoyed the letters between them and watching their friendship blossom over the course of the years.
Although Alex and Charlie’s friendship was the focal point of the novel, the book also focuses on racism against the Japanese after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Fukuda did an amazing job at portraying Alex’s pain and anger. The book was also well researched and the writing style vivid and gripping.
Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful tale and will recommend this to anyone!
This Light Between Us is a beautiful, heart-wrenching tale of friendship and loss. I sobbed and I laughed. This book has left a mark on me and will be on my mind for a very long time.
The friendship between Alex and Charlie was so sweet and touching. They were each other’s rocks and comfort. Both characters were very well written and complex. You can’t help but root for them to meet. I really enjoyed the letters between them and watching their friendship blossom over the course of the years.
Although Alex and Charlie’s friendship was the focal point of the novel, the book also focuses on racism against the Japanese after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Fukuda did an amazing job at portraying Alex’s pain and anger. The book was also well researched and the writing style vivid and gripping.
Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful tale and will recommend this to anyone!
Would recommend: Yes
I was surprised to learn so much from this well-done YA fiction, which talked about incarceration and the highly decorated 442nd regiment, which I did not know about previously. I think this novel is unique in its perspective because it illustrates another aspect of a war that I think has been overly reduced into only a few familiar narratives.
I was surprised to learn so much from this well-done YA fiction, which talked about incarceration and the highly decorated 442nd regiment, which I did not know about previously. I think this novel is unique in its perspective because it illustrates another aspect of a war that I think has been overly reduced into only a few familiar narratives.