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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
I learned so much and there was definitely an emotional connection, but it honestly didn’t feel like YA sometimes? The time jumps were all over the place too.
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As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review and/or participation in the blog tour. This does not effect my opinion in any way. This does not effect my opinion in any way. Review also found here at Booked J.
How do you describe This Light Between Us? It's nearly impossible. I paused at my screen many times as I tried to bring forth the words to describe how reading this made me feel. Here's what I know: it is one of the best books I've read all year. Absolutely breathtaking. This was my first glimpse into the prose of Andrew Fukuda, but it certainly won't be my last. This Light Between Us is something special.
Consider this your first required read of 2020.
Historical fiction can be difficult to navigate, but Fukuda is more than up for the task and creates an emotionally charged story that will surely leave an impression on those who read it. This Light Between Us possesses all the qualities that a good novel requires and portrays every inch of our history as humans with a blunt force of honesty, care and complexities.
We often hear of the horror of World War II, but not nearly enough--we so rarely shine that light against the most shadowy parts of history. Exploration of the internment camps, which served up sheer cruelty, is not something that is often spoken of. Many don't even know, fully, the extent of this fractured part of history--and that is completely devastating. This story, too, is devastating and stunning all at once--the way that Fukuda weaves these historical events together is as cold and smooth as you'd expect; poignant and thought-provoking.
I feel like there are so few novels that explore horrendous acts in our history in the way that Fukuda does. It is this ache throughout our body. It is about remembering. It is art that reflects life. It will leave readers feeling awe when it comes to the way Andrew Fukuda brings this story to life. It is fiction that could easily be reality, because it's based within reality and the gravity of this story weighs at the reader.
Readers who appreciated the messages behind [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522157426l/19063._SY75_.jpg|878368] and [b:White Rose|39884755|White Rose|Kip Wilson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537390026l/39884755._SY75_.jpg|61696989] will gravitate towards this one easily.
And be warned. Reading This Light Between Us will leave an echo of this story at the back of your minds for life. At least, this is true for me. Closing this book was bittersweet and left me feeling an array of emotions. I'd expected to love this book with my whole heart from the getgo, but something about it managed to exceed those expectations.
One thing is or certain: I will never forget This Light Between Us, the history, and the way Fukuda tells the story of Alex and Charlie, and the light between them. Every page of this novel is worthy of your devotion, and will surely require tissues and annotation. This should be at the top of everyone's lists next year.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review and/or participation in the blog tour. This does not effect my opinion in any way. This does not effect my opinion in any way. Review also found here at Booked J.
How do you describe This Light Between Us? It's nearly impossible. I paused at my screen many times as I tried to bring forth the words to describe how reading this made me feel. Here's what I know: it is one of the best books I've read all year. Absolutely breathtaking. This was my first glimpse into the prose of Andrew Fukuda, but it certainly won't be my last. This Light Between Us is something special.
Consider this your first required read of 2020.
Historical fiction can be difficult to navigate, but Fukuda is more than up for the task and creates an emotionally charged story that will surely leave an impression on those who read it. This Light Between Us possesses all the qualities that a good novel requires and portrays every inch of our history as humans with a blunt force of honesty, care and complexities.
We often hear of the horror of World War II, but not nearly enough--we so rarely shine that light against the most shadowy parts of history. Exploration of the internment camps, which served up sheer cruelty, is not something that is often spoken of. Many don't even know, fully, the extent of this fractured part of history--and that is completely devastating. This story, too, is devastating and stunning all at once--the way that Fukuda weaves these historical events together is as cold and smooth as you'd expect; poignant and thought-provoking.
I feel like there are so few novels that explore horrendous acts in our history in the way that Fukuda does. It is this ache throughout our body. It is about remembering. It is art that reflects life. It will leave readers feeling awe when it comes to the way Andrew Fukuda brings this story to life. It is fiction that could easily be reality, because it's based within reality and the gravity of this story weighs at the reader.
Readers who appreciated the messages behind [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522157426l/19063._SY75_.jpg|878368] and [b:White Rose|39884755|White Rose|Kip Wilson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537390026l/39884755._SY75_.jpg|61696989] will gravitate towards this one easily.
And be warned. Reading This Light Between Us will leave an echo of this story at the back of your minds for life. At least, this is true for me. Closing this book was bittersweet and left me feeling an array of emotions. I'd expected to love this book with my whole heart from the getgo, but something about it managed to exceed those expectations.
One thing is or certain: I will never forget This Light Between Us, the history, and the way Fukuda tells the story of Alex and Charlie, and the light between them. Every page of this novel is worthy of your devotion, and will surely require tissues and annotation. This should be at the top of everyone's lists next year.
A beautiful story that manages to be both earnest and tough without getting overly sentimental. The story opens with Alex, a young Japanese-American boy living in Bainbridge Island in the 1930/40's, getting slightly miffed when he finds out that his assigned penpal, Charlie, is not in-fact a boy, but a young Jewish girl living in Paris. Although reluctant at first, Alex and Charlie begin a correspondence that lasts years. This part of the book was so affecting as Fukuda really captured the youthful ardency of two nerdy and sensitive kids who are on the cusp of adulthood in the midst of the turmoil of a world at war. Equally, their words carry a solemn urgency as Alex and his family are sent to live in an internment camp and Charlie feels the inevitable presence of the German occupation and specter of what that means for her and her family.
The novel gets darker in mood when Alex decides to join a segregated army company - in large part to make a hail-mary effort to find Charlie. There is much brutality and much heartfelt feeling of camaraderie. Fukuda does an excellent job of conveying the racism toward the Japanese-American troops and the fact that much of their most heroic efforts were erased from the narrative of the American war effort. He clearly drew on real-life events which makes it all the more poignant.
The book is heartbreaking, like war is heartbreaking, It also is truly beautiful and heartfelt in many parts. It's good storytelling. I recommend a read.
Thank you netgally and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The novel gets darker in mood when Alex decides to join a segregated army company - in large part to make a hail-mary effort to find Charlie. There is much brutality and much heartfelt feeling of camaraderie. Fukuda does an excellent job of conveying the racism toward the Japanese-American troops and the fact that much of their most heroic efforts were erased from the narrative of the American war effort. He clearly drew on real-life events which makes it all the more poignant.
The book is heartbreaking, like war is heartbreaking, It also is truly beautiful and heartfelt in many parts. It's good storytelling. I recommend a read.
Thank you netgally and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my heart! This is a wonderful, well written story about unlikely pen pals during ww2. It's a heart breaker and a tear jerker. So so so good.
I absolutely loved this book. I've read others from this author so I went in to this thinking that I knew what level of enjoyment and engagement to expect. Instead, I was blown away. You can tell that this was a passion project from the author. At the end of the book he explains how it came into being and it made my enjoyment of the book increase. The research that went into it was extensive, as historical fiction should be, but it wasn't thrown in there just to tell stories. Each part built upon another and I was just drawn into it very quickly and thoroughly. Though I felt the ending was unsatisfactory, it was perfect and deeply realistic. I wouldn't have written it differently and definitely couldn't have written it more beautifully than Mr. Fukuda did. If you get time, get this book and love it like I did.
I appreciate getting the chance for a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciate getting the chance for a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. I've read others from this author so I went in to this thinking that I knew what level of enjoyment and engagement to expect. Instead, I was blown away. You can tell that this was a passion project from the author. At the end of the book he explains how it came into being and it made my enjoyment of the book increase. The research that went into it was extensive, as historical fiction should be, but it wasn't thrown in there just to tell stories. Each part built upon another and I was just drawn into it very quickly and thoroughly. Though I felt the ending was unsatisfactory, it was perfect and deeply realistic. I wouldn't have written it differently and definitely couldn't have written it more beautifully than Mr. Fukuda did. If you get time, get this book and love it like I did.
I appreciate getting the chance for a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciate getting the chance for a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Story of the Japanese internment, Bainbridge Island/Manzanar setting.
My biggest issues with this book were that there was no mention of the stay in the horse stalls at the Puyallup fairgrounds after they leave Bainbridge Island but before they get on the train to go to Manzanar and also no mention of the No No boys when they are recruiting for the 442nd regiment. These are two pretty substantial pieces of this time period and that they didn't even get a mention seems like an oversight to me. OK, the No No boys is substantial for everyone; the Puyallup fairgrounds only pertained to those from Bainbridge - all the more reason why it should have been in there. Other than that, I really liked the book. It is well told, well-written.
Lots of swearing.
My biggest issues with this book were that there was no mention of the stay in the horse stalls at the Puyallup fairgrounds after they leave Bainbridge Island but before they get on the train to go to Manzanar and also no mention of the No No boys when they are recruiting for the 442nd regiment. These are two pretty substantial pieces of this time period and that they didn't even get a mention seems like an oversight to me. OK, the No No boys is substantial for everyone; the Puyallup fairgrounds only pertained to those from Bainbridge - all the more reason why it should have been in there. Other than that, I really liked the book. It is well told, well-written.
Lots of swearing.
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So, what did I think?
This book starts off a little slow for me, but the author does it in order to establish the relationship between Alex and Charlie, Alex and his brother Frank, Alex and his father, Alex...well, you get the picture. The majority of the relationships are established at the beginning as well as the feeling of life before Pearl Harbor.
In order to establish the relationship between Alex and Charlie, the author starts the book with a series of back and forth letters. Their relationship starts as a class assignment to write a pen pal. Alex, at first, doesn't want to write letters to Charlie once he discovers she's a girl, but somehow she wins him over and they continue to write each other, even after the assignment is over.
At first I was worried this book would just be a series of letters, but it actually jumps back and forth between letter and third person forms. It was a bit jarring at first, but you quickly get used to it.
Then the reader gets to read about the shift society makes after Pearl Harbor. Curfews, the indifference, the accepted bullying that comes with it and finally, relocation. All of this you experience in third person, with a few letters thrown in. This is how you know what is happening to Charlie in Europe. She tells Alex about the unfair treatment anyone identified as Jewish is suffering and he, in return tells her the same. It draws some interesting parallels.
From relocation the reader is introduced to camp life, the below standard conditions, the hardships and lack of anything to do. Lack of paying jobs, lack of news, lack of privacy, lack of toilets, showers, food, etc. It also touches on the corruption of the people in charge and how soldiers did open fire and killed several people who were only trying to get away. The separation of fathers from their families is prominent here as Alex's father was taken before the roundup and relocation of Japanese Americans and his mother struggles to cope.
So does his brother. Through Frank we see some of the ways this treatment of Japanese American citizens changes their point of view of America. He becomes angry and distant, rarely coming back to the shack they have to share with another Japanese family. Eventually he only come home to sleep. Frank is right in a lot of ways, particularly when he points out to the recruitment soldiers just how well American law has protected the Japanese Americans so far.
Despite that, Alex decides to sign up for the army. It's mostly because the recruitment officer promised to have his father reunited with his mother and brother. Another reason is that he hopes to accomplish the impossible task of finding Charlie, who has suddenly stopped writing him all together. But it's also because, to a far lesser degree, Alex wants to prove himself to all the white Americans. This is where the book finally picks up the pace. If you can make it here, the rest of the book will carry you to the end without issue.
Alex is shipped off to Fort Shelby where he is trained to be a soldier. The difference in the treatment of him and other nonwhite soldiers is obvious. They are given clothes and shoes that don't fit and are pushed hard to try and make them quit. He and other Japanese soldiers are in with Hawaiian soldiers and there is mention of a few African American soldiers during a particular scene involving a racist bus driver. The contrast in treatment becomes exceedingly clear here.
Alex aces the test on the ability to judge distances and becomes the front man for his unit. His job, be one of the first up and scout out targets such as machine gun nests. He then reports to the soldier with the radio the distance and direction of these targets to have relayed back to the men who run the howitzer and therefore launch the shells on these targets.
They are deployed to Europe as a segregated unit, the 42nd regiment, and are thrown into some of the worst fighting. But they have something to prove, so they do it. They get no recognition for the miracles they perform at the cost of many friends. The 42nd regiment was almost completely wiped out in the push to save the Lost Battalion. something like only 26 men from the unit survived. Even less made it home. But no one reported that in the news. Alex becomes friends with a lot of these men over basic training, but the one that really sticks with you, or at least with me, is Mutt.
Alex is one of the few survivors. He is also one of the soldiers that discovers a concentration camp and sees first hand what the Nazis have done to anyone they view as subhuman. Horrified that this is probably what happened to his friend Charlie, he does look for her there. But he finds no sign of her.
When everything is done and the war is over, Alex makes a pit stop in Paris holding out hope that somehow Charlie survived.But it's here that he gets his second confirmation that Charlie is most likely dead. By some miracle her bedroom is basically untouched and Alex fully realizes just how much his friendship meant to Charlie, as her room is decorated with all the drawings he had sent her over the years.
Alex returns home a war hero, but it's a bittersweet feeling for him.
What I liked:
You may hate me for this, but I deeply respect how Andrew Fukuda made the ending bittersweet with the loss of Charlie. Alex saved his family, but lost the young woman he had known for nearly a decade. The woman he grew to love .
I like that the author also made me put down this book to do a search on whether or not Paris really had public phone booths. That was a tidbit of information I did not know because I honestly never thought about it.
I also respected how the author picked out major key events, that not too many people outside of america really know about, in the treatment of Japanese Americans both in internment camps and as soldiers and worked them into his story. The injustice and theft by camp officials, the use of deadly force against peaceful protesters as they fled , the American Army basically using their nonwhite, segregated units as cannon fodder.
What I didn't like:
The visions Alex kept having. I know it was to help keep Charlie in the forefront of both our minds and Alex's, but that was just a little bit too weird for my liking.
How we only ever see Alex's parents referred to as Mother and Father. It struck me as a bit odd, but I figured it might be a culture thing? Okaasan and otousan...you know. Formality is a sign of ultimate respect.
The pacing. I know it probably makes me a terrible person, but I found the first half of the book quite...slow. I think it was part III when it finally picked up for me. Now maybe it's because I have read a few similar books that covered the before and during internment camp angle before?? I don't know. But when Alex is deciding to sign up for the army is when my interest really started to peak a bit. When he shipped out to Europe was when I was absolutely riveted. I rushed through the parts taking place in Europe like a thirsty man would to fresh, cold water.
In Conclusion
If it hadn't been for the second half of this book I probably would have only given it a two star ratings because I wasn't connecting to Alex really and therefore I had trouble immersing myself in this book. But when Alex makes key decisions to save his Father from prison by enlisting and thereby saving his mother from despair by giving her back her husband, he had my attention. It was a key moment for him, I felt. Gone was the weak, skinny, shy Alex. It was the moment he truly turned into an adult. An adult intent on trying to save everyone that he holds dear and that got my attention because there isn't anything I wouldn't do for family.
The second half of this book blows the first half out of the water and the ending the author chose completely earned him my respect. War stories rarely have happy endings.
So, what did I think?
This book starts off a little slow for me, but the author does it in order to establish the relationship between Alex and Charlie, Alex and his brother Frank, Alex and his father, Alex...well, you get the picture. The majority of the relationships are established at the beginning as well as the feeling of life before Pearl Harbor.
In order to establish the relationship between Alex and Charlie, the author starts the book with a series of back and forth letters. Their relationship starts as a class assignment to write a pen pal. Alex, at first, doesn't want to write letters to Charlie once he discovers she's a girl, but somehow she wins him over and they continue to write each other, even after the assignment is over.
At first I was worried this book would just be a series of letters, but it actually jumps back and forth between letter and third person forms. It was a bit jarring at first, but you quickly get used to it.
Then the reader gets to read about the shift society makes after Pearl Harbor. Curfews, the indifference, the accepted bullying that comes with it and finally, relocation. All of this you experience in third person, with a few letters thrown in. This is how you know what is happening to Charlie in Europe. She tells Alex about the unfair treatment anyone identified as Jewish is suffering and he, in return tells her the same. It draws some interesting parallels.
From relocation the reader is introduced to camp life, the below standard conditions, the hardships and lack of anything to do. Lack of paying jobs, lack of news, lack of privacy, lack of toilets, showers, food, etc. It also touches on the corruption of the people in charge and how soldiers did open fire and killed several people who were only trying to get away. The separation of fathers from their families is prominent here as Alex's father was taken before the roundup and relocation of Japanese Americans and his mother struggles to cope.
So does his brother. Through Frank we see some of the ways this treatment of Japanese American citizens changes their point of view of America. He becomes angry and distant, rarely coming back to the shack they have to share with another Japanese family. Eventually he only come home to sleep. Frank is right in a lot of ways, particularly when he points out to the recruitment soldiers just how well American law has protected the Japanese Americans so far.
Despite that, Alex decides to sign up for the army. It's mostly because the recruitment officer promised to have his father reunited with his mother and brother. Another reason is that he hopes to accomplish the impossible task of finding Charlie, who has suddenly stopped writing him all together. But it's also because, to a far lesser degree, Alex wants to prove himself to all the white Americans. This is where the book finally picks up the pace. If you can make it here, the rest of the book will carry you to the end without issue.
Alex is shipped off to Fort Shelby where he is trained to be a soldier. The difference in the treatment of him and other nonwhite soldiers is obvious. They are given clothes and shoes that don't fit and are pushed hard to try and make them quit. He and other Japanese soldiers are in with Hawaiian soldiers and there is mention of a few African American soldiers during a particular scene involving a racist bus driver. The contrast in treatment becomes exceedingly clear here.
Alex aces the test on the ability to judge distances and becomes the front man for his unit. His job, be one of the first up and scout out targets such as machine gun nests. He then reports to the soldier with the radio the distance and direction of these targets to have relayed back to the men who run the howitzer and therefore launch the shells on these targets.
They are deployed to Europe as a segregated unit, the 42nd regiment, and are thrown into some of the worst fighting. But they have something to prove, so they do it. They get no recognition for the miracles they perform at the cost of many friends. The 42nd regiment was almost completely wiped out in the push to save the Lost Battalion. something like only 26 men from the unit survived. Even less made it home. But no one reported that in the news. Alex becomes friends with a lot of these men over basic training, but the one that really sticks with you, or at least with me, is Mutt.
Alex is one of the few survivors. He is also one of the soldiers that discovers a concentration camp and sees first hand what the Nazis have done to anyone they view as subhuman. Horrified that this is probably what happened to his friend Charlie, he does look for her there. But he finds no sign of her.
When everything is done and the war is over, Alex makes a pit stop in Paris holding out hope that somehow Charlie survived.
Alex returns home a war hero, but it's a bittersweet feeling for him.
What I liked:
You may hate me for this, but I deeply respect how Andrew Fukuda made the ending bittersweet
I like that the author also made me put down this book to do a search on whether or not Paris really had public phone booths. That was a tidbit of information I did not know because I honestly never thought about it.
I also respected how the author picked out major key events, that not too many people outside of america really know about, in the treatment of Japanese Americans both in internment camps and as soldiers and worked them into his story. The injustice and theft by camp officials, the use of deadly force against peaceful protesters as they fled , the American Army basically using their nonwhite, segregated units as cannon fodder.
What I didn't like:
The visions Alex kept having. I know it was to help keep Charlie in the forefront of both our minds and Alex's, but that was just a little bit too weird for my liking.
How we only ever see Alex's parents referred to as Mother and Father. It struck me as a bit odd, but I figured it might be a culture thing? Okaasan and otousan...you know. Formality is a sign of ultimate respect.
The pacing. I know it probably makes me a terrible person, but I found the first half of the book quite...slow. I think it was part III when it finally picked up for me. Now maybe it's because I have read a few similar books that covered the before and during internment camp angle before?? I don't know. But when Alex is deciding to sign up for the army is when my interest really started to peak a bit. When he shipped out to Europe was when I was absolutely riveted. I rushed through the parts taking place in Europe like a thirsty man would to fresh, cold water.
In Conclusion
If it hadn't been for the second half of this book I probably would have only given it a two star ratings because I wasn't connecting to Alex really and therefore I had trouble immersing myself in this book. But when Alex makes key decisions to save his Father from prison by enlisting and thereby saving his mother from despair by giving her back her husband, he had my attention. It was a key moment for him, I felt. Gone was the weak, skinny, shy Alex. It was the moment he truly turned into an adult. An adult intent on trying to save everyone that he holds dear and that got my attention because there isn't anything I wouldn't do for family.
The second half of this book blows the first half out of the water and the ending the author chose completely earned him my respect. War stories rarely have happy endings.