Book Notes: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

What a beautiful novel this was.

When it started I wasn't sure whether I would like it or where it was going, but as it got going I was hooked.

Jamie Ford paints a human and compelling picture of relationships: between the US and its Japanese-American citizens during WWII, between an emotionally distant Chinese father and his son, between this son and his own son, between the Japanese and Chinese communities in Seattle in the 40's, between two young people who have their first inklings of the deep friendship and respect that is love.

I loved the portrait of these complex relationships at the time. He managed to get them just right -  a few words, little sketches that promoted my understanding of different people's points of view without going into slogging detail.

Henry is our protagonist. Born on American soil, the only student of Chinese descent in his private English school (where he is bullied and miserable), not allowed to speak Mandarin to his parents as they want him to focus solely on his English (but they don't understand or speak much English, which makes for little communication), forced to wear a "I am Chinese" pin to school by his father (so he is not targeted as Japanese).

With all these conflicting influences, it's no wonder he rebels. His only friend is a black jazz sax player who busks on the street corner, until a Japanese-American girl named Keiko comes to his school. As they share school chores together (they clean the classrooms and serve lunch), their friendship grows.

Even after the Japanese are taken away to internment camps they continue their relationship. But eventually they lose touch. She stops writing. He gets engaged to a very sweet Chinese girl, and loves her, has a son with her, and cares for through her cancer until her death.

I loved this portrayal of love. It was bittersweet. It felt real. He did genuinely love his childhood sweetheart, but when she stops writing, he starts seeing and eventually commits himself to another. Once he's made this commitment, he honors it. There is love and happiness in his commitment, even though it was not his first choice.
A message we need to hear more often, I think.