HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford

Note: I am not a paid reviewer, and I have purchased this title to read for my personal enjoyment.

In 1986, Chinese-American Henry learns that items have been recovered at Seattle’s dilapidated Panama Hotel that were left in the basement by interned Japanese families in 1942. The news stirs Henry’s memories of the war years, when he endured racial bigotry at his all-white school, dealing with bullies who lumped him together with all Asians as the enemy, despite wearing his Japanese-hating father’s ‘I am Chinese’ button. Young Henry connects deeply with Japanese girl Keiko, sharing with her a love for jazz and Seattle’s burgeoning jazz scene of the war years. Henry suffers devastating loss as Keiko’s family is processed for internment, despite Keiko’s protestations that ‘I am American,’ and ‘I don’t even know Japanese.’ The devastating impact of internment on Japanese families and their stoic manner of compliance is poignantly displayed. As is the despondency inherent in Henry’s life, in not only his childhood but also his adult life, with losing his wife to cancer and dealing with estrangement from his son. But the beauty of the story is the triumph and endurance of Henry’s spirit, as if his love for jazz and its endless possibilities gives him strength to carry on.