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Saturday, December 21, 2019
Both Bitter and Sweet, Sweeping Historical Novel Tells Clean, Touching Story
4:52 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford's bestselling debut novel, tells a sweeping story of family, friendship, and finding what's been lost. Vivid period detail brings to life Seattle's China and Japantown in the 1940s, making the story feel immersive and authentic. The idea of abandoned family treasures left behind in a hotel to bear witness of a sad chapter in America's history is as intriguing as it is heartbreaking. I found it an irresistible premise, even if the story itself gets a little long and dull. Although the tale left me with unanswered questions, overall, I enjoyed it. It didn't blow my socks off like it has for other readers, but I liked the clean, bittersweet tale that is, ultimately, a hopeful one. I'll definitely check out more books by Ford.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner and The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
3 comments:
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I really enjoyed this book when I read it a few years ago. It's a time period I enjoy and I didn't know much about the era in Seattle so found it interesting.
ReplyDeleteI've read this one and found it to be really bittersweet and very touching. Thanks for this review.
ReplyDeleteI liked this one, too. :)
ReplyDelete