Beautifully rendered and emotionally charged, The Last Year of the War evoked emotion and spoke to the strong bonds formed in times of crises. As I sit pondering this novel during the chaos of the Covid-19 epidemic, I can't help but recognize more fully the extent to which Elise's life was upended. While there is certainly no comparison to the extreme unmooring experienced by the characters in this novel, our current situation shows but a glimpse into how life can change rather drastically in a short amount of time. All this to say that I felt even more compassion for this sweet girl whose life was interrupted so dreadfully.
Dear Mariko, whom Elise met in the Texas Relocation Camp, empowered her to dream bigger and hold on to hope. As Elise so aptly stated, "She was me, but a braver version of me. A version of me who could still look to the horizon of what was possible if only I could imagine it." Their bond was beautiful and the characterization, powerful. I also loved the twists and turns in the story, as I always savor Susan Meissner's writing.
Though I was well-aware of the Internment camps along the west coast, I had no idea these camps were stationed all over the United States and that several were used as Relocation Camps to exchange Japanese American citizens for prisoners of war. The cruelty with which human kind can operate in times of fear and panic is just shocking and terrifying. Kudos to Meissner for bringing this truth to light.
Read 1/3/20
No comments:
Post a Comment