Jaimie Ford - Book Review Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

review written by Maggie Perkovic and read live on the bookshow 20th Aug 2015.
This is the story of
Henry Lee, son of two Chinese refugees who now live in Seattle. He himself is American
Winning a Scholarship to a prestigious school in Seattle has made his parents proud, but his
days are unhappy there and he is bullied for being Chinese and has to help serve the dinners and
clear up after school. One day a young girl comes to join him, she is Japanese and after Pearl
Harbour all Asians are counted as "the enemy" but Henry and Keiko become firm friends.
His father also hates the Japanese as he was orphaned when the Japs invaded his country,
but despite this Henry and Keiko and her family get on very well together. Sadly all Japanese
families are interned and Henry loses touch with his friend and wonders if he will ever see
her again. The years during the war and then long after, show how his life has continued,his
only son and he are not very close, his wife dies of cancer but as the story starts, The Panama
Hotel is to be re opened and there in its lower apartments are all the belongings of the Internees.
Henry wonders if he can find some memories of his friend and a clue as to where the family
finally went. A time in history which not many people think of but very well written and quite
a page turner I found. The author is of Chinese descent so the history is very authentic and
well documented. Highly recomended. Maggie Perkovic.