Spotted this in a charity shop and as it was on my wishlist I just could not resist picking it up.

Set on the island of San Piedro in Puget Sound near to Seattle a small isolated community of Japanese live alongside their 'American' neighbours during the 1940's and 50's. The San Piedro residents are mainly made up of descendants of various disparate nationalities, latterly Japanese, all of whom largely came to the island as migrant labour before setting down roots. So giving it a pretty varied ethnic mix, their relative isolation giving them a sense of community. However, when in March 1942 Japan launches its surprise attack on Pearl Harbour this community is split asunder with the Japanese residents herded off to an internment camp in California.

The story moves on to December 1954 and Kabuo Miyomoto, is on trial for the murder of a fellow fisherman, Carl Heine. Outside the courthouse a storm bringing strong winds and heavy snow is causing chaos to the island but it is the human spirit that is taking a real battering as memories of the war only serve to add to the racial intolerances which were ever present even and has now apparently culminated in Carl's death at the hands of Kabuo, a former childhood friend.

Guterson has managed to produce a densely packed piece of work which almost makes the reader forget that Kabuo is struggling for his own life possibly purely because he is Japanese. I found this a very accomplished piece of work.

Going out as a Brucie Bonus. I hope that you haven't already read it. Enjoy!

Received today. A lovely surprise thank you...and no I haven't read it :-)

A really interesting and enjoyable read. Thanks again for sending 😊

Releasing at the 2022 Unconvention!

Picked up from the book buffet at the Newcastle Unconvention because it covers a country in the pacific and I am doing the 666/reading around the world challenge. Looks good.