—Book Review—
Another installment of #throwbookthursday as a way to catch up on my back reviews. I just counted and I somehow have 8 reviews in my notes folder from around the time I was moving and unpacking of reviews I never posted! Oops! I also need to write about 11 reviews between last month and this month so far. Never.catching.up!!! Now I know I don’t have to review every book, but here’s the thing . . . I actually love writing reviews. I love celebrating authors. I love writing!!! Without further ado…
Title: The Last Year of the War
Author: Susan Meissner
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Fiction
This book is a powerful tale of friendship between Elise, who German American and Mariko who is a Japanese American. They meet at an interment camp in Texas. I believe this was my first book about interment camps.
Elise and her family are sent there despite her German parents being legal US residents for nearly two decades. Her father out of the blue is arrested on suspicion of being a nazi sympathizer. Mariko’s family is sent to the interment camp after Pearl Harbor. It was heartbreaking to read about these times in our country that legal residents were stripped of rights and made to be something they weren’t.
Eventually Elise’s family is exchanged for American prisoners (I had no idea this was a thing!) and sent back to Germany. Her and Mariko try to stay in touch by letters but it is difficult as Germany is still at war. They eventually lose touch. Until the power of the internet and a little something called a google search…
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Ugh, my heart; Susan Meissner can write. Historical Fiction fans if you don’t know this author, please, please , please pick up her books! This one is up there as one of my favorites!