Bridge of Scarlet Leaves

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Average customer rating 4.3 (3 comments)

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In southern California on the eve of World War II, Maddie and Lane go against each of their family’s wishes and marry. Although Maddie is white and Lane is a Nisei, an American born to parents who emigrated from Japan, they are sure their love for each other will help them overcome the obstacles. Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into the war changes everything in ways they could not have anticipated. Suddenly, Lane’s father is spirited away to a detention center for questioning, and the weeks drag on without his return. The rest of the family is forced to leave everything behind and enter an internment camp. But the challenges they face have only just begun, and they will continue to be taxed as long as the war is on. In Bridge of Scarlet Leaves author Kristina McMorris returns to the time in history she brought to life in Letters from Home. In her new book, she focuses on the challenge Japanese Americans faced during World War II, and what it was like for the people who looked beyond race to see them as simply Americans. Even before the war, mixed relationships were frowned upon, and anyone bold enough to enter into one had to endure whispers, stares and disapproval. After the war began, it was even more difficult. This sweeping tale goes behind the fences of an internment camp and a POW camp. It looks at the experience through the eyes of American soldiers in the Pacific arena, and at the lives of those back home. Through it all, the focus is on human resiliency�"the inner reserves of strength that can help someone shore up when circumstances conspire to bring them down. I highly recommend it. The author provided me with a copy of this book to review.

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WOW!!!! This was a GREAT book. First I have to say to Kristina “I forgive you” Okay back to the review. Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is such an emotional book. When you think it can’t get any worst it does. Kristina does a wonderful of sucking us into the world that she has created. A world that revolves around a set of kids and one horrible event. Pearl Harbor. It is truly amazing how people were treated back then. The struggle that these kids have to go through on a daily basis makes me realize that we should all be thankful for the things we have in our life. I loved every page of this book. Yes, Kristina every page!!! Kristina thank you so very much for allowing me to read and review your book for you. I look forward to see what you come up with next. If you love historical I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this book!!! Oh and please have some tissues.

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I won a pre-release copy of Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris through the GoodReads First Reads program. This was my introduction to the writing style of Kristina McMorris and from the first page I was impressed. Her characters were well written and the story was very easy to become a part of. In Bridge of Scarlet Leaves we are introduced to three key players: Maddie Kern, TJ Kern, and Lane Moritomo. The characters’ stories unfold in Los Angeles, CA right before Pearl Harbor is bombed in 1941. Maddie Kern is a young violinist whose dream is to attend Julliard. She lives with her strict brother TJ after a car accident takes the life of their mother and leaves their father in a nursing home consumed by depression. TJ is a young baseball pitcher whose dream is to play for the New York Yankees but find himself struggling to find his way. His best friend, Lane Morimoto is the very ambitious son of two very traditional Japanese parents whose dream is to work in politics and help make the United States a more understanding place. We are quickly told that Lane and Maddie have been dating for awhile and are very serious. On the day that they elope, Pearl Harbor is bombed causing their life together and the world to shatter. Throughout the book we are shown how these three characters learn to makes sense of the world as it has become, to love, to forgive and to fight for their dreams. Kristina McMorris writes these characters beautifully. You can’t help but feel for each of them and what they are going through. The support characters are well written and add to the individual stories. You can tell that she has done a thorough job researching the time period and what life was like during this time in history. I am excited to read other works by Kristina McMorris and see what else this young author has in store for us readers.