The Bittersweetness of Love

The Bittersweetness of Love
Daniel Song

            Recently, I took it upon myself to read the book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. It is a historical fiction novel, and is the story of a Henry Lee, a Chinese American boy who grows up in the midst of World War II. It is the tale of first love and loss, and throughout the story, the power of love is exemplified. Love not only brought people together, but is also tore people apart, leaving a lasting impact on the characters which could not remain unnoticed.

 

            The theme that love is powerful starts to emerge in the very beginning of the book. Henry grows up going to a predominantly white school, with not the nicest classmates. He is often made fun of for his race, which did not necessarily make school a pleasant experience for him. This all changes when a new student, a Japanese girl named Keiko. The two instantly connect, and all of a sudden, Henry doesn't care about being made fun of. His motivation to go out and do things peaked, and all of a sudden, he wanted to go to school. This goes to show how love can be a motivator, how it can be quite powerful in some case, which encompasses the sweet aspect of love in this book.

             While love may change people for the better, it can also tear people apart. As the story progresses, due to the ongoing war, the two eventually get separated. Because of the fact that Henry's father is traditionalist and extremely prejudiced against the Japanese, as soon as he found out about Henry's relationship, he essentially disowned him. One quote that stands out in particular describing their broken relationship goes as follows, "But from that moment on, he began to feel like a ghost in the little brick apartment he shared with his parents. They didn't speak to him; in fact, they barely acknowledged his presence. They'd speak to each other as if he weren't there, and when they looked his way, they'd each pretend to look right through him." There usually is a strong bond of love between a father and son, but this is not the case here. The relationship between Henry and his father was broken because of love, not something often portrayed in modern day novels.

           Aside from all the turmoil, hate, and confusion pent inside this book, it has an easy to follow storyline, as well as a captivating plot. The intricate characters, as well as the setting of this book is truly makes this book a must read. I usually ind historical fiction novels boring, but this one sure is a novelty.