They face racism and prejudice on a daily basis and Henry's father does not approve of the friendship. I thought Henry was far too sophisticated in his thinking for a 12 year old boy but this was the only quibble I had with the whole book. But Henry is nevertheless bullied by his white classmates and must work long hours in the cafeteria dishing out meals and cleaning up to fulfill the terms of his scholarship.

I really loved the characters of Henry, Keiko and Sheldon, and really cared about what happened to them. I had no idea Japanese living in the US faced such racism during the war (well they always did but that increased during the war).

Psychologies Magazine ‘Every once in a while a book comes along that truly touches your heart – Jamie Ford’s Hotel on the corner of Bitter and Sweet is one such book.

The subtitle on the cover of the book states: THE BOOK A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH and I must add my name to that long list. It is incredibly rare to find a historical fiction novel about World War Two that isn't set in Europe! They speak only Cantonese, and although they want Henry to be only American, they follow the old ways of their Chinese community.I was really looking forward to this book because it was about a period of US history in World War 2 involving the detention of US citizens of Japanese background which I knew very little about and was looking forward to this read. The novel explores the themes of father–son relationships, and loyalty both in the familial and national contexts. Jamie Ford’s debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to win the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. The story alternates between following the child Henry as he contends with the conflicting motives and prejudices of his father during World War II, and the grownup Henry who is learning to live without his wife. Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of 'The Art of Racing in the Rain' ‘Ford expertly nails the sweet innocence of first love, the cruelty of racism, the blindness of patriotism, the astonishing unknowns between parents and their children, and the sadness and satisfaction at the end of a life well lived.