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Nisei War #1
Last Night with Tokyo Rose: A WWII Novel
Like any other American man, Tom Sakai wants nothing but a good life and a decent job. But in 1941, his country is not a friendly place for a Nisei. Being a son of Japanese immigrants, he’s never American enough. As Japan and the United States edge to the brink of war, the truth is all too clear. America has no place for someone like him. In search of his place in the world, he leaves his hometown of Seattle and sets out to sea.
In Manila, he meets Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles with a heartbreaking past who captures his heart. His soulmate who tread the same path of prejudice he walked at home. Together, they begin a new life in this burgeoning city under American colonial rule where they are no longer shunned.
The Pearl Harbor attack destroys their dreams. Their dual identity now forces them to take a side. Their survival hinges on whether they stand with the land of the rising sun or the land of the free.
Stranded in occupied territory, Tom must decide where his loyalty lies. Should he swear his allegiance to Imperial Japan, the instigator of war and violence? Or America, the country that deserted him when the world's darkest hour begins?
What happens if his choice diverges from his one true love?
In Manila, he meets Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles with a heartbreaking past who captures his heart. His soulmate who tread the same path of prejudice he walked at home. Together, they begin a new life in this burgeoning city under American colonial rule where they are no longer shunned.
The Pearl Harbor attack destroys their dreams. Their dual identity now forces them to take a side. Their survival hinges on whether they stand with the land of the rising sun or the land of the free.
Stranded in occupied territory, Tom must decide where his loyalty lies. Should he swear his allegiance to Imperial Japan, the instigator of war and violence? Or America, the country that deserted him when the world's darkest hour begins?
What happens if his choice diverges from his one true love?
446 pages, Paperback
Published January 18, 2021
111 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
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May 12, 2021
A man is faced with being true to the country he loves, or siding with the country of his heritage because of his family and friends during one of the most brutal wars in history. Stuck literally between America and Japan, Tom Sakai learns of the dangers that romance can cause in determining one’s allegiance.
Last Night with Tokyo Rose looks like everything I love in historical fiction. The cover is stunning, the blurb is so interesting, and the topic is WWII–and not only that, but it’s also a blend of Japanese and American culture during WWII, so it’s not a one-sided story! This book almost literally has my name written all over it, however, I had a very hard time finishing it.
When I read the blurb, I assumed that the book would begin with Tom navigating the war. Maybe a little backstory for the setup, but I genuinely thought this book would be majorly set during WWII. So, I was both surprised and confused when, what I thought was an introduction of Tom’s childhood, just kept going. The entire first half of the book (and this book is over 400 pages long) has nothing to do with the war, and everything to do with Tom’s childhood in America as a Nisei. Which is great, if that’s what you’re expecting! But, to me, it felt like the longest intro I’ve ever read and the part about Tom during WWII was severely too short. And though Tom’s life was very interesting and well-written, I realized around a quarter into the book that this would be a very slow-paced, drama rather than the faster-paced war book that I was expecting.
The way the book is written, flip-flopping between past and present Tom, makes the book appear even slower than the content did. Each chapter opens with a short, melancholy scene of present, involved-in-the-war-Tom walking around his apartment, drinking some form of alcohol, and contemplating his life. His thought process then leads to a memory, which throws us back to his childhood, teen years, or young adulthood leading up to the war. So, with nearly every chapter following this pattern of a serious and gloomy opening of present-Tom and then reminiscing on past Tom, there’s a constant sense of suspense for the reader to want to hurry up and get to the events happening to present-Tom, but there is a huge ocean of memories that have to be navigated first so it feels like you’ll never actually get there. And once I finally did catch up to present-Tom, I checked my reading percentage on my kindle, and I was over 70% finished with the book! That’s over 300 pages of this 436-page book (according to Amazon)! So, because the suspense in the buildup to get to present-Tom was so heavy throughout the novel (that suspense is the only thing that pushed me to finish the book), it made the ending, when we finally get there, not feel worth it. I wasn’t disappointed in the ending exactly, as far as Tom’s decisions and how it ended, but I definitely walked away asking, “Is that it? That’s how we’re leaving it?”.
The only reason I gave Last Night with Tokyo Rose 3 stars instead of 1 or 2 is because the amount of research that went into this book completely blew me away. This book is so informative on both sides of the culture conflicts of WWII and the social delimmas of the Nisei (a term I had never heard before this book). The author also does a fantastic job of creating believable scenarios of how the Nisei were treated in America on the brink of WWII and during the war. Her writing style is compelling and emotional as well, so even though Tom’s story was slower than I would have liked, it did not lack the promise of emotional conflict and moral delimmas.
Overall, I don’t recommend Last Night with Tokyo Rose to just any fans of historical fiction, but I think that very specifically, fans of thought-provoking dramas would enjoy this book more than I did.
Content Warning: Racism & injustice scenarios. Some romance, though nothing sexually explicit (only brief mentions of kissing). No graphic gore descriptions.
I received this book from the author via BookSirens. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and this is a voluntary review.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.
Last Night with Tokyo Rose looks like everything I love in historical fiction. The cover is stunning, the blurb is so interesting, and the topic is WWII–and not only that, but it’s also a blend of Japanese and American culture during WWII, so it’s not a one-sided story! This book almost literally has my name written all over it, however, I had a very hard time finishing it.
When I read the blurb, I assumed that the book would begin with Tom navigating the war. Maybe a little backstory for the setup, but I genuinely thought this book would be majorly set during WWII. So, I was both surprised and confused when, what I thought was an introduction of Tom’s childhood, just kept going. The entire first half of the book (and this book is over 400 pages long) has nothing to do with the war, and everything to do with Tom’s childhood in America as a Nisei. Which is great, if that’s what you’re expecting! But, to me, it felt like the longest intro I’ve ever read and the part about Tom during WWII was severely too short. And though Tom’s life was very interesting and well-written, I realized around a quarter into the book that this would be a very slow-paced, drama rather than the faster-paced war book that I was expecting.
The way the book is written, flip-flopping between past and present Tom, makes the book appear even slower than the content did. Each chapter opens with a short, melancholy scene of present, involved-in-the-war-Tom walking around his apartment, drinking some form of alcohol, and contemplating his life. His thought process then leads to a memory, which throws us back to his childhood, teen years, or young adulthood leading up to the war. So, with nearly every chapter following this pattern of a serious and gloomy opening of present-Tom and then reminiscing on past Tom, there’s a constant sense of suspense for the reader to want to hurry up and get to the events happening to present-Tom, but there is a huge ocean of memories that have to be navigated first so it feels like you’ll never actually get there. And once I finally did catch up to present-Tom, I checked my reading percentage on my kindle, and I was over 70% finished with the book! That’s over 300 pages of this 436-page book (according to Amazon)! So, because the suspense in the buildup to get to present-Tom was so heavy throughout the novel (that suspense is the only thing that pushed me to finish the book), it made the ending, when we finally get there, not feel worth it. I wasn’t disappointed in the ending exactly, as far as Tom’s decisions and how it ended, but I definitely walked away asking, “Is that it? That’s how we’re leaving it?”.
The only reason I gave Last Night with Tokyo Rose 3 stars instead of 1 or 2 is because the amount of research that went into this book completely blew me away. This book is so informative on both sides of the culture conflicts of WWII and the social delimmas of the Nisei (a term I had never heard before this book). The author also does a fantastic job of creating believable scenarios of how the Nisei were treated in America on the brink of WWII and during the war. Her writing style is compelling and emotional as well, so even though Tom’s story was slower than I would have liked, it did not lack the promise of emotional conflict and moral delimmas.
Overall, I don’t recommend Last Night with Tokyo Rose to just any fans of historical fiction, but I think that very specifically, fans of thought-provoking dramas would enjoy this book more than I did.
Content Warning: Racism & injustice scenarios. Some romance, though nothing sexually explicit (only brief mentions of kissing). No graphic gore descriptions.
I received this book from the author via BookSirens. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and this is a voluntary review.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.
March 22, 2022
Last Night with Tokyo Rose is the first book in Alexa Kang’s new Nisei series. From the opening Hang grabs your attention and gives you an understanding of what it was like for a first generation Japanese (Nisei), to grow up in the Pacific Northwest and in early 1941 not be able to find a job and so this Japanese American go to Manila where he meets a Nisei female who knows how he feels. While the US is on the brink of war with Japan, these must find out where their loyalties lie and who they really are.
The book is fast paced, with suspense and I promise you it will not disappoint. I am looking forward to Book 2 in this series.
Bravo Alexa Kang, wonderful book!
Thank you to #netgalley and #thebookwhisperer for allowing me to read the eARC. All opinions expressed above are my own.
The book is fast paced, with suspense and I promise you it will not disappoint. I am looking forward to Book 2 in this series.
Bravo Alexa Kang, wonderful book!
Thank you to #netgalley and #thebookwhisperer for allowing me to read the eARC. All opinions expressed above are my own.
January 22, 2023
Like any other American man, Tom Sakai wants nothing but a good life and a decent job. But in 1941, his country is not a friendly place for a Nisei. Being a son of Japanese immigrants, he’s never American enough. As Japan and the United States edge to the brink of war, the truth is all too clear. America has no place for someone like him. In search of his place in the world, he leaves his hometown of Seattle and sets out to sea.
In Manila, he meets Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles with a heartbreaking past who captures his heart. His soulmate who tread the same path of prejudice he walked at home. Together, they begin a new life in this burgeoning city under American colonial rule where they are no longer shunned.
The Pearl Harbor attack destroys their dreams. Their dual identity now forces them to take a side. Their survival hinges on whether they stand with the land of the rising sun or the land of the free.
Stranded in occupied territory, Tom must decide where his loyalty lies. Should he swear his allegiance to Imperial Japan, the instigator of war and violence? Or America, the country that deserted him when the world's darkest hour begins?
What happens if his choice diverges from his one true love?
The Manila Hotel is a 5 star historical hotel located in Manila Bay, Phillippines. The hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines built in 1909 to rival Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines and was opened on the commemoration of American Independence on July 4, 1912. The hotel complex was built on a reclaimed area at the northwestern end of Rizal Park along Bonifacio Drive in Ermita. Its penthouse served as the residence of General Douglas MacArthur during his tenure as the Military Advisor of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1941. In the late 30's the hotel was advertized as the Aristocrat of the Orient.
During World War II, the hotel was occupied by Japanese troops, and the Japanese flag was flown above the walls for the entirety of the war. During the Battle for the Liberation of Manila, the hotel was set on fire by the Japanese.
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was attacked by the Empire of Japan on 8 December 1941, 9-10 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor (the Philippines is on the Asian side of the international date line). Although it was governed by a semi-independent commonwealth government, the United States of America controlled the Philippines at the time and possessed important military bases there. The combined Filipino-American army was defeated in the Battle of Bataan and the Battle of Corregidor in April 1942, but guerrilla resistance against the Japanese continued throughout the war. Uncaptured Filipino army units, a communist insurgency, and supporting American agents all played a role in the resistance. Due to the huge number of islands, the Japanese never occupied many of the smaller and more minor islands. Japanese control over the countryside and smaller towns were often tenuous at best.
In 1944, Allied forces liberated the islands from Japanese control in a naval invasion.
As at Pearl Harbor, American aircraft were severely damaged in the initial Japanese attack. Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on 12 December 1941. General Douglas MacArthur was ordered out, leaving his men at Corregidor on the night of 11 March 1942 for Australia. Japan occupied the Philippines for over three years, until the surrender of Japan. A highly effective guerrilla campaign by Philippine resistance forces controlled more than half of the islands, mostly forested and mountainous areas. MacArthur supplied them by submarine and sent reinforcements and officers. The Filipino population remained generally loyal to the United States, partly because of the American guarantee of independence, because of the Japanese mistreatment of Filipinos after the surrender, and because the Japanese had pressed large numbers of Filipinos into work details and put young Filipino women into brothels. General MacArthur kept his promise to return to the Philippines on 20 October 1944. Through December 1944, the islands of Leyte and Mindoro were cleared of Japanese soldiers. During the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army conducted a suicidal defense of the islands.
Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by active and successful underground and guerrilla activity that increased over the years and that eventually covered a large portion of the country. Opposing these guerrillas were a Japanese-formed Bureau of Constabulary (later taking the name of the old Constabulary during the Second Republic),Kempeitai, and the Makapili.
The Japanese viewed all the lands of Asia to be the rightful property of the Imperial Japanese Government and the Emperor. The seizures of Korea, China and parts of Soviet Union, which had begun at the turn of the 20th century, had been taking an upswing. The Japanese had been kept from realizing their goal of unifying or dominating the Asian lands by the presence of foreign military forces in the Philippines (United States), Hong Kong, Malaysia (United Kingdom) and the Dutch East Indies. Japan had hoped that they could strike fast and hold off reinforcements long enough to broker a peace accord from a position of strength. To be successful, US, UK, and Dutch forces were to be attacked simultaneously to prevent their ability to reinforce and aid their Asian possessions. Pivotal to the Japanese decision to attack was a tremendous need for crude oil as a result of economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands which was weakening the Japanese economy. The Japanese leaders were faced with a choice: end the war in China and their plans for Asian conquest, so as to end the sanctions, or declare war on three large military forces. The current war against Britain, and the Netherlands, and the strain of providing aid by the United States to these countries was seen as an opportunity by the Japanese to extend their "rightful" place as a ruler in Asia.
Prior to World War II, Seattle's Japanese community had grown to become the second largest Nihonmachi(Japantown) on the West Coast of North America. Japan emerged from self-imposed isolation during the Meiji Restoration, and began to officially sponsor emigration programs in 1885.
As a result, the period from the 1880s to the early 1900s brought a wave of Japanese immigration to the Seattle area. One early catalyst for this immigration was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which, along with a spate of anti-Chinese violence (culminating in the Seattle riot of 1886), led to the departure of nearly all Chinese from the Seattle area. The departure of Chinese laborers opened the door for Japanese immigrants to fill the labor void.
The Japanese Consulate, which had established an office in Tacoma in 1895, moved to Seattle in 1901.Early Japanese immigrants consisted of mostly single males hoping to amass a fortune before returning to Japan. Many of these men were younger sons from families who, due in large part to the Japanese practice of primogeniture, were motivated to establish themselves independently abroad. These first generation Issei immigrants came primarily from small towns and rural areas in the southern Japanese prefectures of Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka, a pattern that continued up to the Asian immigration ban in 1924.
Japanese immigrants to the Seattle area faced considerable racism, much tied to labor disputes that created a divide with the predominantly white population. These tensions were often inflamed by news outlets and politicians leading to petitions for Japanese exclusion and public demonstrations opposed to the import of Japanese labor. The Anti-Japanese League of Washington was formed in 1916 and campaigned in support of alien land laws in Washington. By the early the 1920s, the Washington state legislature had succeeded in passing an alien land law that prohibited the Issei from owning land. Federal laws prohibiting Asian immigrants from naturalization, coupled with alien land laws and residential segregation barriers, made it difficult for ethnic Japanese to find housing for their families outside the central Seattle port area. Formidable occupational barriers also existed. Both Issei and their Nisei descendants were unable to gain entry into trade unions, and jobs outside the immigrant community other than for menial and unskilled labor were rare even for college graduates.
Due in large part to these difficulties, many Japanese immigrants relied on their own communities for livelihood and support. The Nihonmachi became the heart of the Japanese community with bathhouses, barbers, laundries, and entertainment. In July 1902, the Seattle Japanese Language School(Nihon Go Gakko) was opened under the name of Nipponjinkai Juzoku Shogakko (Elementary School attached to the Japanese Association). The establishment of this school was followed by language schools opening in Fife in 1909 and another in Tacoma by 1911. The creation of these schools illustrated the desire of Japanese immigrants to pass on their language and culture to later generations. Built in 1922, Tacoma's Nihon Go Gakko in the pre-World War II era served as Tacoma's Japanese language school.
As the second generation (Nisei) began to grow, the Japanese immigrants who had once planned to return to Japan after only a few years, had begun seeing themselves as settlers.
The Japanese diaspora and its individual members, known as Nikkei or as Nikkeijin, comprise the Japanese emigrants from Japan (and their descendants) residing in a country outside Japan. These groups were historically differentiated by the terms issei (first-generation Nikkeijin), nisei (second-generation nikkeijin), sansei (third-generation nikkeijin) and yonsei (fourth-generation nikkeijin).
Built in 1909, the Nippon Kan Theatre was a former Japanese theater. It served as a de facto Japanese community center in Seattle prior to World War II. It was busy several nights a week with actors and musicians from Japan, movies, concerts, judo and kendo competitions, and community meetings.
SS President Coolidge was an American luxury ocean liner that was completed in 1931. She was operated by Dollar Steamship Lines until 1938, and then by American President Lines until 1941. She served as a troopship from December 1941 until October 1942, when she was sunk by mines in Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base, part of current-day Vanuatu. As relations between Japan and Britain deteriorated in 1940, President Coolidge helped to evacuate US citizens from Hong Kong. As Japanese aggression expanded, President Coolidge took part in evacuations from other parts of east Asia.
In 1941 the threat of war increased and the US War Department began to use President Coolidge for occasional voyages to Honolulu and Manila. In June 1941 President Coolidge became a troopship, reinforcing garrisons in the Pacific. On December 19 President Coolidge evacuated critically injured naval patients from Hawaii, cared for by hastily assigned Navy nurses and Navy doctors from the Philippines that were already among passengers being evacuated from the war zone that had now reached Hawaii. The ship reached San Francisco on 25 December.
In Manila, he meets Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles with a heartbreaking past who captures his heart. His soulmate who tread the same path of prejudice he walked at home. Together, they begin a new life in this burgeoning city under American colonial rule where they are no longer shunned.
The Pearl Harbor attack destroys their dreams. Their dual identity now forces them to take a side. Their survival hinges on whether they stand with the land of the rising sun or the land of the free.
Stranded in occupied territory, Tom must decide where his loyalty lies. Should he swear his allegiance to Imperial Japan, the instigator of war and violence? Or America, the country that deserted him when the world's darkest hour begins?
What happens if his choice diverges from his one true love?
The Manila Hotel is a 5 star historical hotel located in Manila Bay, Phillippines. The hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines built in 1909 to rival Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines and was opened on the commemoration of American Independence on July 4, 1912. The hotel complex was built on a reclaimed area at the northwestern end of Rizal Park along Bonifacio Drive in Ermita. Its penthouse served as the residence of General Douglas MacArthur during his tenure as the Military Advisor of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1941. In the late 30's the hotel was advertized as the Aristocrat of the Orient.
During World War II, the hotel was occupied by Japanese troops, and the Japanese flag was flown above the walls for the entirety of the war. During the Battle for the Liberation of Manila, the hotel was set on fire by the Japanese.
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was attacked by the Empire of Japan on 8 December 1941, 9-10 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor (the Philippines is on the Asian side of the international date line). Although it was governed by a semi-independent commonwealth government, the United States of America controlled the Philippines at the time and possessed important military bases there. The combined Filipino-American army was defeated in the Battle of Bataan and the Battle of Corregidor in April 1942, but guerrilla resistance against the Japanese continued throughout the war. Uncaptured Filipino army units, a communist insurgency, and supporting American agents all played a role in the resistance. Due to the huge number of islands, the Japanese never occupied many of the smaller and more minor islands. Japanese control over the countryside and smaller towns were often tenuous at best.
In 1944, Allied forces liberated the islands from Japanese control in a naval invasion.
As at Pearl Harbor, American aircraft were severely damaged in the initial Japanese attack. Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on 12 December 1941. General Douglas MacArthur was ordered out, leaving his men at Corregidor on the night of 11 March 1942 for Australia. Japan occupied the Philippines for over three years, until the surrender of Japan. A highly effective guerrilla campaign by Philippine resistance forces controlled more than half of the islands, mostly forested and mountainous areas. MacArthur supplied them by submarine and sent reinforcements and officers. The Filipino population remained generally loyal to the United States, partly because of the American guarantee of independence, because of the Japanese mistreatment of Filipinos after the surrender, and because the Japanese had pressed large numbers of Filipinos into work details and put young Filipino women into brothels. General MacArthur kept his promise to return to the Philippines on 20 October 1944. Through December 1944, the islands of Leyte and Mindoro were cleared of Japanese soldiers. During the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army conducted a suicidal defense of the islands.
Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by active and successful underground and guerrilla activity that increased over the years and that eventually covered a large portion of the country. Opposing these guerrillas were a Japanese-formed Bureau of Constabulary (later taking the name of the old Constabulary during the Second Republic),Kempeitai, and the Makapili.
The Japanese viewed all the lands of Asia to be the rightful property of the Imperial Japanese Government and the Emperor. The seizures of Korea, China and parts of Soviet Union, which had begun at the turn of the 20th century, had been taking an upswing. The Japanese had been kept from realizing their goal of unifying or dominating the Asian lands by the presence of foreign military forces in the Philippines (United States), Hong Kong, Malaysia (United Kingdom) and the Dutch East Indies. Japan had hoped that they could strike fast and hold off reinforcements long enough to broker a peace accord from a position of strength. To be successful, US, UK, and Dutch forces were to be attacked simultaneously to prevent their ability to reinforce and aid their Asian possessions. Pivotal to the Japanese decision to attack was a tremendous need for crude oil as a result of economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands which was weakening the Japanese economy. The Japanese leaders were faced with a choice: end the war in China and their plans for Asian conquest, so as to end the sanctions, or declare war on three large military forces. The current war against Britain, and the Netherlands, and the strain of providing aid by the United States to these countries was seen as an opportunity by the Japanese to extend their "rightful" place as a ruler in Asia.
Prior to World War II, Seattle's Japanese community had grown to become the second largest Nihonmachi(Japantown) on the West Coast of North America. Japan emerged from self-imposed isolation during the Meiji Restoration, and began to officially sponsor emigration programs in 1885.
As a result, the period from the 1880s to the early 1900s brought a wave of Japanese immigration to the Seattle area. One early catalyst for this immigration was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which, along with a spate of anti-Chinese violence (culminating in the Seattle riot of 1886), led to the departure of nearly all Chinese from the Seattle area. The departure of Chinese laborers opened the door for Japanese immigrants to fill the labor void.
The Japanese Consulate, which had established an office in Tacoma in 1895, moved to Seattle in 1901.Early Japanese immigrants consisted of mostly single males hoping to amass a fortune before returning to Japan. Many of these men were younger sons from families who, due in large part to the Japanese practice of primogeniture, were motivated to establish themselves independently abroad. These first generation Issei immigrants came primarily from small towns and rural areas in the southern Japanese prefectures of Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka, a pattern that continued up to the Asian immigration ban in 1924.
Japanese immigrants to the Seattle area faced considerable racism, much tied to labor disputes that created a divide with the predominantly white population. These tensions were often inflamed by news outlets and politicians leading to petitions for Japanese exclusion and public demonstrations opposed to the import of Japanese labor. The Anti-Japanese League of Washington was formed in 1916 and campaigned in support of alien land laws in Washington. By the early the 1920s, the Washington state legislature had succeeded in passing an alien land law that prohibited the Issei from owning land. Federal laws prohibiting Asian immigrants from naturalization, coupled with alien land laws and residential segregation barriers, made it difficult for ethnic Japanese to find housing for their families outside the central Seattle port area. Formidable occupational barriers also existed. Both Issei and their Nisei descendants were unable to gain entry into trade unions, and jobs outside the immigrant community other than for menial and unskilled labor were rare even for college graduates.
Due in large part to these difficulties, many Japanese immigrants relied on their own communities for livelihood and support. The Nihonmachi became the heart of the Japanese community with bathhouses, barbers, laundries, and entertainment. In July 1902, the Seattle Japanese Language School(Nihon Go Gakko) was opened under the name of Nipponjinkai Juzoku Shogakko (Elementary School attached to the Japanese Association). The establishment of this school was followed by language schools opening in Fife in 1909 and another in Tacoma by 1911. The creation of these schools illustrated the desire of Japanese immigrants to pass on their language and culture to later generations. Built in 1922, Tacoma's Nihon Go Gakko in the pre-World War II era served as Tacoma's Japanese language school.
As the second generation (Nisei) began to grow, the Japanese immigrants who had once planned to return to Japan after only a few years, had begun seeing themselves as settlers.
The Japanese diaspora and its individual members, known as Nikkei or as Nikkeijin, comprise the Japanese emigrants from Japan (and their descendants) residing in a country outside Japan. These groups were historically differentiated by the terms issei (first-generation Nikkeijin), nisei (second-generation nikkeijin), sansei (third-generation nikkeijin) and yonsei (fourth-generation nikkeijin).
Built in 1909, the Nippon Kan Theatre was a former Japanese theater. It served as a de facto Japanese community center in Seattle prior to World War II. It was busy several nights a week with actors and musicians from Japan, movies, concerts, judo and kendo competitions, and community meetings.
SS President Coolidge was an American luxury ocean liner that was completed in 1931. She was operated by Dollar Steamship Lines until 1938, and then by American President Lines until 1941. She served as a troopship from December 1941 until October 1942, when she was sunk by mines in Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base, part of current-day Vanuatu. As relations between Japan and Britain deteriorated in 1940, President Coolidge helped to evacuate US citizens from Hong Kong. As Japanese aggression expanded, President Coolidge took part in evacuations from other parts of east Asia.
In 1941 the threat of war increased and the US War Department began to use President Coolidge for occasional voyages to Honolulu and Manila. In June 1941 President Coolidge became a troopship, reinforcing garrisons in the Pacific. On December 19 President Coolidge evacuated critically injured naval patients from Hawaii, cared for by hastily assigned Navy nurses and Navy doctors from the Philippines that were already among passengers being evacuated from the war zone that had now reached Hawaii. The ship reached San Francisco on 25 December.
September 29, 2023
Nisei War series, book #1
In a few words:
Being a Nisei, a son of Japanese immigrants, the USA was not a friendly place to be in 1941 when Japan and the US were on the brink of war. All Tom Sakai wanted was nothing but a good life and a decent job. In search of his place in the world, he leaves Seattle for Manila where he met Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles. They fall in love and together they began a new life...till Pearl Harbor....Now stranded in occupied territory, their survival hinged on whether they stood with the land of rising sun or the land of the free.
My thoughts:
I thought this novel was a war story with some historical facts set in the Pacific theater. I am a huge fan of historical fiction this one left me highly disappointed. Half the book is dedicated to Tom’s childhood and growing up as a Nisei. It was a long and tiresome intro. The pacing is so slow it almost put me to sleep. Later on when things got somewhat moving, the melancholic scenes and Tom reminiscing on his past left me in constant suspense I wanted so much to see what he had to face in the present ; after all wasn’t he in occupied territory where danger lurked everywhere and no one could be trusted. Tom did found out the hard way and was a witness to cruelty multiple times...scenes got hot and exciting but by then the ending was near...far too late to say I had been grabbed by the drama. The story had lost me long before....
On the up side:
The style is filled with emotional conflict and moral dilemmas. It also touches some racism, injustice and has a tad of romance without explicit sexually. The scenarios both played out in the US in the Philippines are believable and showed both sides of the conflicts.
I may not have liked this story at the fullest but it may please you. So this is only my opinion....give this novel a try if you wish.
I would like to thank the Book Whisperer for bringing this book to my attention.
In a few words:
Being a Nisei, a son of Japanese immigrants, the USA was not a friendly place to be in 1941 when Japan and the US were on the brink of war. All Tom Sakai wanted was nothing but a good life and a decent job. In search of his place in the world, he leaves Seattle for Manila where he met Fumiko, a Nisei from Los Angeles. They fall in love and together they began a new life...till Pearl Harbor....Now stranded in occupied territory, their survival hinged on whether they stood with the land of rising sun or the land of the free.
My thoughts:
I thought this novel was a war story with some historical facts set in the Pacific theater. I am a huge fan of historical fiction this one left me highly disappointed. Half the book is dedicated to Tom’s childhood and growing up as a Nisei. It was a long and tiresome intro. The pacing is so slow it almost put me to sleep. Later on when things got somewhat moving, the melancholic scenes and Tom reminiscing on his past left me in constant suspense I wanted so much to see what he had to face in the present ; after all wasn’t he in occupied territory where danger lurked everywhere and no one could be trusted. Tom did found out the hard way and was a witness to cruelty multiple times...scenes got hot and exciting but by then the ending was near...far too late to say I had been grabbed by the drama. The story had lost me long before....
On the up side:
The style is filled with emotional conflict and moral dilemmas. It also touches some racism, injustice and has a tad of romance without explicit sexually. The scenarios both played out in the US in the Philippines are believable and showed both sides of the conflicts.
I may not have liked this story at the fullest but it may please you. So this is only my opinion....give this novel a try if you wish.
I would like to thank the Book Whisperer for bringing this book to my attention.
January 27, 2021
Topics related to the Nisei (second-generation Japanese Americans) have always been near and dear to my heart. So, when prolific author Alexa Kang announced the release of her new book, “Last Night with Tokyo Rose,” the first in the Nisei War Series, I was immediately drawn to the story.
The narrative opens with Tomio Sakai’s recollections of his childhood, growing up as a second-generation Japanese American in the Pacific Northwest― the son of a Japanese picture bride. Throughout the story, Kang cleverly captures the dichotomy of one’s life shaped by two different and distinct cultures. Tomio recalls thinking to himself as a six-year-old, “…being an American must be a good thing, I wanted to be one too.” He then asked his mother in Japanese, “Am I American?” He was told that he was, but confusion entered his mind once again when his parents proposed sending him and his older brother Katsuo to Japan to learn more about being Japanese.
Tomio (or Tommy/Tom as he was called outside the home) soon became painfully aware of how different he was from other Americans. Everything from being paired up with other Nisei students in his second grade class to being shunned at the “exclusive” golf and tennis club during a white classmate’s birthday party ―made him feel different and isolated. Yet, he learned in Japanese school, that he was different from other Japanese too. They all behaved as Tomio did outside of school, but once inside, everyone transformed into a highly regimented individual, walking the same, bowing the same ―where did he fit in?
As he got older, he found that he was forced to spend more time with “his kind,” seeking work at Japanese owned businesses, hanging around with Nisei girls and practicing Kendo. As Imperial Japan grew more hostile and the possibility of America going to war became more real, his life in America as a Japanese-American and the life of his family became increasingly more difficult, even in Chinatown.
When Tomio finds a job working on a cruise ship, he learns about the growing numbers of Issei (Japanese immigrants) returning to Japan with their American-born children. Then, in a strange twist of fate, Tomio lands a job working as a bartender at a hotel in Manila where he encounters Fumiko Akiyama, the woman of his dreams. Life is sweet until Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and invades the Philippines. As Tomio’s dream life is tossed into turmoil, he is once again forced to choose sides. Will he choose the American side or the Japanese?
This is a work of historical fiction, but the author has painstakingly researched every single detail which would mislead reader into thinking that he or she is reading an actual historical account of the global events which transpired during the time period in question. Action packed, filled with intrigue, this novel is a real page turner.
The narrative opens with Tomio Sakai’s recollections of his childhood, growing up as a second-generation Japanese American in the Pacific Northwest― the son of a Japanese picture bride. Throughout the story, Kang cleverly captures the dichotomy of one’s life shaped by two different and distinct cultures. Tomio recalls thinking to himself as a six-year-old, “…being an American must be a good thing, I wanted to be one too.” He then asked his mother in Japanese, “Am I American?” He was told that he was, but confusion entered his mind once again when his parents proposed sending him and his older brother Katsuo to Japan to learn more about being Japanese.
Tomio (or Tommy/Tom as he was called outside the home) soon became painfully aware of how different he was from other Americans. Everything from being paired up with other Nisei students in his second grade class to being shunned at the “exclusive” golf and tennis club during a white classmate’s birthday party ―made him feel different and isolated. Yet, he learned in Japanese school, that he was different from other Japanese too. They all behaved as Tomio did outside of school, but once inside, everyone transformed into a highly regimented individual, walking the same, bowing the same ―where did he fit in?
As he got older, he found that he was forced to spend more time with “his kind,” seeking work at Japanese owned businesses, hanging around with Nisei girls and practicing Kendo. As Imperial Japan grew more hostile and the possibility of America going to war became more real, his life in America as a Japanese-American and the life of his family became increasingly more difficult, even in Chinatown.
When Tomio finds a job working on a cruise ship, he learns about the growing numbers of Issei (Japanese immigrants) returning to Japan with their American-born children. Then, in a strange twist of fate, Tomio lands a job working as a bartender at a hotel in Manila where he encounters Fumiko Akiyama, the woman of his dreams. Life is sweet until Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and invades the Philippines. As Tomio’s dream life is tossed into turmoil, he is once again forced to choose sides. Will he choose the American side or the Japanese?
This is a work of historical fiction, but the author has painstakingly researched every single detail which would mislead reader into thinking that he or she is reading an actual historical account of the global events which transpired during the time period in question. Action packed, filled with intrigue, this novel is a real page turner.
March 17, 2021
A very good historical novel about a first generation Japanese man (Nisei) who is unable to find employment due to America’s prejudices against Imperial Japan before WW2. He joins a cruise ship which ends upon Manila where he decides to stay. He meets a fellow Nisei with whom he falls in love. When Japan declares war on America he is not allowed to return to America because he is Japanese. Both he and his girlfriend are stranded in Manila where they have met another Nisei who turns out to be a member of the Japanese army. Both individuals are caught up in espionage. To io is torn between working for the Japanese or the resistance. His conflict is mesmerizing and beautifully written. Action packed, filled with intrigue, painstakingly researched this first in a Nisei series is an outstanding and unique WW2 novel. This novel was an ARC through BookSiren.
December 12, 2021
Grabbed My Attention from the Start
An excellent story about the nisei experience in World War Two. Although the story starts in the United States, much of it takes place in the Philippines where the non-heroic hero (his words) and his sweetheart, also Josie, grapple with the rejection by the United States because of their Japanese ancestry and making the best of the situation under Imperial Japanese occupation. Excellent characters and a great plot with lots of suspense and action make this a great read.
An excellent story about the nisei experience in World War Two. Although the story starts in the United States, much of it takes place in the Philippines where the non-heroic hero (his words) and his sweetheart, also Josie, grapple with the rejection by the United States because of their Japanese ancestry and making the best of the situation under Imperial Japanese occupation. Excellent characters and a great plot with lots of suspense and action make this a great read.
February 28, 2022
Loved this so much I had to read it again and so glad I did. It lead into the Girl with a Star Spangled banner so nicely. Alexa is a wonderful writer and this is the lesser known aspects of WWII. Highly recommended.
May 27, 2022
Right off, this is one of the rare books that I think would have made a really, really good movie if done well. Theirs anti-Japanese hatred by people in the United States, someone working in Manila just before the outbreak of World War II, love, betrayal, cruelty, bravery and other things what would have made a good movie or even a series.
There are author notes and definitions of Japanese words to start off the book. We meet the main character Tom, who is a Person of Japanese Ancestry who is a Nisei. The book talks about picture brides and how some children born in the United States to people from Japan were sent back to Japan to study.
This created a system where some people were Issei, born in Japan and moved to the United States; Nisei, their children, and Kibei, those born here who went to Japan for schooling and came back here.
After going through various difficulties Tom becomes a bartender. He ends up doing that on a cruise ship and ends up in Japan, again as a bartender. World War II gets going, he falls in love with a woman in Japan and decides to stay there.
The book goes on to cover how Tom was at a posh hotel before the war started and also after the war started, covering just what types of changes were made and how he had some bad feelings about how the American soldiers left. He ended up working with a member of the Japanese Kempeitai, the Japanese form of the Nazi SS.
The book goes into the types of things he did, his relation with a Japanese woman named Fumiko, Tokyo Rose, a position as an informer, his relation to captured American POWs, what he ultimately decides to do about things and what happens to his relationship with Fumiko.
There's a lot of things that happen in this book and it's so well-written I am sure that if it were to be turned into a TV series (or movie) it would be a success.
There are author notes and definitions of Japanese words to start off the book. We meet the main character Tom, who is a Person of Japanese Ancestry who is a Nisei. The book talks about picture brides and how some children born in the United States to people from Japan were sent back to Japan to study.
This created a system where some people were Issei, born in Japan and moved to the United States; Nisei, their children, and Kibei, those born here who went to Japan for schooling and came back here.
After going through various difficulties Tom becomes a bartender. He ends up doing that on a cruise ship and ends up in Japan, again as a bartender. World War II gets going, he falls in love with a woman in Japan and decides to stay there.
The book goes on to cover how Tom was at a posh hotel before the war started and also after the war started, covering just what types of changes were made and how he had some bad feelings about how the American soldiers left. He ended up working with a member of the Japanese Kempeitai, the Japanese form of the Nazi SS.
The book goes into the types of things he did, his relation with a Japanese woman named Fumiko, Tokyo Rose, a position as an informer, his relation to captured American POWs, what he ultimately decides to do about things and what happens to his relationship with Fumiko.
There's a lot of things that happen in this book and it's so well-written I am sure that if it were to be turned into a TV series (or movie) it would be a success.
May 2, 2022
I've always been drawn to WWII stories, but what I've found is that what you will primarily find is books based in Europe, centralized on the Holocaust, and the US. I had recently decided that I wanted to find something that had a different world perspective, and when I read the summary of this book I realized this was exactly what I was looking for.
Tom is a first generation Japanese American living in Seattle who is struggling to find his place at home. He is American, but the rest of the country sees him as Japanese. In his struggle to find his place at home and a job to support his family, he finds himself overseas in Manila where life is good, at first. He has a good paying job and he meets the love of his life, another first generation Japanese American. Then Pearl Harbor happens and everything changes in Manila. Tom is now pulled back and forth, does he try to save his own life and cooperate with the Japanese military? Or does he help the Americans, the country he loves, but has isolated him and shown him little love through racism?
I absolutely loved this book and the main character Tom. All he was trying to do was survive in a world where he felt unwanted on both sides by trying to find the balance between survival and doing the right thing. I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this through NetGalley, and cannot wait to read the following books as they come out. Even though I understand the rest of the series is set to be standalone stories of other characters, I do hope to find out more of what happens to Tom after this first book.
Tom is a first generation Japanese American living in Seattle who is struggling to find his place at home. He is American, but the rest of the country sees him as Japanese. In his struggle to find his place at home and a job to support his family, he finds himself overseas in Manila where life is good, at first. He has a good paying job and he meets the love of his life, another first generation Japanese American. Then Pearl Harbor happens and everything changes in Manila. Tom is now pulled back and forth, does he try to save his own life and cooperate with the Japanese military? Or does he help the Americans, the country he loves, but has isolated him and shown him little love through racism?
I absolutely loved this book and the main character Tom. All he was trying to do was survive in a world where he felt unwanted on both sides by trying to find the balance between survival and doing the right thing. I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this through NetGalley, and cannot wait to read the following books as they come out. Even though I understand the rest of the series is set to be standalone stories of other characters, I do hope to find out more of what happens to Tom after this first book.
May 2, 2022
I've always been drawn to WWII stories, but what I've found is that what you will primarily find is books based in Europe, centralized on the Holocaust, and the US. I had recently decided that I wanted to find something that had a different world perspective, and when I read the summary of this book I realized this was exactly what I was looking for.
Tom is a first generation Japanese American living in Seattle who is struggling to find his place at home. He is American, but the rest of the country sees him as Japanese. In his struggle to find his place at home and a job to support his family, he finds himself overseas in Manila where life is good, at first. He has a good paying job and he meets the love of his life, another first generation Japanese American. Then Pearl Harbor happens and everything changes in Manila. Tom is now pulled back and forth, does he try to save his own life and cooperate with the Japanese military? Or does he help the Americans, the country he loves, but has isolated him and shown him little love through racism?
I absolutely loved this book and the main character Tom. All he was trying to do was survive in a world where he felt unwanted on both sides by trying to find the balance between survival and doing the right thing. I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this through NetGalley, and cannot wait to read the following books as they come out. Even though I understand the rest of the series is set to be standalone stories of other characters, I do hope to find out more of what happens to Tom after this first book.
Tom is a first generation Japanese American living in Seattle who is struggling to find his place at home. He is American, but the rest of the country sees him as Japanese. In his struggle to find his place at home and a job to support his family, he finds himself overseas in Manila where life is good, at first. He has a good paying job and he meets the love of his life, another first generation Japanese American. Then Pearl Harbor happens and everything changes in Manila. Tom is now pulled back and forth, does he try to save his own life and cooperate with the Japanese military? Or does he help the Americans, the country he loves, but has isolated him and shown him little love through racism?
I absolutely loved this book and the main character Tom. All he was trying to do was survive in a world where he felt unwanted on both sides by trying to find the balance between survival and doing the right thing. I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this through NetGalley, and cannot wait to read the following books as they come out. Even though I understand the rest of the series is set to be standalone stories of other characters, I do hope to find out more of what happens to Tom after this first book.
May 9, 2022
Read his full review on Rosepoint Publishing.
Tomio Sakai is a second-generation American of Japanese descent who is marooned in the Philippines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. His parents were sent to an internment camp for the duration of the war.
In the Philippines, he is commandeered by the Japanese to help interrogate and spy upon the U.S. military. General MacArthur had promised to return. But when? Nisei or second-generation U.S. Japanese were considered viable spy conscripts. Therefore, they were segregated and treated poorly. Japan considered them Japanese citizens no matter where they lived. Tomio and his lady friend Fumiko work for the Japanese as disaffected American citizens.
This well-written story points out the prejudice encountered by second-generation Japanese-Americans. Stranded in foreign occupied countries, they were disillusioned by their treatment and the encampment segregation of their families. As with many of them who discover they have no choice, Tomio and Fumiko become embroiled in a class struggle. They do not see America as supportive of them or their families as citizens.
An engrossing and entertaining read, atmospheric, with strong characterization. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.
Tomio Sakai is a second-generation American of Japanese descent who is marooned in the Philippines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. His parents were sent to an internment camp for the duration of the war.
In the Philippines, he is commandeered by the Japanese to help interrogate and spy upon the U.S. military. General MacArthur had promised to return. But when? Nisei or second-generation U.S. Japanese were considered viable spy conscripts. Therefore, they were segregated and treated poorly. Japan considered them Japanese citizens no matter where they lived. Tomio and his lady friend Fumiko work for the Japanese as disaffected American citizens.
This well-written story points out the prejudice encountered by second-generation Japanese-Americans. Stranded in foreign occupied countries, they were disillusioned by their treatment and the encampment segregation of their families. As with many of them who discover they have no choice, Tomio and Fumiko become embroiled in a class struggle. They do not see America as supportive of them or their families as citizens.
An engrossing and entertaining read, atmospheric, with strong characterization. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.
January 24, 2022
Tom Sakai was a 2nd generation Japanese-American living and growing up in America. His life has been difficult because in many ways he and his older brother are trapped between two worlds. No matter how hard they tried, many only saw them as only Japanese, rather than as Americans, and unfortunately they were often treated poorly because of it.
This was Tom's story. The tale of his life and the choices he made, many of which appeared to be because he had no other options left available to him at the time. People looked at him and saw a Japanese man, ignoring that he was born an American. And unfortunately things only became even more difficult after Pearl Harbor was attacked & thus brought the United States into WWII.
I greatly enjoyed reading this book. It easily captured my interest and held it, leaving me barely able to bring myself to put it down so that I could sleep at night. The characters were complex and well-rounded. The story was well thought out, and I loved the way in which the reader learns all the complexities of what is unfolding as the story progresses.
Anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those stories set during WWII should read this book. I happened to read the 2nd book in this series before this one, but as each book is a stand alone novel, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of either book or give away any spoilers. I would definitely recommend giving this one a try. You won’t be disappointed.
This was Tom's story. The tale of his life and the choices he made, many of which appeared to be because he had no other options left available to him at the time. People looked at him and saw a Japanese man, ignoring that he was born an American. And unfortunately things only became even more difficult after Pearl Harbor was attacked & thus brought the United States into WWII.
I greatly enjoyed reading this book. It easily captured my interest and held it, leaving me barely able to bring myself to put it down so that I could sleep at night. The characters were complex and well-rounded. The story was well thought out, and I loved the way in which the reader learns all the complexities of what is unfolding as the story progresses.
Anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those stories set during WWII should read this book. I happened to read the 2nd book in this series before this one, but as each book is a stand alone novel, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of either book or give away any spoilers. I would definitely recommend giving this one a try. You won’t be disappointed.
May 1, 2022
Alexa Kang – Last Night with Tokyo Rose
Alexa Kang has chosen a very difficult subject for the first novel of the Nisei series. The Nisei are second generation Japanese Americans. It is not easy for any immigrant to become integrated in their new country, but it is a natural process for their children who are born and grow up as Americans. However, it is still a challenge when their ancestry marks them out. In addition, there are few novels set about the war in the Pacific which are not accounts of battles. This makes Last Night with Tokyo Rose even more fascinating.
Last Night begins in Seattle and moves to Manila just before WWII breaks out. The vivid descriptions immerse the reader in the life of the Philippines in that era as we follow Tom, the main character, on his life’s journey. Written as a memoir, Last Night portrays with incisive insights the depths of dilemma facing an American boy born to Japanese parents and growing up to be a man who has to reconcile his double identity.
In a Manila occupied by the Japanese, Tom is faced with mental anguish and choices he was ill prepared for. Is it a question of collaboration or treason or simply survival? He is a multifaceted character, realistically human, yet one who makes mistakes.
The extraordinary way Alexa Kang brings her characters to life is simply amazing.
Alexa Kang has chosen a very difficult subject for the first novel of the Nisei series. The Nisei are second generation Japanese Americans. It is not easy for any immigrant to become integrated in their new country, but it is a natural process for their children who are born and grow up as Americans. However, it is still a challenge when their ancestry marks them out. In addition, there are few novels set about the war in the Pacific which are not accounts of battles. This makes Last Night with Tokyo Rose even more fascinating.
Last Night begins in Seattle and moves to Manila just before WWII breaks out. The vivid descriptions immerse the reader in the life of the Philippines in that era as we follow Tom, the main character, on his life’s journey. Written as a memoir, Last Night portrays with incisive insights the depths of dilemma facing an American boy born to Japanese parents and growing up to be a man who has to reconcile his double identity.
In a Manila occupied by the Japanese, Tom is faced with mental anguish and choices he was ill prepared for. Is it a question of collaboration or treason or simply survival? He is a multifaceted character, realistically human, yet one who makes mistakes.
The extraordinary way Alexa Kang brings her characters to life is simply amazing.
May 21, 2022
Bravo! Bravo! That's how I felt at the end of this book. This author took us through all the highs and lows of WW11 as it related to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour and the occupation of Manila and other areas of the Philippines - but wait! were there any highs?
In this story, we follow the life of young Tomio (Tom) through grade school in Seattle, USA - born in the United States with Japanese born parents (Nisei), young Tom faces lots and lots of discrimination, and lots of pressure from his parents and highly academic brother, Katsuo. Struggling to find work after HS graduation, Tom takes a job on a ship which plans a stop in Manila, and that's where Tom's adult life really begans. Your heart will ache for this likeable young man trying to make it in a world where the odds seem insurmountable.
I loved the honesty of this book, and the research that the author delves into to write a work of fiction based on historical facts. I found the Afterword at the end extremely interesting and helpful, and, after reading it, I went back to review the first chapter of the book again. There may be times you find this book depressing, but read on, my friend, war is depressing, but life is good and worth the living. We all can make a difference.
In this story, we follow the life of young Tomio (Tom) through grade school in Seattle, USA - born in the United States with Japanese born parents (Nisei), young Tom faces lots and lots of discrimination, and lots of pressure from his parents and highly academic brother, Katsuo. Struggling to find work after HS graduation, Tom takes a job on a ship which plans a stop in Manila, and that's where Tom's adult life really begans. Your heart will ache for this likeable young man trying to make it in a world where the odds seem insurmountable.
I loved the honesty of this book, and the research that the author delves into to write a work of fiction based on historical facts. I found the Afterword at the end extremely interesting and helpful, and, after reading it, I went back to review the first chapter of the book again. There may be times you find this book depressing, but read on, my friend, war is depressing, but life is good and worth the living. We all can make a difference.
May 11, 2022
This book is the reason I read historical fiction- to be placed in situations out of my era and my situation. To be an insider in groups of people of different ethnicities to my own, with whom I haven’t had the chance in real life to sit down and discuss, perhaps, their histories and how it affected them. And to understand how it touches on my own. To learn.
And in that regard, I thank you Alexa Kang for writing this book. I think many, not just me, have not understood the hardships and discrimination Japanese-Americans, including native born, went through, which culminated in their shameful interment during WWII.
In the story, one can feel the anguish of the protagonist, Tom Sakai, in his moral dilemmas and impossible split loyalties. Everything keeps changing as swiftly as the war in the Pacific did. The choices Tom makes are morally ambiguous. Nothing is certain, and that makes the story just move along so quickly. I enjoyed reading this book and it was informative.
Thank you #NetGalley and the author for this book.
I look forward to the sequel.
And in that regard, I thank you Alexa Kang for writing this book. I think many, not just me, have not understood the hardships and discrimination Japanese-Americans, including native born, went through, which culminated in their shameful interment during WWII.
In the story, one can feel the anguish of the protagonist, Tom Sakai, in his moral dilemmas and impossible split loyalties. Everything keeps changing as swiftly as the war in the Pacific did. The choices Tom makes are morally ambiguous. Nothing is certain, and that makes the story just move along so quickly. I enjoyed reading this book and it was informative.
Thank you #NetGalley and the author for this book.
I look forward to the sequel.
March 9, 2021
This book was astounding. I found the book being told from the perspective of a young Japanese American man, with flashbacks to his childhood to be a engrossing read. I have been bored with the WWII typical HF read for a while. This book is unique. The prewar Japanese family setting in Seattle and then wartime Manilla is not a subject or places that have been written about much. The characters were believable and engaging without coming off as victims. I appreciated the use of the real language of the time to illustrate the subtle and sometimes not so subtle racism experienced by Japanese Americans. I love how the author brought Manilla to life. I've enjoyed travelling there many times. Her details about food and culture were greatly appreciated. I am now planning on reading her other novels that seem to take on parts of WWII history that haven't been developed as much in historical fiction.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
April 17, 2022
Thank you so much Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing my an ARC of this book!
Okay so I don't hate this book but I didn't enjoy it either.
One of the things that has let this book down is that way that the story constantly goes back and forward making the story slow and at times really drags the story out more than is needed. The first 200 pages could have easily of been well written into 100 pages and still hold all the necessary details.
The book started to pick up around 200 pages in when it starts to move into the time period of world war 2!
Once the book started to get interedownsting I found it really hard to down!
Unfortunately I don't think I will be reading anymore books by this author.
Okay so I don't hate this book but I didn't enjoy it either.
One of the things that has let this book down is that way that the story constantly goes back and forward making the story slow and at times really drags the story out more than is needed. The first 200 pages could have easily of been well written into 100 pages and still hold all the necessary details.
The book started to pick up around 200 pages in when it starts to move into the time period of world war 2!
Once the book started to get interedownsting I found it really hard to down!
Unfortunately I don't think I will be reading anymore books by this author.
May 11, 2022
This book is the reason I read historical fiction- to be placed in situations out of my era and my situation. To be an insider in groups of people of different ethnicities to my own, with whom I haven’t had the chance in real life to sit down and discuss, perhaps, their histories and how it affected them. And to understand how it touches on my own. To learn.
And in that regard, I thank you Alexa Kang for writing this book. I think many, not just me, have not understood the hardships and discrimination Japanese-Americans, including native born, went through, which culminated in their shameful interment during WWII.
In the story, one can feel the anguish of the protagonist, Tom Sakai, in his moral dilemmas and impossible split loyalties. Everything keeps changing as swiftly as the war in the Pacific did. The choices Tom makes are morally ambiguous. Nothing is certain, and that makes the story just move along so quickly. I enjoyed reading this book and it was informative.
Thank you #NetGalley and the author for this book.
I look forward to the sequel.
And in that regard, I thank you Alexa Kang for writing this book. I think many, not just me, have not understood the hardships and discrimination Japanese-Americans, including native born, went through, which culminated in their shameful interment during WWII.
In the story, one can feel the anguish of the protagonist, Tom Sakai, in his moral dilemmas and impossible split loyalties. Everything keeps changing as swiftly as the war in the Pacific did. The choices Tom makes are morally ambiguous. Nothing is certain, and that makes the story just move along so quickly. I enjoyed reading this book and it was informative.
Thank you #NetGalley and the author for this book.
I look forward to the sequel.
October 27, 2022
I enjoy reading historical fiction books that take place during WWII. This one had a unique viewpoint in that it focused on the prejudice Japanese-American individuals endured during the war. The characters are well developed. The story is well written and draws you in so that you don’t want to stop reading. As you journey with the primary character, Tom, you experience so many emotions. You understand why he has to make decisions and how they will impact his future. This is a wonderful depiction of how people of Japanese descent were treated before and during WWII.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
April 5, 2021
Last Night With Tokyo Rose is my first book by this author and certainly won’t be the last. Alexa Kang is a talented author who has done a wonderful job in telling a well researched story. It’s a real page turner and was hard for me to put down. I was left thinking about the character Tom who is of Japanese descent but raised in Seattle. His character is very interesting and complicated. I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it. Thanks Alexa for your giveaway on The Write Review FB page. I am eagerly looking forward to reading more books in the series.
April 17, 2022
For me this was not the historical fiction book I expected. Took far to long to actually get into the historical fiction part of the book and then seemed rushed.
The book was way to long without actually getting into the story. Could have been great if the first 200 pages were chopped to about 50 and then the WW II historical portion more clearly developed.
Sadly I can not recommend Last Night with Tokyo Rose.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC in return for my honest opinion.
The book was way to long without actually getting into the story. Could have been great if the first 200 pages were chopped to about 50 and then the WW II historical portion more clearly developed.
Sadly I can not recommend Last Night with Tokyo Rose.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC in return for my honest opinion.
April 30, 2022
This is an excellent look into the life of the American Japanese before & during WWII. They were looked down upon, put in detention camps within the US & had a hard time in the Philippines. Tom struggles from a young child till he is a grown man not knowing what country he belong to when he really is an American citizen. Life was very difficult because of the war. Both Japan & America took advantage of these people. There are a few conversations that have swearing. I would have liked to know how Tom's life was after the war.
June 22, 2022
Last Night with Tokyo Rose by Alexa Kang was a wonderful read and I was gripped at the beginning. I loved it.
This is a book about love, loss and betrayal and is a very emotional story of two souls torn by a conflict of loyalties on the Pacific front Compulsive, gripping and horrifying! A truly amazing book that just keep on giving and this will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Thank you to Netgalley and The book whisperer for allowing me to read the eARC.
This is a book about love, loss and betrayal and is a very emotional story of two souls torn by a conflict of loyalties on the Pacific front Compulsive, gripping and horrifying! A truly amazing book that just keep on giving and this will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Thank you to Netgalley and The book whisperer for allowing me to read the eARC.
May 9, 2022
It's obvious that Last Night with Tokyo Rose was well researched and there are minor details that really shone for me. However, the overall book was very slow and plodding to my taste. I expected more action given the WWII setting, but it read more like a memoir. The writing is well done and the book is in no way bad, just not what I was expecting from a historical fiction novel.
June 2, 2021
Well written, wow!!
The war took a great deal away from thousands, it is beyond comprehension!!!
The events could very well have happened, in the Pacific, Atlantic, Europe.
Difficult to read, novel or historical, good read, to the point, no holding back!
The war took a great deal away from thousands, it is beyond comprehension!!!
The events could very well have happened, in the Pacific, Atlantic, Europe.
Difficult to read, novel or historical, good read, to the point, no holding back!
November 23, 2021
A book about two a Japanese Americans who meet in Manila right before America enters the war. What they are willing to do when they have to choose sides makes an interesting read. Looking forward to sequel coming out in a week!
October 14, 2022
Good concept
But sad that some historical facts aren’t correct. She writes that Lito Molina’s band was playing in the hotel - but he was only 11 when Pearl Harbour was bombed!
And there are too many typos.
But sad that some historical facts aren’t correct. She writes that Lito Molina’s band was playing in the hotel - but he was only 11 when Pearl Harbour was bombed!
And there are too many typos.
May 17, 2021
She is a very gifted author! The Shanghai Series was amazing! I really loved the book & toward the end, I was shocked at what happened! I couldn’t put it down! Can’t wait to read the next book!!
February 23, 2022
Slow start but an intriguing story of a little known part of WWII.
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