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    Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
    Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
    Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
    Audiobook13 hours

    Bridge of Scarlet Leaves

    Written by Kristina McMorris

    Narrated by C. S. E. Cooney

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    An "impeccably researched and beautifully written" novel about a California marriage threatened by the Japanese internments of WWII (Karen White, New York Times-bestselling author of The Sound of Glass).

    Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo.

    Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

    Maddie follows when her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America-at tremendous cost-in this "beautiful, timeless love story . . . McMorris's words reach right off the page and grab at your heart" (Sarah Jio, New York Times-bestselling author of Blackberry Winter).
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateFeb 12, 2019
    ISBN9781977343284
    Author

    Kristina McMorris

    Kristina McMorris is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of two novellas and seven historical novels, including Sold on a Monday with over a million copies sold. The recipient of more than twenty national literary awards, she previously hosted weekly TV shows for Warner Bros. and an ABC affiliate, beginning at age nine with an Emmy Award-winning program, and owned a wedding-and-event-planning company until she far surpassed her limit of "Y.M.C.A." and chicken dances. She lives with her family in Oregon. Visit her online at kristinamcmorris.com; Instagram: @kristina.mcmorris; Twitter: @KrisMcmorris; and Facebook: @KristinaMcMorrisAuthor.

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    Reviews for Bridge of Scarlet Leaves

    4.5/5

    83 ratings20 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Maddie Kern has basically lost both of her parents and her brother has taken on her care even though he is not much older. He is acting like men of old - telling her what she can and can't do even though she is 19 years old. She has fallen in love with his best friend, Lane Moritomo, a dangerous thing to do when inter-racial marriage is still illegal in 30 states. His parents are still bound to the "old ways" and are seeking a wife for him from Japan and he is proudly American.Then comes Pearl Harbor and one of the most shameful acts this country enacted on its citizens - the internment of Japanese Americans just for their race.Maddie and Lane elope and she makes the decision to follow him to the camp where she is not accepted. She is shunned in both worlds and doesn't know where she belongs except with Lane - his love is true but then he enlists.I don't want to spoil the book with plot points but I will say this was a book that despite some unfortunate turns of phrase kept me riveted. It's a subject that I think needs to be told and as many times as possible to remind us of what we are capable of when fear overrules common sense. Ms. McMorris tells her tale with passion and you can sense her depth of research in the reading. The personal relationships did not come through as strong as the historical aspects of the book; Maddie's brother in particular was not as developed a character I think as I would have liked for such a focal point in the book. But it was a book I enjoyed reading and it furthered my knowledge about this period in history.
    • 4/5
      After a somewhat slow start, this WWII-era novel picks up steam as it follows the fortunes of four young people in a world turned upside-down. From Maddie Kern to her overprotective brother TJ to TJ's good friend Takeshi "Lane" Moritomo to the trio's tomboy buddy Jo Allister, these four young people on the brink of adulthood find their plans utterly wiped out by events beyond their control. For Maddie and Lane, whose childhood friendship has blossomed into love, a spur-of-the-moment marriage on what turns out to be the eve of Pearl Harbor kicks off the biggest change of all.McMorris, herself the child of a Japanese father and Caucasian mother, approaches the story from a unique point of view, and her careful attention to detail in painting the worlds of her characters makes the book a standout. Characterization is strong throughout, and even though some of the family dynamics swerve perilously close to soap opera at times, she always manages to yank them back to reality.Multiple themes and images recur throughout the book, coming together neatly in a conclusion that carries hope, if not happily-ever-after for everyone.One minor quibble -- I wish McMorris hadn't consistently used the term "gal" to refer to minor female characters. It would have been period-appropriate in dialogue, but sprinkled as it is through the narration, it's jarring and anachronistic. (Yeah, I know -- picky, picky, picky.)
    • 5/5
      Fantastic choice for a book club discussion. The story involves the conflict between the Chinese vs Japanese cultures, life inside the Japanese camp during WW2, the role of a Japanese man participating in the US military, not to mention the story of several families adapting to all the situations forced upon them. The book was very well researched and written. It was well worth the time spent reading it. I seldom give high ratings, but this one was worth it!
    • 5/5
      I've got to give kudos to this author and her attention to historical detail. The reader immediately gets how much research she has put into this and the care she has taken with the littlest of details. And there are just so many areas of WWII explored in this: intimate details of life in Japanese internment camps, the role of Nisei in the army, the horrific life in Japanese POW camps, the huge changes in the daily lives of Japanese American citizens on the West Coast both pre, during, and post war. The author brings it all to life in an astounding way.The author pays just as much detail on her relationships and the characters in them. Every attachment between our characters is nuanced and has incredible depth. They ebb and flow with the changing events of WWII on the American home front to become something very different than in the beginning of the book. The author takes the time to illustrate how these historical events impact her characters and their lives in wonderful ways. The characters themselves are also varied and show the impact the war has on people. Every single individual goes through varied changes and emerges at the end of the war as a more rounded person, changed for better or worse by the heavy impact of war and prejudice. I really enjoyed this novel. It tells an intriguing story in a historical setting that is researched well. The characters and their relationships show the author’s skills in the characterization and story-telling department. I would definitely read more books by this author. This was a great introduction to her and the era and setting in general.
    • 5/5
      This book is the kind of book that leaves you feeling like you have been gently nudged with knowledge from new friends you have made. Every character wrapped around my heart even some that didn't appear often. I loved that Kristina's Authors note explained her journey in writing the book and that I somehow ended up with a "Reading Group" version with thought provoking questions...I could completely see a school using this as a summer read.
    • 4/5
      Warm and tender story of a young Caucasian violinist who runs off, in the face of her brother's displeasure, to marry her Asian boyfriend the day before Pearl Harbor. The story follows the groom, Lane Morimoto, and his family through the internment camps, where his bride Maddie comes to join them. The story is well-researched and the characters strong.
    • 4/5
      Bridge of Scarlet Leaves tells the story of two families, the Kerns and the Moritomos. Maddie and her brother TJ live in the family house (their mother is dead and their father is in a nursing home). TJ aspires to be a pro-league baseball player after college while Maddie has her heart set on studying at the Julliard School of Music as a violinist. TJ’s best friend is Lane Moritomo. We meet the three in Los Angeles in 1941. Maddie has been dating Lane in secret because he is first generation Japanese American. While society at that time accepts interracial friendships it generally frowns on those same friends entering into a romantic relationship. The truth of their hidden romance is brought to light when the three, accompanied by Maddie’s friend Jo, attend a local club. There a drunken acquaintance accuses Maddie of crossing the line with Lane. Of course both Lane and TJ fight for Maddie’s honor, her brother thinking the drunk was way off base.The next day, when Lane learns from his parents that a Japanese matchmaker is sending over a bride for him, he convinces Maddie that they should elope the following weekend. So with suitcase in hand, Maddie lies to her brother about her destination and gets on a train that brings her to Lane and a civil ceremony that unites them as husband and wife. Later, on their way home to Los Angeles they learn that the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor and that the country is at war. During the trip they begin to experience first hand the fear that grips the country when they are told to leave a restaurant simply because of Lane’s distinguishing Asian features.Upon returning to Los Angeles, Lane goes to his family’s home only to find that his father, a respected banker, is being arrested and his mother and little sister are being harassed. Maddie too returns home to face the wrath of her brother. They live separated for a while as they try to figure things out. Lane and his family are rounded up with other Japanese Americans and bussed out to the desserts of New Mexico and Arizona where they are taken to an internment camp. Under the ever watchful eyes of U.S. Army guards they are given barrack housing and put to work. A school is available for the children. But conditions are less than humane. Lane is now the head of his family and must watch over them. That is when Maddie, who convinces the powers that be that she is pregnant with a Japanese child, willingly enters the camp to live with Lane’s family. Thankfully her brother TJ has joined the Air Force and is not there to stop her.What happens over the course of the war is a black spot on the history of our country. The conditions of the camp, while better than those for prisoners of war, prove a hardship for these proud people. Gangs begin to run freely and threaten the more peaceful families. When Lane, in an effort to prove himself and his family as loyal Americans, joins the Army as a special translator these gangs terrorize the families of those men who have enlisted. In the end these families, Maddie and Lane’s mother and sister among them, are transferred to another state where they stay until the war is over.TJ is taken prisoner in the Pacific Theater of War while Lane, thinking only of Maddie and the daughter she had borne, makes the ultimate sacrifice.This is a romance that transcends the lines of heritage and race. I truly enjoyed the story and felt personal connections with these characters. The characters themselves are well rounded and we see them each grow in different ways. A truly satisfying story, it provided for me knowledge about a period of time that is rarely heard of – the Japanese being rounded up like criminals simply because of who they were.I will say that I like Letters From Home (Ms. McMorris’s first book) a little bit better than this one. That said, I can’t give you a definite reason why although I’ve tried to think of one. For readers who enjoy the drama and intrigue of World War II with a bit of romance on the side, this book is a definite read. The soldier who returns home to claim his bride is there alongside the now-single parent of an interracial child.There are moments of lightness as well as scenes that will have you biting your nails. A solid story that you will certainly enjoy.
    • 4/5
      For those of us who tend to think mainly of Nazis and Soviets when we think of countries in WWII who persecuted their own citizens, McMorris reminds us of what the Americans did to those of Japanese descent in her lovely and bittersweet novel based on the lives of several real people.The novel begins in November, 1941, with 19-year-old Maddie Kern having a secret relationship with Lane Moritomo. At first, Maddie didn’t need to hide her love for Lane because he was Japanese, but because Lane was the best friend of her very protective older brother TJ. But after Pearl Harbor, everything changed. Not only were all Japanese looked at with loathing, but any Caucasian who associated with someone of Japanese descent was ostracized as well. Maddie didn’t care; she loved Lane. But TJ saw things differently. He had always felt betrayed by his father, who was driving drunk when his mother got killed in a car accident, and now he felt betrayed by his “brother,” Lane, who he called “a dirty yellow Jap.”Angry and alienated, TJ enlisted as the war picked up steam. Lane and his family were evacuated to the Manzanar Internment Camp in the Sierra Nevada. Maddie claimed she was pregnant with a mixed-race child and joined Lane at Manzanar.Some of you might recall that in 1942 Roosevelt signed an Executive Order mandating that approximately 110,000 people of Japanese descent living in the US be removed from their homes and placed in internment camps. The US justified its’ action by claiming that there was a danger of those of Japanese descent spying for the Japanese. However more than two thirds of those interned were American citizens and half of them were children. None had ever shown evidence of disloyalty. It only took one-sixteenth of a drop of Japanese blood for exclusion!At the camp, Maddie, like the others, endured sub-standard living conditions with communal latrines and a total lack of privacy. Prisoners had to work at either maintaining the camp or helping with the war effort (even though they were supposedly disloyal) earning between $8 and $19 a month (in 2012 dollars that is between $114 and $270 a month). As American casualties rose, the Army went around to the camps to recruit Japanese to serve in intelligence - translating, and Lane volunteered. He desperately wanted to show his loyalty. Now both the men Maddie loved were serving in the war, and Maddie was pregnant for real.Would any of them make it out? Would they reconcile? Could the wounds of prejudice and racism ever be healed?Discussion: The author was inspired to write this book after hearing from a friend that he had fought for America in World War II but his brother fought for Japan. While investigating the possibilities of this premise, she found out that some 200 non-Japanese people had gone voluntarily to the internment camps in order to be with their spouses. She wanted to tell their stories also. She did a great deal of interviews and other research, which she documents in a "Note" at the end of the story. Additionally, she took care to be balanced in reporting atrocities committed by both sides, observing that a great deal of fear and prejudice was generated by the rampant rumors and propaganda by all parties. Evaluation: This is a touching story that will not only educate you, but win you over with its endearing and brave characters, and its heartbreaking recounting of actual events.The author, herself half Japanese, even includes recipes in the back that reflect a combination of Asian and Western influence!
    • 5/5
      The Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is a good old-fashioned historical fiction / romance set in World War II. Madeline Kern is a talented violinist whose goal is to be accepted at Julliard right after high school. Then she falls in love with Lane Moritomo, her brother TJ's best friend. Knowing that her family (and his!) would not approve of their relationship (Lane is Japanese), they keep it a secret. And then, the day after they elope, the attack on Pearl Harbor takes place, and their lives are turned upside down. Lane and all his family are swept off to an internment camp, so Maddie goes, too. McMorris balances several different plot lines very skillfully, and creates characters that are deep enough and different enough to make the reader care about every one of them. As star-crossed young lovers, Maddie and Lane are very attractive, and we watch the decisions they make with trepidation. Then when the characters find themselves all over the Pacific arena (TJ as a POW, and Lane a Japanese translator on the front lines) the reader is caught up in fascinating details about the War their history books don't have time to discuss. Will Maddie ever win over her Japanese mother-in-law? Will Lane come back to her, and will her brother be rescued from the POW Camp? Read Bridge of Scarlet Leaves to find out. Reading Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is a painless way to learn what life was like in California during the 1940s, and it would be a fine adjunct to US History classes. There may be a few anachronisms (did boys have bangs in 1941? Did they wear cuffed blue jeans? I didn't take time to research...) but overall the writing is surprisingly good. Although the author perhaps tried to juggle a couple more story lines than necessary, it all works out well in the end.
    • 4/5
      Maddie Kern has basically lost both of her parents and her brother has taken on her care even though he is not much older. He is acting like men of old - telling her what she can and can't do even though she is 19 years old. She has fallen in love with his best friend, Lane Moritomo, a dangerous thing to do when inter-racial marriage is still illegal in 30 states. His parents are still bound to the "old ways" and are seeking a wife for him from Japan and he is proudly American.Then comes Pearl Harbor and one of the most shameful acts this country enacted on its citizens - the internment of Japanese Americans just for their race.Maddie and Lane elope and she makes the decision to follow him to the camp where she is not accepted. She is shunned in both worlds and doesn't know where she belongs except with Lane - his love is true but then he enlists.I don't want to spoil the book with plot points but I will say this was a book that despite some unfortunate turns of phrase kept me riveted. It's a subject that I think needs to be told and as many times as possible to remind us of what we are capable of when fear overrules common sense. Ms. McMorris tells her tale with passion and you can sense her depth of research in the reading. The personal relationships did not come through as strong as the historical aspects of the book; Maddie's brother in particular was not as developed a character I think as I would have liked for such a focal point in the book. But it was a book I enjoyed reading and it furthered my knowledge about this period in history.
    • 5/5
      Bridge of Scarlet Leavesby: Kristina McMorrisI won this book from a LibraryThing give-a-wayThis book takes place in WWII. It follows TJ and Lane as soldiers and Maddie, TJ's sister and Lanes love. This book takes you through alot of emotions. It's a love story, a war story and even an inter-racial couple. The story is well written and the characters are well written and gives you a real sense of what it was like during this time and war. Great Book!
    • 5/5
      About book:Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Julliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.My thoughts:Story: Epic.Writing: Thoughtful and thorough.Overall: Unputdownable.Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is an epic story. It is historical fiction and romance wrapped into one. It takes place during WWII and focuses on the Japanese interment camps in the US. We read about the experience of being forced to stay at these camps and how it affects the people that are interned, but also their loved ones on the outside. It is both riveting and heartbreaking to get through. I must admit that prior to this novel I had no idea such camps had ever existed - talk about lack of history in history class. Either way, I'm grateful that McMorris explored this subject and exposed us to an ugly truth in our history that I'm sure not many people are aware of (or at least that is what I hope, since I don't want to be the only ignorant one). Vivid in detail and rich in story, this novel showcases the impeccable and thorough research that McMorris undertook when she created this book. All of her hard work makes for an incredibly authentic read, that leaves you feeling as if you've stepped back in time and are present for the drama and struggles involved with living during WWII. You read about the difficult decisions people make: joining the Army to fight for their country, sacrificing your dreams to follow the man you love, and struggling to come to grips with being treated like an enemy in your own country. You can't help but get caught up in Maddie's, TJ's, and Lane's lives as they fight for the people they love in the only ways they know how. McMorris is able to mix history and romance so seamlessly, that you aren't even aware of the shift in story lines, because the writing is just that good.Told from three perspectives, we get a chance to peek inside each of these character's mind's and learn about what they are going through and their version of the truth. I actually like it when authors' use this tactic to tell a story - I feel it provides us with more insight and offers a much more layered feel to the story. And believe me, these are three characters that you want to know. They are complex, emotional and relatable - which makes them feel like people you might just know. Their internal and external struggles will tug at your heart strings and leave you an emotional mess. You want them to get what they want and you won't forget them anytime soon.McMorris has done an excellent job with this novel. From the characters, setting, and exploration of themes, such as love, patriotism, and family loyalty, you can't help but be impressed by her talent. I would most definitely recommend Bridge of Scarlet Leaves to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - check it out! You will not be disappointed!!
    • 5/5
      BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES is a finely crafted saga about families affected by World War II and the internment of Americans of Japanese descent. McMorris takes important historical facts and weaves them into a fascinating story covering many facets of the lives of Japanese-Americans during this period. They must come to terms with a war against their homeland and their treatment as American citizens by their own government. Their neighbors must suddenly reevaluate their lifelong friendships. Is that family next door now the enemy? Before Maddie and Lane can settle into their new married life, Pearl Harbor is bombed. Maddie finds herself stuck between the two cultures. She is despised by many of her own people but not easily accepted by the Japanese, including her mother-in-law. Maddie’s brother, TJ has been as close as a brother to her new husband, Lane, their entire lives. TJ is conflicted about their mixed race marriage and the bombing of Pearl Harbor only deepens his concerns causing a falling-out between the two. Lane has always considered himself strictly American and must come to terms with his Japanese heritage, first in the internment camp and later in the US Army.McMorris does a great job portraying the war scenes as well as the interpersonal relationships. Her characters are well developed and intriguing. The use of 1940’s slang is a great addition to the dialog. The story is filled with love, hope and devastation. I highly recommend this book for everyone.Rating: 4.5Heat Rating: Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy, mild violence or profanity.Reviewed By: Jeanne Stone-Hunter for My Book Addiction and More
    • 4/5
      This was a very well researched and beautiful love story set in WWII. I have to admit that it did take me a few chapters before I was really hooked. I was slightly worried that the story was going to be a bit of a light read, and I originally felt that there was not enough factual information to make a compelling story. But as I continued on with the book, it really came through for me.This is the story of Maddie and her brother T.J. They are both still dealing with the aftermath of their mom's death. T.J. is angry at his dad and blames him, while Maddie eventually finds love and comfort in the arms of T.J.'s Japanese school buddy, Tomo. Just as Maddie and Tomo elope, Pearl Harbor is bombed. Maddie decides to accompany Tomo and his family to a Japanese internment camp. T.J. enlists in the army and fights for his life first in a bomber plane and later as a POW. Tomo eventually finds himself in the Pacific as part of the war effort, too.Their is lots of tension, heartbreak, happiness, romance, fear at this point in the story. I am so glad that I stuck with the book because it was full of the historical information that I was hoping for. I appreciated the Author's Note at the end that included more historical information and the author's own personal reasons for writing this book. There were also some traditional Japanese recipes included. Well done love story on a very controversial time in US history.
    • 5/5
      American history class never talks about the fact that the US rounded up Japanese and Italian immigrants during WWII. It is woefully swept under the rug. It wasn't until I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet that I even knew about this black spot, how sad is that?! Bridge Of Scarlet Leaves again brings this travesty to light in the story of Lane and Maddie.This story stirs up so many emotions throughout the book. You root for Maddie and Lane even though you know that it won't be an easy road ahead for them. You root for TJ and hope that the chip on his shoulder some how gets removed. You have feelings of patriotism because Ms. McMorris brings you back to that time so vividly. And yet as you read about the travesties against the Japanese-Americans, you can't help but feel sick to your stomach. These were citizens of our country that were rounded up and treated like traitors for no reason at all, except because they were all of Japanese heritage.What I loved about this book was the growth and change that all the characters went through. Maddie had to become a young wife and daughter in law sooner than she would have liked. Lane had to take on the responsibilities of his family when his dad was taken away. TJ had been responsible for Maddie for so long he had forgotten what it was like to just look out for himself.I enjoyed reading how Maddie's relationship with her mother-in-lase Kumiko evolved over time. I loved how Kumiko became a woman who opened her heart instead of keeping it closed off. You came to respect who she was and why she was closed off after revealing something of her past.The book had one of three ways to end and I knew that Ms. McMorris wouldn't take the easy road. I'm not sure how she decided on the ending but it was the only ending that made sense. Did it break my heart? Absolutely. Was it realistic? Absolutely. It was the final chapter/final scene that had me bawling like a baby.It is obvious that Ms. McMorris did her research and this story meant a great deal to her. She is a wonderful storyteller and makes the time period come to life. I loved her infusion of various societal situations: the Japanese obsession with baseball and the Women's baseball league. Music is also a very important part of the book. It is what Maddie turns to when things in her life seems out of hand. It is was rescues her in some ways in the end of the book too.I will definitely be check out her novel Letters From Home at some point in the future. I can't recommend Bridge Of Scarlet Leaves enough for any one who enjoys a good WWII novel or just a wonderful family story.
    • 4/5
      This is a historical fiction book about WWII, specifically about the internment of Japanese Americans during the war. I love WWII historical fiction but have not read much about the internment of Japanese Americans so I thought it would be interesting to get a glimpse of this side of the war. I also decided to read this book because I loved the author's previous book.At first I seemed to have a hard time connecting with the characters but as the book went on I definitely was able to connect with them. This book was well researched and beautifully written. I found myself really happy with the way it ended and was definitely shedding a few tears while reading the last couple chapters.I would recommend this book to fans of WWII historical fiction.[I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway, which in no way affects the content of my review.]
    • 4/5
      This author has the uncanny knack of writing stories that are very easy to read and combine the elements of history and a romance with a profound sense of the era. The Japanese and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the mistrust and the prejudice that came from it are all brilliantly related here. The characters of Maddie and Lane are wonderful. This author puts one solidly back in this time period with a depth of feeling and emotion that is impressive. Anyone who liked her last book, Letters from Home, will love this one as well.
    • 4/5
      Kristina McMorris follows up the success of her first novel Letters from Home - a World War II piece - with her newly released novel that explores the effects of war from many points of view - Bridge of Scarlet Leaves.1941, California. Maddie Kern and her brother TJ are still reeling from the loss of their mother in a car wreck and the subsequent catatonic retreat of their father into a world of his own. TJ is bent on protecting his sister and making sure she succeeds in her music career. Maddie is afraid to tell him that she has fallen in love with his best friend - Lane Moritomo - an American born son of Japanese immigrants. Determined to be together, they run away to Seattle to elope. In Seattle is is legal for inter racial couples to be married, but not in California. Doesn't that just make you stop and think? Illegal for inter racial couples...Lane and Maddie are on their way home the next day when Pearl Harbor is bombed. And their world is torn apart. Lane's family is sent to the internment camps. (a side note - this was not confined to the US; the Canadian government also sent those of Japanese descent to camps. Eco-Activist David Suzuki was brought up in a camp) TJ impulsively joins the Army and Maddie - she wants to be with the husband she loves.Hate, bigotry, loyalty, duty, fear and the horrors of war are explored and juxtaposed with hope, love, determination, honor, friendship and forgiveness. McMorris examines these themes through the eyes of many characters, providing alternate viewpoints for each. TJ is full of anger and a character I discounted until later in the book. Maddie's best friend, co-workers and neighbours all have a different take. But it is Lane that suffered with the most. He is torn between his love for Maddie, his love for his sister, his sense of duty towards his family and his need to prove himself as a loyal American. He is seen as a traitor by both sides. Maddie suprised me many times - she was only nineteen when she married Lane. Her determination in this time period to go against the norm and follow her heart was stirring.McMorris takes many factual pieces of history and weaves them into her story. Japanese Americans who were in Japan when war was declared were conscripted and forced to fight against America. There were many American Caucasian wives who refused to leave their Japanese husbands and children and chose to live in the camps as well.While McMorris has based her book on a certain time period, as I was reading I thought - this story could be written about many time periods. The hate shown towards race, religion, beliefs and gender is unfortunately a story that continues to be written every day.Kristina McMorris injects a keen insight into Bridge of Scarlet Leaves. "As the daughter of a Japanese immigrant father and Caucasian American mother, Kristina grew up living between these two cultures. Through Bridge of Scarlet Leaves she hopes to share with readers a unique perspective of an intriguing, and often tragic, portion of our country's history, while also honoring a diverse range of quiet heroes."And that she has. I very much enjoyed Bridge of Scarlet Leaves. Those who enjoyed Kristin Hannah's or Sarah Jio's latest books will enjoy this title.
    • 5/5
      If I had to describe this book in two words it would be soul stirring. The author weaves a tale of love and loss, set during a very tumultuous time in our countries history.From the age of nine when Maddie Kern's father gave her a used violin it became her goal to enter into Juilliard. After the death of her mother, her father changed and her brother TJ started looking out for her, and thought that her dating anyone would be a distraction from her future plans. By the age of nineteen though she has fallen in love with Lane Moritomo , a handsome Japanese/American who also happens to be TJ's friend. They have kept their dating a secret though,and when Lane's parents inform him that they are arranging a marriage for him TJ and Maddie decide to elope, and then Pearl Harbor is bombed and their lives change forever!What an amazing story. It was easy to see that the author really did her research with this story, I actually felt like I was getting a history lesson while reading this remarkable story. I was often shocked and appalled at how Japanese/American's were treated, and that fact really hit home for me when the government went in and searched Lane's parents home and found his model plane diagrams, something so simple caused them to be treated as the enemy. Lane was such a wonderful character always looking out for everyone else, and the love story between him and Maddie was just amazing. This was such a thought provoking story that really captured my heart. I found myself thinking about the characters long after I finished the final page. I think this book would be a wonderful read for anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction, and the discussion questions makes this book perfect for a group read. I also enjoyed reading the author's notes at the end of the story.Overall "Bridge Of Scarlet Leaves"is a must read story that I highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      This is the second book I have read of Kristina McMorris, first one was Letters From Home , and I have to say I hope she keeps on writing. Her style of writing is so perfect with all the emotions, sights and a sense of the time of WWII are so spot on I felt I was there right in the story. Told with a wealth of knowledge of the era and the Japanese/Americans part in the war. A compassionate, heartfelt and at times sad but triumphant story of how war touches all sides not just ours. I got to feel what it was like for a Japanese/American in an internment camp, the racial slurs but most of all the love that was shown throughout the whole story. Parts of the story had me in tears but that is what a truly well told story is supposed to do..play with our emotions. If you are a WWII history buff or even if you are not, like me, this is a story not to be missed. I highly recommend it.