I have had Sophie Littlefield’s Garden of Stones on my to-read list for forever. Like, three years, people. I’m not sure why it took me so long to get around to this one, especially because I’ve always found the subject of Japanese internment during World War II utterly fascinating. Uprooted from their lives as American citizens, their property sold, their jobs taken away, transported to camps with insufficient housing, food, bathrooms, et cetera… Garden of Stones tells one such story.
In this novel, we meet Lucy Takeda and her family. Within weeks of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Lucy and her mother are thrust into the Manzanar internment camp. Lucy and her mother not only endure terrible conditions but also face multiple kinds of abuse. There is love, tragedy, mystery, and survival all woven together.
I really enjoyed this novel. It exposed me to some new topics within WWII, but it also had a familiar feel. Littlefield is a strong writer who sets up her characters and setting very well. The book itself is far from cheerful, and there’s not a lot of breaks in the drama or instances of humor to soften the dark tale. Yet, at the same time, the story reads fairly easily, doesn’t drag, and has a lot of action propelling it forward.
There’s a sub-plot throughout all of this camp stuff (hence the mystery listed above) which I enjoyed. I didn’t think it was overdone, but rather it fit well into the narrative and complimented it nicely. It made the book stand out from others in its genre. I didn’t nail the mystery either – which, again, I’m pretty gifted in predicting certain things – so kudos to Littlefield for keeping me on my toes.
There is some strong language sprinkled in, which I am never a fan of. It’s not overdone, but it was more than I personally prefer in my books. There is also some sensitive content regarding rape and sexual abuse that readers should be aware of. It is not graphic, but it is present throughout the narrative.
With all that said, I definitely recommend this novel! Readers will enjoy the history Littlefield provides, the mother/daughter relationship she develops, and the mystery elements she weaves throughout.
Jessica
Copyright Sophie Littlefield and MIRA. Image from Amazon.com.
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