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Bess W. (Marlton, NJ)
Songs of Willow Frost
After reading and loving Hotel on The Corner of Bitter and Sweet I couldn't wait to read Jamie Ford's new book and I was not disappointed. Mr. Ford is able to bring his characters to life as well as the era of the Great Depression. The reader is able to know each character's flaws and attributes—William, Charlotte and Liu Song. You are instantly drawn into believing in their hopes and dreams and wishing they will be able to attain them. This book will appeal to various generations and I have recommended it to my daughter and granddaughter (age 15). I also recommended it to a friend who is always looking for a
…more new book for her book club. There are so many areas for discussion—living conditions during the depression, racial issues, the role of women and social class. (less)This is a winner! While I liked Ford's previous book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet I LOVED Songs Willow Frost. The Book is a compelling read and as such I could not put it down. I finished it in under 24-hours grabbing snatches of time here and there. The writing flowed and carried you seamlessly from one page and transition to the next. Tragedy and the ensuing sadness - yes - but the humanity and the love transcend. Ford provided a believable plot with believable characters. This was a look at life as it was during a difficult period of history. Bravo Ford!
Julie R. (Woodland, CA)
Songs of Willow Frost
Jamie Ford is a great storyteller. I love the way he is able to make you feel the emotions that his charters are going through and gets you so excited to see how they will end up at the end of his books.
In "Songs of Willow Frost" you see that his main charters William and Liu Song Eng (aka Willow Frost") never really control their own lives. Living during an era where Chinese Americans are seen a second class citizens. They are both required to do what others ask or demand from them. From Liu Song Eng dealings with her stepfather to how William is treated in the Orphanage. It is not until some major events
…more happen to them that they decided to take charge of their lives.
Throughout the book, you wonder will William and Willow final find the love they truly deserve or will they be let down again. It is not until the end of the book that you find out the true answer to that question.
I loved this book and can't wait to have our book club read it in September.
Thank you for the opportunity to read such a great book. (less)Songs of Willow Frost is a worthy successor to Ford's first bestseller. I think that fans of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet will also love this one. It is set in Seattle during the Depression and gives a chilling portrayal of the lives of Chinese women during this era. Willow's life is negatively impacted by the choices her mother felt forced to make to benefit her daughter. Ironically, Willow ends up making similar decisions which impact her son William. William is a most appealing character who is dogged in his love for the mother who abandoned him. An outsider in the orphanage, he befriends another
…more outcast and establishes a sweet relationship with Charlotte as the two try to create better lives for themselves. Only one succeeds. I enjoy the way Ford incorporates history into his novels, this time about the early days of cinema and about the Depression and the role of orphanages during those hard times. I will definitely recommend this book to my Book Club. (less)The author describes Songs of Willow Frost as a "story infused with generations of hope and tribulation" but it is much more. We are given a peek at Seattle's Chinatown in the years following the market crash and depression where poverty and prejudice are the catalyst that drives a mother to leave her child in an orphanage. The story is bittersweet but one you will not want to put down. I recommend Songs of Willow Frost to anyone who loves to read well written novels.
Lisa B. (Denton, TX)
Couldn't put this one down!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Songs of Willow Frost, even though the story is mostly a sad one. The author did a wonderful job of capturing the spirit and language of 1920s and 1930s America. In my opinion, this far surpasses his earlier book, On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. This would be a great book club book because it raises so many questions about race and the roles of women in that era, including the idea that mothers were not as important as fathers. Because of the big role of the early movie industry and its depiction of the limited rights of women, it reminds me a bit of The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty.
Leslie D.
Unusual historical setting
Jamie Ford fans will relish his new book, which contains many of the same themes as Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, but which is very different in time period, characters and plot. Once again, it revolves around the Asian community on the West Coast and the difficulties of the immigrant/first-generation experience. I liked it for the amazing historical detail and the unusual setting (orphanage in the early 20th century, Depression era), and it also contains many of the emotional elements of his first novel: a little over the top for me at times but compelling and wistful.
Charlene M. (Murrells Inlet, SC)
Songs of Willow Frost
Jamie Ford's story, Songs of Willow Frost, of a Chinese American orphan William Eng's life during the depression, the sketchy memories of his life with his mother, and the eventual search for her because of a brief glimpse and the unforgettable voice of a woman performing on Movietone Follies at a local theater, is both unique and heart wrenching.
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