R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 8/21/2019 + 1438 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This is a beautiful story that tugs the heart strings by an author who makes no claims that to imagining the lives of real people. It's fiction pure and simple. William and Willow are his own creations a melding of family members and others the author has known or learned of in his research.

Life was difficult for a Chinese American woman in the early 1900s. Jobs were scarce if not impossible to find, especially for a woman like Willow who were viewed as prey by the men around her. The reader understands that these wonderful characters could well have walked the streets of Seattle. Many like them probably did.

Willow was born to a family that lived by Chinese tradition. When her mother dies, leaving her alone with her stepfather, she must find the courage to make her own way in life. Raped by this cruel man, she becomes pregnant with William who is the light of her life. Blessed with a beautiful voice and body she finds the life that she can lead as a performer is not acceptable to child care authorities and William is put into an orphanage. The story weaves between the lives of the characters. It's poignant, emotional and heart rending. I loved it.

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