I have read about Chinese and Japanese in western U.S., but there is also a substantial population across the border in Canada. This is a book about the Chinese in Vancouver around the time of the beginnings of World War II. They lived in a section of the city that was right next to current day downtown, so it was fun to recognize Hastings St., as I walked along it every day I was visiting. They kept up ties with China and were very distressed at the news of Japan waging war against China. I hate to admit that I know the basic fact that China and Japan have historically been enemies, but realizing it is another part of world history to explore. This war was constantly in the background of this novel, and the story ended soon after Pearl Harbor, with the Chinese happy that Americans will be joining in the fight against the Japanese.
The story is told from the point of view of three children - and I think the author did a great job getting into their mind set. The family consists of Father, Stepmother (second wife, actual mother to last two children, but grandma made the decision that she was to be called Stepmother), the Old One (grandma), First Brother Kiam, Second Brother Jung-Sum, Only Sister Jook-Liang and Third Brother Sek-Lung. I think Third Uncle lived with them too.
Liang tells her story from when she was five in 1933. She was taken care of her grandmother who she called Poh-Poh. Wong Bak, an old stooped man that was a friend of Poj-Poh, comes for dinner and for some reason Liang and he become companions. They go to the movies and do other things together and she likes to dance for him. He becomes her only friend when Poh-Poh ends up being very busy with Sek-Lung, who is a very sickly baby. But then he returns to China.
Jung's story was how he became the adopted son in the family. We learn how he acquired a pet turtle. He find his salvation in boxing and interested in sports in general.
The last half of the book is Sek-Lung's or Sekky's story. His attachment is to the Old One who patiently nurses him to health. One of the many things I learned from this book was about the many dialects of Chinese that I have never thought about. I had heard of Cantonese and Mandarin, but it is a huge country with many dialects and different ways of talking among different classes of people. So Sekky laments on how confusing it is, but that the Old One and her friend Mrs. Lim speak many different languages, depending on the conversation partner. It is touching on how hard it is for him to accept, when the Old One dies, and he still sees her for a long time afterwards, and yes, I do believe he actually was seeing her. Through his eyes we see the coming on of WWII and the growing hatred of the Japanese living in Canada. Great description of Mrs. Lim's house that was built on a rocky cliff with a swaying but sturdy set of stairs leading up.
Having grown up in my own ethnic community, though it was not a physically close as this one, there are similarities, but I always have to remember that we are European and blend in with the white population of North America. The Chinese were not eligible to become citizens of Canada, even if they were born there. The keeping of traditions weighing against learning English and becoming Canadian. The kids went to English and Chinese schools, when possible.
A deeply moving book and from the acknowledgements, looks like it was well researched.
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