Book Review: Requiem

Requiem

by Frances Itani

2011

399 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads

Bin Okuma, a celebrated visual artist, has recently and quite suddenly lost his wife, Lena. He and his son, Greg, are left to deal with the shock. But Greg has returned to his studies on the East Coast, and Bin finds himself alone and pulled into memories he has avoided for much of his life. In 1942, after Pearl Harbor, his Japanese Canadian family was displaced from the West Coast. Now, he sets out to drive across the country: to complete the last works needed for an upcoming exhibition; to revisit the places that have shaped him; to find his biological father, who has been lost to him. It has been years since his father made a fateful decision that almost destroyed the family. Now, Bin must ask himself whether he really wants to find him. With the persuasive voice of his wife in his head, and the echo of their great love in his heart, he embarks on an unforgettable journey that encompasses art and music, love and hope.

A story of great loss, a story of redemption, a story of abiding love, Requiem is a beautifully written and evocative novel about a family torn apart by the past and a man’s present search for solace

Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Review

It was nice to read a book that took place in Canada, and especially in areas that I've been to or lived in. It really helped me connect with the characters in their setting. Overall this novel was very tragic. The family suffered greatly and it was sad to realize how Japanese Canadians were treated in WWII. I had no idea that they faced such harsh realities while living here. The book started off slow, but it definitely picked up when it focussed on the main character's life in those hard times. The book jumped back and forth between present and past, and the past times were definitely more of an interest to read.