avidreader70SE
Posted July 11, 2012
This was an excellent read. I could hardly put it down until I finished it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 4, 2012
The novel has a nice flow of weaving personal and social struggles. Although it centers around a developing friendship, the two boys' families and non-family members enrich the development of many stories which, in turn, enrich the lives of the two main characters.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Although I studied history in college, I didn’t focus on the events of WWII. I had classes on it, but they never showed what it was like for the Japanese and Japanese-Americans in America during that period. Eyes Behind Belligerence allows the reader to get a glimpse of the what it was like for the Japanese in the internment camps through the eyes of Russell and Jim, two high school aged boys struggling to find their place in America and the Japanese culture.
The book deals with tough questions, namely, what does it mean to be Japanese in America after Pearl Harbor? But furthermore, how do you regain and/or sustain the family honor when the whole country – and sometimes, your own people – is against you? This story allows us to feel what it would have been like being in those camps. Watching friends and family die, getting separated from each other, all while trying to live as normal a life as you can.
I don’t know which side of the spectrum I would have fallen on. Would I have fought for my freedom and recognition like Russell, or would I have denounced the hypocrisy and bigotry like Jim? Either way, both boys’ lives were drastically changed by the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. They watch friends and family die both in the camps and in the war and are left physically and mentally altered by the events.
The book is a long read (so be prepared). And while on the surface it seems to be about the depressing trials the Japanese go through, there is an underlying message of hope. Hope of survival. Hope of acknowledgement. Hope of freedom. Hope that shows that even during the darkest hour, people can survive, find love, and rise above. ** I received this book from the Bookplex**
tiffanydavis2
Posted April 16, 2012
Eyes Behind Belligerence is a fictional novel based on Pearl Harbor. It is broken down into five parts and tells of how the Japanese living in Washington during this time suffered. It focuses on two boys (Russel and Jim) and their family, as well as the Japanese community, and how each were affected. The author did a great job at drawing you into the boys and their family's situation, making you feel their pain and suffering, as well as the rest of the Japanese community. The growth you see in the characters really makes it so that you can connect with them.
Though this book is pretty lengthy, it is definitely worth the read. It covers so many emotions while telling the sad story of the times during Pearl Harbor.
Sue_in_CT
Posted April 16, 2012
Eyes Behind Belligerence by K.P. Kollenborn is a fictional and lengthy novel of what life was like being Japanese in America just prior to and after the Bombing of Pearl Harbor during WWII. Although the author makes it clear this is a work of fiction many of the facts and events are historically accurate. The book starts off with a list of "Characters & Terminologies" that include pronunciations which I really found helpful with understand the book and then the story is broken down into five parts. The main characters are Jim/Jimmu Yoshimura and Russell/Goro Hamaguchi. These two unlikely friends live with their families on Brainbridge Island in a predominantly Japanese area where life was 'normal' with a heritage where family name and honor was important. Life was like any where else, they worked, went to school, had friends. Once Pearl Harbor was attached the Japanese community worried about being arrested and sent to Montana for being Japanese Spies. The Yoshimura and Hamaguchi children thought they had nothing to worry about since they were American Citizens but they worried for their parents since they were not American Citizens. Russell found he was being discriminated against despite this when some of his acquaintances at school told him not to eat lunch or hang around with them. His parents, as all the Japanese community found they were all being discriminated against when it came to employment and their bank accounts were frozen. Things even got violent such as when Jim was at this father's store helping him and someone threw a brick through the front window yelling for them to go back to Japan, they are not wanted here. Then the day came where the families were rounded up and put into "Relocation Camps". The children had their citizenship revoked and were shipped there along with the parents to Manzanar. This was told to be for their own protection but the truth of the matter is they were nothing more than detention camps with lookout towers, barbed wire fences and with a whole new set of problems and dangers. The families had to battle hatred, disease, cramped quarters, poor health care facilities, gangs, and the elements. They watched their family being torn apart and spread all over the country. Finally the day came when the war ended and they left the camp to return to Brainbridge Island. Some went back, others chose not to. The struggle continued with the life path each followed and where it brought them. Each needing to choose what was important to them and if they can do something with their lives to better the situation if not for themselves then for the next generation. I thought the novel was a real eye opener. It really captured what everyday life would be like, how they would talk, grow with not only age but maturity and wisdom. It showed real feelings in the different relationships and the values of the family and friends. It showed the pain, the weakness, the strengths and the breakdown of decency. Prejudices and not only by those toward the Japanese and others but even by the Japanese toward others. If you want to read a believable book about what life was like for the Japanese during WWII then look no further, you found it. I think Jim wrote it best. "Exiled, shamed and damned like bastards, we stare through these barbed wire fences, our eyes. our eyes betrayed by this world; our eyes behind belligerence."
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Santosh
Posted April 16, 2012
Eyes Behind Belligerence
by K.P. Kollenborn
“Eyes behind Belligerence” is a beautiful novel, with a strong plot line and conveys a great message to its readers. The book is written by K.P. Kollenborn who has an exceptional and spellbinding writing style. Even though this book has 550+ pages, the story is pretty fast paced... (There are times when story is slow but that’s just to add more depth to the characters).
This book is a narration of “life in World War II". As this book is written to depict the life in WWII it has lot of historical references thus making story more realistic. Story follows two main characters, Jim and Russell, both have Japanese ancestry. Story begins with Jim losing his brother, and as plot unfolds the reason behind suicide and its effect on Jim and his family become more prominent. Before war Russell was chocolate boy among girls and was very popular among friends, but as the war rages on every Japanese was considered as an enemy, thus making Russell an outcast among friends. Later when government put both protagonist and their family in internment camp, both become friends but eventually choose different direction and thus a very different future.
Simply stating this book is about "War", "Racism", "Friendship", "Internment Camp", "Loyalty" and "Forgiveness". This book is about history and culture rich depiction of America and chilling truth that haunts America. There is terminology section at the beginning of the book which is really helpful to understand various words from this book, but still there were some words for which I had to Google.
On concluding notes I would like to say that this is a must read; for individuals as well as for group reads as there are questions at the end of the book just for this reason. Story is build-up on solid foundation of friendship and sacrifices. A sure winner for 3 of 5 rating.
333Francine
Posted March 31, 2012
Eyes Behind Belligerence written by K.P. Kollenborn is an intense novel about the maltreatment of the Japanese in North America during World War 2. At the center of the history- rich story are two young men, both of Japanese descent, struggling to understand how and why the world they know has gone into a tailspin. The two boys couldn’t be more different personality-wise. Jim is sullen and quiet, extremely withdrawn, much in part due to his brother having committed suicide. This brings great shame to his family, still deeply entrenched in the old ways, and from the moment his brother’s body is taken from the house, he is never to be spoken of again. Still, everyone still suffers and mourns and this shapes their futures. Russell, on the other hand, is almost the proverbial golden boy, the complete opposite of Jim. He’s popular, likeable and a bit of a ladies man, even at his young age. Then the Japanese become enemy number one and anyone of that country’s descent starts to be viewed as lepers. They become ostracized and former friends refuse to talk to them. Their mail is even read before delivery and sealed back up. Everything that used to be taken for granted becomes an everyday struggle. The book follows the lives of the two boys and their families as they head off to internment camps and eventually go in different directions to find very different futures.
The author starts the book by including a small section with a list of characters and terminology along with their pronunciation, something that made the reading much easier for me and thus the book more enjoyable. At the end of the book are some questions for reading groups to use and I found them to be quite interesting to use on my own as I reflected on what I had read. It is a rather thick book, almost six-hundred pages, but it moves quickly as events are well-written and believable. I loved learning so much about the customs and culture that the author included scattered throughout the story and it helped me understand a lot about the Japanese ways.
Having worked in the school system for many years I know that not nearly enough is taught about this part of WW2. Most of the lessons contain only passing information about what happened to these poor people so I think it would be great if this book could become some part of a reading program in the history courses. An excellent novel and well done, K.P. Kollenborn.
LFrankel999
Posted March 27, 2012
Although I have read a number of novels dealing with Japanese American internment during World War II, Eyes Behind Belligerence seems the most realistic description of the day to day experience of living in the camps. According to the author’s blog post dealing with the evolution of this book on Goodreads, she interviewed a number of internees. These first- hand accounts are undoubtedly the source of her work’s authenticity. I also learned about events and people that I hadn’t previously encountered in other reading. One example is the brief appearance of Ralph Lazo in Eyes Behind Belligerence. Ralph Lazo isn’t a fictional character. He is a real 16 year old Mexican-Irish American who accompanied his Japanese American friends to Manzanar internment camp, and remained there until 1944 when he was drafted to serve in World War II. His story is quite an extraordinary one, and I might never have discovered him without Kollenborn’s book.
Of the two central characters, I found Russell Hamaguchi the most sympathetic. It’s true that he was impulsive as a teenager, but he also had so much heart and integrity. He cared about people even when they weren’t like him. This is what allowed him to be a loyal friend to the other protagonist, Jim Yoshimura. I understood why Jim acted and believed as he did on an intellectual level, but it was difficult to sympathize with him when he repeatedly hurt those who cared about him most. I feel that Jim’s decisions delayed his maturation. He remained an adolescent far longer than Russell.
The plot was well-paced for the most part, though there was a slow section when nothing much seemed to be happening. I realized that this was an accurate portrayal of how the characters’ lives had been placed on hold due to the internment, so I was patient through that portion.
My only criticism is that there were many un-translated Japanese words. I could approximate the connotation of some of these words through context, but I would have preferred a more extensive glossary containing all these words and phrases.
I feel that this is an important book for readers who want to understand Japanese Americans. The descendants of Japanese Americans who were internees have grown up with parents and/or grandparents who were scarred by this tragedy. We can’t underestimate the impact of these events on them and their community.
Anonymous
Posted March 25, 2012
I originally picked up this book intrigued by the premise. I have never read a book about how the Japanese immigrants were dealt with and how their lives were affected during World War Two. It focuses on the lives of two boys, Jim and Russell and how they and their families are treated during this time, and the emotional impact on them. The human side of history fascinates me and so does Japanese culture, so I was prepared to love this book from the start. It would have to get it completely wrong not to interest me.
Likes
The dialogue. The way the characters speak to each other is really realistic and each character has their own way of speaking, which shows their personality.
The interaction between the families. The son and father generation gap is especially well done.
Interactions between all the characters are really well done and you can imagine people really acting and reacting like that.
Very character driven and dramatic.
The bits of Japanese culture added gives it added texture.
The way it starts- It is kind of slow, but in a good way. It makes you feel like you are following the characters around in the time period, and getting a proper feel for it.
The incredibly rich feel of it. It's like you are really there.
The relationship between Russell and Maria-It's just so very sweet and has the feel of Romeo and Juliet.
Dislikes
It did jump around a lot and it was hard to keep track of the characters.
The suicide at the beginning had me confused about the significance of it. I did get it eventually however.
