This book was an interesting coming-of-age love story set in California during the first part of the 20th century when there was much concern over the 'yellow peril'. I generally love anything by this author because of the sweet stories and extensive emphasis on nature. However, this particular book contains a lot of racisim and white supremacy (in a very toned down manner). After recently completing a college course in Japanese Imperialism, it was interesting to see a more personal look at how the anti-Japanese sentiment manifested itself in the US during this era. Remember, historically, the US placed American citizens of Japanese descent living on the West Coast in interment camps during WWII. Excellent plot, if you can put the racist sentiments in their historical context.

This is an excellent read, as well as a convicting commentary about the role of women in American society.