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    Garden of Stones
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    Garden of Stones
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    Garden of Stones
    Ebook322 pages5 hours

    Garden of Stones

    By Sophie Littlefield

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    In the dark days of war, a mother makes the ultimate sacrifice

    Lucy Takeda is just fourteen years old, living in Los Angeles, when the bombs rain down on Pearl Harbor. Within weeks, she and her mother, Miyako, are ripped from their home, rounded upalong with thousands of other innocent Japanese-Americansand taken to the Manzanar prison camp.

    Buffeted by blistering heat and choking dust, Lucy and Miyako must endure the harsh living conditions of the camp. Corruption and abuse creep into every corner of Manzanar, eventually ensnaring beautiful, vulnerable Miyako. Ruined and unwilling to surrender her daughter to the same fate, Miyako soon breaks. Her final act of desperation will stay with Lucy forever and spur her to sins of her own.

    Bestselling author Sophie Littlefield weaves a powerful tale of stolen innocence and survival that echoes through generations, reverberating between mothers and daughters. It is a moving chronicle of injustice, triumph and the unspeakable acts we commit in the name of love.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin MIRA
    Release dateFeb 26, 2013
    ISBN9781460300305
    Author

    Sophie Littlefield

    Sophie Littlefield grew up in rural Missouri and attended college in Indiana. She worked in technology before having children, and was lucky enough to stay home with them while they were growing up. She writes novels for kids and adults, and lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.SophieLittlefield.com.

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    Reviews for Garden of Stones

    4/5

    23 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was a poignant story that focuses on the relationship between mothers an daughters, and the sacrifices a person will make to protect the one they love. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, as the reader struggles to understand fully the horrors that Lucy and her mother had to endure in the Manzanar interment camp for Japanese Americans during WWII. What Miyako did to protect her daughter was, on the one hand absolutely horrifying, but at the same time understandable. However, once Lucy left the camp, I thought the story lost something. I still enjoyed Lucy's story but the emotional pull was missing. Having said that, the last couple of chapters were amazing and totally unexpected. Overall, a touching story of injustice, suffering, revenge and love.
    • 4/5
      Patient readers will be rewardedSophie Littlefield’s latest novel, Garden of Stones, opens in San Francisco in 1978. The first chapter anticipates the murder of an old man. The second chapter introduces Patty Takeda and her mother Lucy. Patty, visiting her mother in the days leading up to her (Patty’s) wedding, wakes to find Lucy having an early morning chat with a police inspector. Lucy is being questioned because she knew the victim decades prior, and neighborhood residents placed her at the scene. With her horrible facial scaring, she’s hard to miss. The third chapter is where the novel’s structure becomes apparent. It flashes us back to the Los Angeles of 1941.Having just met the caustic older Lucy, we are now introduced to the stunningly beautiful adolescent version. This privileged young girl is about to suffer a series of blows leading up to the United States’ entry into the war. Her Japanese heritage is suddenly a huge liability. From there, the novel moves back and forth in time between the events of 1978 and those in the 1940’s—with the bulk of the tale occurring in the past. Lucy is sent to the Manzanar internment camp, along with her family, friends, and neighbors. It is events that occurred at Manzanar that directly cultivated the woman Lucy was to become—and perhaps to the murder that has occurred.Now, I have been a fan of Ms. Littlefield’s for years, and I love the sheer breadth and depth of what she writes from comic mysteries to zombie apocalypses. The set-up above seems like another mystery, but truthfully, it’s more of a historic drama. The subject of Japanese internment strikes close to home to me—literally—having spent the past decade living a block from San Francisco’s Japantown. My neighborhood was greatly impacted by this shameful period of California’s history. I think fiction can be a powerful medium for evoking history. Through fiction, stories live on and are humanized. I also think that a lot of research went into this novel, and yet I felt somewhat frustrated by viewing this history through the eyes of an unsophisticated teenage girl. Those flashback sections of the novel had something of a YA feel about them. Now, I have nothing against young adult fiction—I read a ton of it—but here I was hungering for a little more…detail …maturity … substance. That would be my complaint. That said, I found myself very caught up in the story of these characters. Littlefield writes, “It was as if her mother had once been an entirely different person, and Patty faulted herself for never having seen far enough into her depths, for not being curious enough to coax out the story until now.” Lucy Takeda lived an extraordinary life in a period of great historic significance. As events led up to what felt like a climax, I realized that I was only at the center of the tale. As Lucy matured, I became more and more invested in her story. The frustration I’d felt earlier in the novel disappeared. Character development has always been Ms. Littlefield’s strength, and that is again the case here. Still, by the time I’d reached the novel’s end, she managed to truly surprise me with a couple of unexpected plot twists. One, in particular, was really cleverly done. Ultimately, the murder that opens this novel is little more than a framing device, but as such it works well. Garden of Stones is a great choice for readers interested in mother-daughter relationships, or who are simply looking for a great story set against a historic backdrop. While it took me a little while to become fully invested in the tale, the deeper I read, the more I enjoyed this novel.
    • 4/5
      When the police come to question Lucy Takeda regarding a murder, she is forced to reveal the past she has kept secret from her daughter for nearly forty years. In 1942, Lucy was an intelligent, pretty fourteen year old mourning the recent death of her father, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and all US residents with Japanese ancestry were forcibly ‘relocated’ to camps established for the duration of the war. Sent with her mother, the beautiful but mercurial, Miyako, to a camp in California’s desert, the mother and daughter are forced to endure the trials of corruption, injustice and tragedy.Garden of Stones is a moving, emotional story of loss, prejudice, love and survival. Flashbacks reveal the harrowing experiences of Lucy and her mother in the poorly constructed and under resourced internment camp. While the prisoners did their best to create some semblance of a normal life during their interment, Littlefield describes overflowing toilets, badly prepared food and a shocking lack of privacy, conditions thousands of internee’s were forced to endure for years. It’s a confronting historical circumstance post-WW2 generations are largely ignorant of and the author portrays the situation with compassionate honesty.After the shock of arrival at Manzanar, Lucy’s natural optimism and energy asserts itself and she works as a courier while attending the camp school. Still mired in grief it is weeks before Miyako, urged on by her sister in law, shakes of her debilitative depression to begin work as a seamstress in the camp factory. Lucy is overjoyed that her mother is finally adjusting to life within the camp until her innocence is shattered when she learns the emotionally fragile Miyako, is being forced to submit to the sickening desires of the camp officials. Unable to extricate herself from the officer’s attentions Miyako is led to commit a desperate act that will change everything for Lucy.Lucy is such a lovely child, spirited, smart and resilient, so the contrast with her adult self in the dual time narrative is unbearably poignant, even though at times I felt it was intrusive. For Lucy’s daughter Patty, to whom Lucy is an enigma, understanding her mother’s early life becomes key to absolving her of the present murder. As she uncovers her mother’s past she is stunned by the revelations, though there are still many secrets that Lucy keeps, as a mother determined to protect her child.Well written, with wonderful characterisation and an intriguing storyline, Garden of Stones is a heartbreaking, fascinating and poignant tale of struggle and survival whose bittersweet ending haunts you long after the final page is turned.
    • 4/5
      Garden of Stones is a different book to what I was expecting from the cover – and I mean that in a good way. I thought the book would be about a mother with a young daughter struggling in an internment camp. While the book does highlight the struggles of Lucy (a teenager, older than the girl on the cover) and her mother, this story is a gripping, heart wrenching one of love and sacrifice. There are scenes that will cause you to gasp in horror, shake your head in disgust at brutal cruelty and weep at the power of love.Garden of Stones has a dual narrative (fast becoming one of my favourite types of reads) and Littlefield executes it beautifully. We see Lucy Takeda and her mother Miyako forced to abandon their home for the Manzanar internment camp. This world is different to what either of them have known. While Lucy adapts somewhat, making friends and getting a part time job, Miyako becomes depressed. Later she is forced to do things that she can never share with Lucy, nor does she want Lucy to suffer a similar fate.In 1978, Lucy’s daughter, Patty is getting ready for her wedding when police inform her that her mother is a potential suspect in a murder case. The dead man was a guard at Manzanar, but Patty knows little about this life. Little by little, Lucy’s story is revealed.I haven’t read a book before that dealt with the Japanese-American view of World War II. Littlefield portrays their awkward position very well – they are American, but being treated as the enemy. It is a grim period of history that should be talked about more so the same mistakes are not repeated. Manzanar is described in great detail – from the streets to the tiny gardens offering a sense of normality in cold, bare living conditions.This story also asks the question – how far would you go for your daughter – or for your mother? Lucy, Miyako and Patty all make great sacrifices in an attempt to protect their loved one. In Miyako’s case, it was somewhat extreme (I’m not going to spoil the scene) but it does ask – where do you draw the line? Were there other options?Despite the bleakness of the setting and the severity of the subject matter, Littlefield writes characters that are easy to relate to and empathise with. Lucy, the main character, is someone I felt very sympathetic to given the struggles she had faced in her young life at Manzanar and afterwards. Patty seemed to be more of a product of the 1970s – she was lighter and more casual, but still had a backbone of steel when it mattered. Don’t we all when it comes to family?There are also happy, loving moments in this novel and the overall feeling of love was strong. I enjoyed this book (reading late into the night) and was surprised to see that Littlefield has written very different genres prior to this! She’s a natural at this kind of historical fiction.Thank you to Harlequin Australia for providing me with a copy of this great book!
    • 4/5
      World War I, the United States rounded up all those of Japanese descent and sent them to armed camps. It is horrible what fear will cause supposedly good people to do. After Lucy's father's death, she and her mother are alone and so they are also alone, with no male protection in the camp. we learn of their abuse and treatment at the camp through flashbacks. There is also a present day murder case that it tied back to the camp during the War. Interesting book, I do like books that use flashbacks when they are done well, as this one was. Good book with a good story, liked the present day mystery angle, and likeable characters. ARC from NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      My thoughts...I was very lucky to have been granted access to read "Garden of Stones" by the publisher through netgalley.com, a website that provides advanced reader copies [for free] to individuals that request books to read and review. The author has certainly done her research in the area of Japanese internment camps and the reality of how their life changed during this period.I highly recommend this book regardless of your preferred genre. Sophie Littlefield takes you into the world of personal struggles and suffering endured in this bittersweet tale of survival and life's battle to overcome its affect and endeavor to live life as it was meant to be. The characters are real and very believable. You will come to love Lucy and understand why her mother did what she felt she needed to do to protect her daughter from the torment she endured during their time in the internment camp. This astounding well-written novel will weigh heavy on your heart and forever leave an imprint on your mind for years to come.You can pre-order now, release date is February 26, 2013.
    • 4/5
      Lucy Takeda has had an unusual life (major understatement). An only child, she was adored by her father and the spitting image of her mother. Although Lucy grew up with a mother suffering with manic depression, she has led a very sheltered and privileged life. All of that changes with the death of her father, followed by the loss of her family home and relocation to an internment camp. It is here at Manzanar that Lucy witnesses great brutality and prejudice. She bears witness to the rape and continued sexual abuse of her mother, not to mention the sexual abuse of her only friend, sixteen year-old Jessie, at the hands of the men in charge at the camp. She also slowly watches her mother fall into deep depression that results in a horrible accident that will scar Lucy for life, a murder, and then her mother's suicide. With the help of a nun, Lucy is eventually able to leave Manzanar before the war ends. She is given a job as a maid at a small hotel, where she eventually befriends the cook and her family, as well as the owner of the hotel, an injured war veteran, Garvey. Fast forward to 1978 and Lucy's daughter, Patty, is preparing to get married. Days before the wedding is to occur, Lucy is being questioned and investigated as the prime suspect in a murder case. The murder victim just so happens to be one of the men that had been charged with overseeing Manzanar. Patty Takeda is already on edge about the wedding and she knows that her mother is keeping secrets. Will she be able to uncover those secrets in time to save her mother or will those secrets destroy what little peace of mind Lucy has obtained since 1944?Ms. Littlefield has done a remarkable job in creating characters and a story that engaged me from the very beginning. Lucy’s story is told in flashback style, alternating between 1943/1944 and 1978. Lucy Takeda is a victim of circumstance, but she overcomes her adversity to make a life for herself and her child. Her physical scars seem to be a manifestation of not only an accident but also the emotional scars she has suffered during her lifetime. Patty Takeda is just as tenacious as her mother as she delves into the history of her mother and grandmother while at Manzanar. Ms. Littlefield presents an emotionally-charged drama with Garden of Stones. There are a few twists at the end that were completely unexpected and only added to my reading pleasure with this story. If you enjoy historical dramas with a bit of suspense and hint of romance, then I recommend you add Garden of Stones to your reading list.
    • 5/5
      Gut wrenching!!Essentially a story of mothers and daughters caught up in the web of wartime political decisions—the ‘relocation’ camps for Japanese American citizens post Pearl Harbor. Decisions that resulted in human suffering and injustice. The consequences for internees were lost amidst the panic of officials, and blanketed by reactionary national fears and bureaucratic purpose. These decisions had far flung implications and encompassed deep personal tragedies for the people involved. Manzanar was one of ten Internment camps where Japanese American citizens were unconstitutionally incarcerated. Told through the eyes of a Japanese American daughter Lucy, and in tandem with her daughter Patty, this is a gut wrenching and powerful story of generations of unhappiness. The main characters wash up against the sea of others, each islands of pain. Abuse of power reaches out its tendrils and seizes those who are vulnerable. Humanity is under duress in unspeakable conditions that at this time was repeated across many continents. The novel comes out of dark days; dark story blots on landscape of history. I was searching for the hope and redemption. It comes but with a cost. One quite striking moment of light is where Lucy’s self-contained mother shows concern towards an older woman in the toilet block. An unspeakable vignette. Later Lucy’s relationship with Garvey highlights the theme of people being trapped by their circumstances. For me tension thrums from every page. The odd pieces of taxidermy amongst Lucy’s things take on new meaning and significance in the later part of the novel. Reworked bodies with no life, sculptured into being. Life saved into death.A thought provoking work.A NetGalley ARC
    • 5/5
      In the modern day, Lucy Takeda is being quested about the death of a man she knew from her past. Her daughter is working to uncover the truth, did her mom kill him? Alternating between the past and present, the author tells the story of Lucy and her mother Miyako as they are rounded up with other Japanese Americans and taken to an internment camp. A gorgeous woman, Miyako will do anything to protect her daughter.I thought this was powerful and moving book. It was well written, engaging and I had trouble putting it down. The author has definitely done her research into internment camps and the Japanese American experience during WWII. The characters felt very real and multidimensional. Overall, highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      This was a good book that had alot of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end This book travels back and forth between 1978 SAN francisco and 1941-43 when Pearl Harbor was attacked and Lucy and her mother were sent to Manzanar. Lucy's mother makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her daughter.
    • 5/5
      Lucy lives with her mother, Miyako and father. Lucy puts on her best school clothes. She knows today is the day that she will be chosen to be either a hall or lunch monitor. Only this does not happen. One of Lucy’s friends tell her it is because she is Japanese. Lucy does not realize just how different this really makes her until her father dies and the President orders all of the Japanese to be sent to concentration camps. Sophie Littlefield has done it again. She won me over with her story of Lucy and Miyako. What a great pair. Both women such strong women. The love that each other had for one another was obvious. There is nothing stronger than a mother’s love. The world that Sophie wrote during the war times and the concentration camp that Lucy and her mother were relocated to and had to endure was awful. It was like I was right there with them and I could smell the filth, see the soldiers in their uniforms smoking their cigarettes, seeing the neighbors bed sheets hanging up as their for of a door for privacy, and maneuvering my way through the camp. Garden of Stones is the type of book that will stick with you long after you have put it down!
    • 4/5
      This book starts with a murder, and elderly Lucy is a prime suspect. Her daughter Patty begins to question her mother's relationship with the victim, and through flashbacks we get to know Lucy as a young girl and to learn about her mother's past relationship with the victim, as well as other secrets.Lucy as an adult is reserved and dignified, and she is loved and respected by her daughter Patty. However Patty doesn't really know much about her mother's past.But as the story goes on, we are led through Lucy's past, and the horrors she experienced during WWII. From losing her father, to the government ordering all Japanese-Americans to interment camps, and all of the horrors of the camp, these are all revealed through the story. As a child, Lucy was sweet and smart. But she was also confused as the world around her changed. Confused by the animosity of friends at school, the teachers, the world at large, as the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and all Japanese Americans had to bear the doubt of their own chosen country.Lucy's mother Miyako was a very beautiful, but a very flawed, emotionally unstable and dependent woman. It seems she married her husband in hopes that such a kind and tolerant man, and the quiet and stable life he offered, would secure her against a world she found overwhelming. She was often emotionally absent from Lucy's life, and Lucy grew to idolize and adore her father, as many young girls do. So when Lucy loses her father, she loses her bearings. And the next thing she knows, their family is being uprooted and forced to leave everything behind to move to a military-style camp in Manzanar, just for being Japanese.During her years in Manzanar, Lucy grows into a beautiful young lady, the spitting image of her beautiful mother, and she meets and experiences first love with a young man by the name of Jessie.I don't want to give too much away, so I won't reveal too much. But there were some very sweet moments, but there were also things later on that felt cut too short. I feel as if I were a little short-changed with one or two points in the storyline, but overall it was a fine story.I enjoyed this story. It is gently written, but realistic and hard-hitting. This provocative topic has recently become very popular, and there are a lot of books coming out now about the Japanese internment camps, and this is my first to read. And a fine introduction to this topic it was. This is a shameful period in America's history, and I can only pray that we never again repeat such mistreatment of our own citizens.Lucy as a young girl is an engaging child that pulls at your heart strings. You want to protect her as a young girl. As an adult, you want to free her from her past.My final word: This story wound up being more of a mystery than I expected. You get glimpses of things early on that slowly play out and reveal themselves, such as Lucy's scars. When you learn how beautiful she was as a girl, you wonder what happened to scar her? And who was this man from her past that is now dead? Who is the father of her daughter Patty? And then right in the end, in the final pages of the story...WHAM-O!...plot twist! And then another! And another! There were a few very nice, unexpected twists at the end that left this story very satisfying. This was definitely a worthy read.