Jamie Ford follows his successful debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, with Songs of Willow Frost. Willow, like his first novel, is set in the Chinatown section of Seattle, follows a young Chinese boy, and jumps back and forth in time. However, for all its similarities, this novel is very much its own story. This is a book filled with personal sorrow and loneliness and at times it gives Shakespearean tragedy a run for its money. Nevertheless, Mr. Ford’s characters and his gift for atmosphere absolutely compel the reader to finish the journey; it is futile to resist.
Although I did not adore Songs of Willow Frost as I did Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, I cannot deny that it was a powerful story of the effect of poverty and effect of family ties–both the presence and the lack thereof. The story has continued to haunt me long after I turned the last page, and isn’t that what great writing is all about?
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Ballantine Books
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 2 mild obscenities; 3 derogatory names.
Violence/Gore: A couple of reports of children being whipped at orphanage; implied suicide; reports of suicide during Great Depression; death of a character due to illness/lack of food; threat to harm; abortion considered; one brief scene of suicide, a few details; a brief scene in which a character is raped with a few details; report that someone cried blood; report of scenes of abuse/violence in a movie, no details; blood mentioned in association with miscarriage.
Sex/Nudity: Several sexual references including but not limited to–brothels, father “ran off w/some woman”, character being propositioned, teasing/implications about a boy and girl being alone, character’s hypothesis that bedwetting is caused by boys illicitly touching themselves, etc.; a brief scene in which a character is raped with a few details; implication that rapes routinely continued; a few implications/innuendo that a father sexually abused his daughter; implied sexual activity in a mistress-like arrangement.
Mature Subject Matter:
Rape; Orphanages; Prostitution/Mistress; Cultural/Ethnic Issues/Discrimination; Poverty; Sexual abuse/Incest; Unemployment; Spouse Abuse; Suicide; Pregnancy Out of Wedlock.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Adult characters drink and smoke, some to excess; a teenage girl smokes; references to Prohibition and speakeasies; a Sister (nun) drinks alcoholic drinks.
