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FIC FOR
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Genres
Publication
Ballantine Books (2013), Edition: First Edition, 352 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Historical Fiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From Jamie Ford, author of the beloved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, comes a much-anticipated second novel. Set against the backdrop of Depression-era Seattle, Songs of Willow Frost is a powerful tale of two souls�a boy with dreams for his future and a woman escaping her haunted past�both seeking love, hope, and forgiveness. Twelve-year-old William Eng, a Chinese American boy, has lived at Seattle�s Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother�s listless body was carried away from their small apartment five years ago. On his birthday�or rather, the day the nuns designate as his birthday�William and the other orphans are taken to the historical Moore Theatre, where William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost. Struck by her features, William is convinced that the movie star is his mother, Liu Song. Determined to find Willow and prove that his mother is still alive, William escapes from Sacred Heart with his friend Charlotte. The pair navigate the streets of Seattle, where they must not only survive but confront the mysteries of William�s past and his connection to the exotic film star. The story of Willow Frost, however, is far more complicated than the Hollywood fantasy William sees onscreen. Shifting between the Great Depression and the 1920s, Songs of Willow Frost takes readers on an emotional journey of discovery. Jamie Ford�s sweeping novel will resonate with anyone who has ever longed for the comforts of family and a place to call home. Praise for Songs of Willow Frost �If you liked Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, you�re going to love Songs of Willow Frost. . . . tender, powerful, and deeply satisfying.��Lisa Genova �[A] poignant tale of lost and found love.��Tampa Bay Times �Arresting . . . [with] the kind of ending readers always hope for, but seldom get.��The Dallas Morning News �[An] achingly tender story . . . a tale of nuance and emotion.��The Providence Journal �Ford crafts [a] beautiful, tender tale of love transcending the sins people perpetrate on one another and shows how the strength of our primal relationships is the best part of our human nature.��Great Falls Tribune �Remarkable . . . likely to appeal to readers who enjoy the multi-generational novels of Amy Tan.��Bookreporter �Jamie Ford is a first-rate novelist, and with Songs of Willow Frost he takes a great leap forward and demonstrates the uncanny ability to move me to tears.��Pat Conroy �With vivid detail, Jamie Ford brings to life Seattle�s Chinatown during the Depression and chronicles the high price those desperate times exacted from an orphaned boy and the woman he believes is his mother. Songs of Willow Frost is about innocence and the loss of it, about longing, about the power of remembered love.��Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank �Ford�s boundless compassion for the human spirit, in all its strengths and weaknesses, makes him one of our most unique and compelling storytellers.��Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew�s Last Stand �A...… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mckait
So much tragedy in the world.. so much loss. We spend a lot of time in the Sacred Heart Orphanage with William, his closest friend Charlotte and abuse disguised as care. There are stories of abuse before the days in Sacred Heart. I wish I could say that it sounded impossible, but sadly, it sounded
Charlotte is blind. William is her staunch friend and reliable helper. He is always ready to lend a hand with her schoolwork, and she is always ready with a smile and soft words. They have each others back, and that's important for us all, I think? They even find a way to have an adventure together. The adventure doesn't end well...but it changes Williams life. The adventure began when the group of boys from Sacred Heart are taken to a film and William believes he sees his mother. So many tangles in the life of such a young boy!
Charlotte's life doesn't stay the same either. Ripples from one life reach out to touch the ripples of another and things change. Change is sometimes good, but not always.
This is a good story, often sad, sometimes hopeless, but now and then there is a glimmer of light. As for the ending, it is I believe going to mean different things to different readers, as we will find throughout the book. A hard read fi you were a child left behind, something different if you had a strong family who had your back. Which are you? What do you think of the lives these children and those around them led? I wish I could know.
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all too true. Behind all of that, is friendship and loyalty, perhaps love, too. Love between Charlotte and William. Charlotte is blind. William is her staunch friend and reliable helper. He is always ready to lend a hand with her schoolwork, and she is always ready with a smile and soft words. They have each others back, and that's important for us all, I think? They even find a way to have an adventure together. The adventure doesn't end well...but it changes Williams life. The adventure began when the group of boys from Sacred Heart are taken to a film and William believes he sees his mother. So many tangles in the life of such a young boy!
Charlotte's life doesn't stay the same either. Ripples from one life reach out to touch the ripples of another and things change. Change is sometimes good, but not always.
This is a good story, often sad, sometimes hopeless, but now and then there is a glimmer of light. As for the ending, it is I believe going to mean different things to different readers, as we will find throughout the book. A hard read fi you were a child left behind, something different if you had a strong family who had your back. Which are you? What do you think of the lives these children and those around them led? I wish I could know.
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LibraryThing member Cariola
[Songs of Willow Frost] by [[Jamie Ford]]
I probably shouldn't review this one because I couldn't finish it; but it felt like I had read a 500-pager by the time I stopped. I'm sure a lot of readers will love it, but I found it melodramatic and unrealistic, full of annoyingly stereotypical characters
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(the mean, tippling nun; the bully; the sweet, beautiful blind girl; etc.). The setting--San Francisco in the 1930s--was intriguing, and the author clearly did a lot of research on the time period. The problem is that it stuck out like a sore thumb rather than being subtly integrated into the story. In addition, I found much of the dialogue to be stilted and unrealistic. Perhaps I would have been more kindly inclined towards the book had I not just read a string of superb novels . . . but I doubt it. I have the author's much-loved first novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, in my TBR stacks. I'll get around to it eventually, and hopefully will like it better than his second effort.
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LibraryThing member porch_reader
William Eng is a twelve-year-old orphan at Seattle's Sacred Heart Orphanage during the Great Depression. Life is hard for the orphans, who have little to eat and who receive little love, but things are even harder for William, the only Chinese-American boy at the orphanage. But when the orphans are
I enjoyed this book for several reasons. William is a charming boy. He won my heart from the very beginning, and I rooted for him against all odds. I was willing to overlook some major coincidences in the plot because I was so enthralled by William's story. William's relationship with his best friend at the orphanage, a blind girl named Charlotte, made me like William even more, and I loved how their relationship grew as they searched for William's mother. Ford also does an excellent job weaving in the historical context, providing details that bring the story to life without overusing the research. There is a note at the end of the book about how Ford came to write this book, and I wished I had read it first. The book is not autobiographical, but it pulls in threads from his own family in a way that brings another dimension to the book. Ford also clearly knows Seattle. (His first book, [Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet], was also set there.) Some of his best writing are descriptions of the city. For example:
"William woke to another gloomy, drizzly morning, the sun hidden beyond an overcast sky, pale and cadaverous. He shivered as he peered through the October mists of Puget Sound. The horizon was a wet blanket of gray, without any real definition. Just fog and haze. The inverted weather system was perpetually coiled up, ready to sneeze."
In all, I recommend this book, especially for fans of well-written historical fiction.
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taken to the movies to celebrate their birthdays (which they all celebrate on the same day), we get a glimpse of the world outside the orphanage and realize that the orphans are better off than many of the people who are starving in the streets of Seattle. Still, William dreams of his mother, who he believes dead. Because of this, he can hardly believe his eyes when he sees her on the movie screen. The remainder of the book involves William's search for his mother and flashbacks to his mother's life before William was brought to the orphanage. I enjoyed this book for several reasons. William is a charming boy. He won my heart from the very beginning, and I rooted for him against all odds. I was willing to overlook some major coincidences in the plot because I was so enthralled by William's story. William's relationship with his best friend at the orphanage, a blind girl named Charlotte, made me like William even more, and I loved how their relationship grew as they searched for William's mother. Ford also does an excellent job weaving in the historical context, providing details that bring the story to life without overusing the research. There is a note at the end of the book about how Ford came to write this book, and I wished I had read it first. The book is not autobiographical, but it pulls in threads from his own family in a way that brings another dimension to the book. Ford also clearly knows Seattle. (His first book, [Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet], was also set there.) Some of his best writing are descriptions of the city. For example:
"William woke to another gloomy, drizzly morning, the sun hidden beyond an overcast sky, pale and cadaverous. He shivered as he peered through the October mists of Puget Sound. The horizon was a wet blanket of gray, without any real definition. Just fog and haze. The inverted weather system was perpetually coiled up, ready to sneeze."
In all, I recommend this book, especially for fans of well-written historical fiction.
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LibraryThing member StephLaymon
I loved every moment that I spent in the pages of Songs of Willow Frost. Both William and Willow have deep contrasts to their story, the bittersweet and the tragic the reader experiences both the berry best of their lives and the worst. It is Willow's story that I relate to more as a mother. She is
The writing style is almost poetic at times, but never forced. I love beautiful writing, but it is a real pet peeve of mine that it not be a piece if literary work for just arts sake. The writing has to be entertaining and still simplistic enough to be enjoyed, and Jamie Ford struck a beautiful balance.
I have seen some reviews that have mentioned that William's story doesn't seem authentic since the vocabulary is well above a twelve year old boys. I couldn't disagree more. This is not a first person narrative, it is a story being told about both Willow and William, alternating between the two. The narrative voice remains the same and is very well done. Bravo, Jamie Ford.
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a true example of selfless love.The writing style is almost poetic at times, but never forced. I love beautiful writing, but it is a real pet peeve of mine that it not be a piece if literary work for just arts sake. The writing has to be entertaining and still simplistic enough to be enjoyed, and Jamie Ford struck a beautiful balance.
I have seen some reviews that have mentioned that William's story doesn't seem authentic since the vocabulary is well above a twelve year old boys. I couldn't disagree more. This is not a first person narrative, it is a story being told about both Willow and William, alternating between the two. The narrative voice remains the same and is very well done. Bravo, Jamie Ford.
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LibraryThing member sunqueen
This was a good read that takes just a bit to warm up to. The story starts with William, a chinese boy in a Catholic orphanage, then digresses into the story of his mother, Willow Frost.
While I enjoyed the story, some of the transitions from William's to Willow's stories seemed a bit awkward. The
While I enjoyed the story, some of the transitions from William's to Willow's stories seemed a bit awkward. The
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extensive research of depression era Seatlle was excellent, and provided a rich background to the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member bacreads
I really liked Ford's Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet so I was pleased to receive this as an early review book. I liked it, but not quite as much as Hotel... I admire the writing of Ford, especially his phrasing and ability to allow the reader to "see" through his words. Ford stays with his
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Chinese heritage and as I did in Hotel... I learned more about the culture and laws that seem antiquated now. For example, Willow was born in the United States, to Chinese parents but if she were to marry a Chinese non-citizen, she would lose her citizenship. And custody laws very much favored the father. The story revolves around 12 year old William who is living in a Catholic orphanage. He sees a movie and is convinced that the actress Willow Frost is his mother and he goes in search of her. In seeking his mother he must confront mystery in his past, young life and discover the complicated life of Willow. I don't want to go to deeply into the story and spoil it for future readers. I would definitely recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member casmith4
A wonderful novel set in the depression era. William is an orphan who believes he has seen his mother on the silver screen. He sets in search of Willow Frost to find out if what he believes is true. What unfolds is the sad story of how William cam to be left at the orphanage.
LibraryThing member SilversReviews
William lost his mother but not to death. He knew in his heart that she was still alive and he would find her some day, but he had to escape from the orphanage to do that. He knew that there was a reason she abandoned him because his mother wouldn't have left him without a good reason.
William knew
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST tells the tale of Liu Song and her life of sadness, loneliness, and betrayal. Her life was not pleasant. Liu Song had to endure hardship and a cruel stepfather who made her call him Uncle because he was disappointed and embarrassed that she wasn't a boy. She also had to live with the stigma that her mother who was onstage was deemed no better than a prostitute.
You will feel Liu Song's pain, hopelessness, and humiliation ooze through the pages as Mr. Ford beautifully weaves between past and present. Beautiful like the good heart of Liu Song.
You will be immersed in old-world traditions as you follow Liu Song through her day being treated as a slave instead of a daughter. You will feel her pain as the inevitable happened to her because of her step-father's visits at night and her sadness as she had to give up happiness. You will HATE Uncle Leo because he is the one who caused all of Liu Song's problems.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST was skillfully written in Mr. Ford's descriptive, flowing style and also very heart wrenching. I felt myself wanting to push Liu Song to tell the truth about what really happened to her and to move on so she could have some happiness in her life instead of despair. Mr. Ford allows you to feel as though you are right there feeling the emotions and living the lives the characters are leading.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST was about making decisions, living with regrets, and longing for what some folks have and what you were deprived of.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST is haunting, heartbreaking, and hard to believe yet mesmerizing. Mr. Ford’s marvelous talent won’t disappoint in his second book. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
William knew
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nothing of his mother's past but it didn't matter. He had to find her. He and his friend Charlotte planned how to escape from the orphanage to find her. William was a kind, sweet boy just like his mother. You will feel so sorry for Liu Song and William as well since he had to live without his mother for five years when she was actually alive and close by. Most of the characters were sad and unhappy, but the book is exceptional.SONGS OF WILLOW FROST tells the tale of Liu Song and her life of sadness, loneliness, and betrayal. Her life was not pleasant. Liu Song had to endure hardship and a cruel stepfather who made her call him Uncle because he was disappointed and embarrassed that she wasn't a boy. She also had to live with the stigma that her mother who was onstage was deemed no better than a prostitute.
You will feel Liu Song's pain, hopelessness, and humiliation ooze through the pages as Mr. Ford beautifully weaves between past and present. Beautiful like the good heart of Liu Song.
You will be immersed in old-world traditions as you follow Liu Song through her day being treated as a slave instead of a daughter. You will feel her pain as the inevitable happened to her because of her step-father's visits at night and her sadness as she had to give up happiness. You will HATE Uncle Leo because he is the one who caused all of Liu Song's problems.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST was skillfully written in Mr. Ford's descriptive, flowing style and also very heart wrenching. I felt myself wanting to push Liu Song to tell the truth about what really happened to her and to move on so she could have some happiness in her life instead of despair. Mr. Ford allows you to feel as though you are right there feeling the emotions and living the lives the characters are leading.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST was about making decisions, living with regrets, and longing for what some folks have and what you were deprived of.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST is haunting, heartbreaking, and hard to believe yet mesmerizing. Mr. Ford’s marvelous talent won’t disappoint in his second book. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
I think I expected more from this novelist. Which probably is not fair, because this was a good book in its own way. I just never quite connected with the characters as much as I wished, felt almost a remove from them.
The story was okay but at times seemed forced and the dialogue just didn't flow.
The two different sides of his mother seemed almost impossible. How does a person change so much? I know they can become bitter when life doesn't turn out the way they expected, but his mother does a complete 360.
So I liked it, it was a good story, I just wanted to feel a little more involved in these character's lives.
The story was okay but at times seemed forced and the dialogue just didn't flow.
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The main bones of the story is fascinating. I did feel for all the little children abandoned to the nuns in the orphanage. Believe me, these nuns could have been a little more caring, knowing how these children must have felt losing their parents or parent. The two different sides of his mother seemed almost impossible. How does a person change so much? I know they can become bitter when life doesn't turn out the way they expected, but his mother does a complete 360.
So I liked it, it was a good story, I just wanted to feel a little more involved in these character's lives.
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LibraryThing member muddyboy
This book has two principle plot lines. The first is about a young orphan who was abandoned and his quest to find the mother that abandoned him. The second is a flashback plot about how his mother came to the point of leaving him at the orphanage. It is beautifully written and mother and son have
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such purity of character that you want to root for them throughout the book. Although it is sentimental in spots it is not sappy or syrupy. It tugs at your emotions without overbearing melodrama. This is the authors second book and I will be reading his first book shortly. Show Less
LibraryThing member poetreegirl
A heart-wrenching story about a mother's love for her son, and her son's search for answers. Set in the Chinese-American neighborhood of Depression Era Seattle, this well-developed story explores morality, social taboos, poverty and racism.
LibraryThing member momgee
Since I loved Jamie Ford's debut novel, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, I was thrilled to win his latest, The Songs of WIllow Frost.
This book captured me immediately and I was drawn into the life of a young orphan named William Eng and his longing to have his mother back in his life.
Set in Seattle during the throes of the Great Depression, Ford brings the time and sense of place to life. Ford divulges the past through flash backs from several points of view and he does it with a deft hand. The characters are so real, it's as if you can hear them breathing from the pages. The story of William's search for and eventual finding of his mother had me riveted eliciting emotions from me in a full range.
I absolutely love Ford's writing style. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You won't regret it!
This book captured me immediately and I was drawn into the life of a young orphan named William Eng and his longing to have his mother back in his life.
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On an outing to the movies, William sees an actress on screen who he is convinced is his supposedly dead mother. Set in Seattle during the throes of the Great Depression, Ford brings the time and sense of place to life. Ford divulges the past through flash backs from several points of view and he does it with a deft hand. The characters are so real, it's as if you can hear them breathing from the pages. The story of William's search for and eventual finding of his mother had me riveted eliciting emotions from me in a full range.
I absolutely love Ford's writing style. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You won't regret it!
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LibraryThing member pjhess
Another great read from author Jamie Ford. William Eng is in a catholic orphanage and never given up hope that his mother is still out there somewhere and one day he is sure that he sees her in a movie. He and his friend Charlotte are determined to find the actress and prove she is his mother. Ford
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does an excellent job of telling Willow's story and about Seattle during the depression. His books make me feel like I am there and what a wonderful place to be. Show Less
LibraryThing member Abi516
I was thrilled to receive an early reviewers copy of this sophomore effort by Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Songs of Willow Frost did not disappoint. I believe that Ford has mastered the art of beautiful melancholy.
William Eng is a 12 year old orphan at a convent
William Eng is a 12 year old orphan at a convent
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orphanage in depression era Seattle. On a movie outing with the other orphan boys, he believes he recognizes his mother in one of actresses. He embarks on a journey to find her, his own past, and hopes to alter his bleak future. Others have mentioned that the story is a bit slow but I found it hard to put down. There is much heartbreak and sadness along the way but in the end, I found the story entirely satisfying. Show Less
LibraryThing member CeeAnne
I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, and was so looking forward to reading it after loving Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I have to say that this book was equally as moving and beautiful.
The story focused on both William and Willow, but didn't constantly
Jamie Ford's Author's Note added something to the story, please don't skip over it.
I am very excited to recommend this to my book group.
The story focused on both William and Willow, but didn't constantly
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jump around which allowed me to really get immersed in their individual stories. The character development was excellent. My favorite character was another child from the orphanage, Charlotte. Her story broke my heart and stands out more to me than anything else.Jamie Ford's Author's Note added something to the story, please don't skip over it.
I am very excited to recommend this to my book group.
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LibraryThing member LaBibliophille
I've had this book for a bit but have been having difficulty finishing it. The reason is that is it so sad, but so excellent. It is the story of a sad boy, living in a sad time and place. William Eng is a 13 year old Chinese boy, living in an orphanage in Seattle in 1934. While things are difficult
Despite the harshness of the nuns at the orphanage, William has a roof over his head, food to eat, and regular schooling.William, however, dreams of his mother, his beloved Ah-Ma. When last he saw her, six years earlier, she was being taken to the hospital after being found dying in her bathtub. Of his father, William knows nothing.
On the day when all the orphan boys celebrate their birthday, they are taken to downtown Seattle to a movie. There, on the screen, William recognizes his mother, a performer known as Willow Frost. William then sees flyers that Willow is coming to Seattle as part of a revue/ He is determined to escape from the orphanage to meet her.
The characters are so well drawn and real in this book. The plot flows smoothly, despite the back and forth between 1934 and 1921, the year of William's birth. Autor Jamie Ford also wrote "Hotel On theCorner of Bitter and Sweet", another excellent book. I was slightly hesitant to start this book because I was afraid it would not measure up. In my opinion it surpassed it in all ways.
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for the children at the orphanage, things are worse in the outside world. During the depths of the Great Depression, there are bread lines, Hoovervilles, and children forced to work shining shoes and selling newspapers to support their families.Despite the harshness of the nuns at the orphanage, William has a roof over his head, food to eat, and regular schooling.William, however, dreams of his mother, his beloved Ah-Ma. When last he saw her, six years earlier, she was being taken to the hospital after being found dying in her bathtub. Of his father, William knows nothing.
On the day when all the orphan boys celebrate their birthday, they are taken to downtown Seattle to a movie. There, on the screen, William recognizes his mother, a performer known as Willow Frost. William then sees flyers that Willow is coming to Seattle as part of a revue/ He is determined to escape from the orphanage to meet her.
The characters are so well drawn and real in this book. The plot flows smoothly, despite the back and forth between 1934 and 1921, the year of William's birth. Autor Jamie Ford also wrote "Hotel On theCorner of Bitter and Sweet", another excellent book. I was slightly hesitant to start this book because I was afraid it would not measure up. In my opinion it surpassed it in all ways.
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LibraryThing member astridnr
Jamie Ford's new release, Songs of Willow Snow is as wonderful as I had hoped it would be. After reading Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, my expectations were high. This novel is also bitter and sweet. Ford has taken the time to document a period in history, in which many parents had to
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give up their children, because they no longer had the means to look after them. The story takes place in the 1920's to the mid-1930's in Seatte. The main characters are Willow Snow, a Chinese American film star and a young orphan named William. Heartwrenchingly beautiful. I highly recommend this book. Would write more, but I don't want to give anything away. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookczuk
Young William Eng, is a Chinese-American boy, who has lived in an orphanage since he was seven. He remembers his beautiful mother, who had become sad and worn out by misfortune, being carried out of the apartment, after he found her near lifeless in their bathtub. His memories of her are strong and
I do have to admit I've got mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it takes place in an interesting time/place, plus has some plot elements that are intriguing. It's also clear that this is a subject very close to the author's heart. It's a story plot line that I really wanted to like. Unfortunately, I never fully engaged in the characters. I like to be able to see a story in 3D in my mind, to have an author shape and craft the characters, settings, and plot so that I feel it, that I can smell the spices in the air, or the stink in the alleys; feel the harshness of a scratchy wool, or the sleek smoothness of silk. For me, I remained in the 2 dimensional world of the pages of the book, rather than the world of the story itself. It may be that I'm a bit distracted right ow -- I had surgery right around when I started the book, and that and pain medication may have impacted my perceptions. I have read another work by this author (rather, listened to it on Radio Reader) and liked it a great deal. So the fault may be in my stars, not the author's words.
I've rounded this up to three stars, because I think any book that makes me look something up has served an extra purpose beyond reading pleasure.
Thank you to Librarything early reader program and the publisher for sending me this AR copy of the book.
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he is convinced that, despite what the nuns at Seattle's Sacred Heart Orphanage say, she is still alive. Then one day, the day assigned by the nuns as the birthday of all the boys at the orphanage, he sees the face of an actress in the movies, hears her sing, and is convinced she is his long lost mother. Songs of Willow Frost is the story of his search for his mother.I do have to admit I've got mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it takes place in an interesting time/place, plus has some plot elements that are intriguing. It's also clear that this is a subject very close to the author's heart. It's a story plot line that I really wanted to like. Unfortunately, I never fully engaged in the characters. I like to be able to see a story in 3D in my mind, to have an author shape and craft the characters, settings, and plot so that I feel it, that I can smell the spices in the air, or the stink in the alleys; feel the harshness of a scratchy wool, or the sleek smoothness of silk. For me, I remained in the 2 dimensional world of the pages of the book, rather than the world of the story itself. It may be that I'm a bit distracted right ow -- I had surgery right around when I started the book, and that and pain medication may have impacted my perceptions. I have read another work by this author (rather, listened to it on Radio Reader) and liked it a great deal. So the fault may be in my stars, not the author's words.
I've rounded this up to three stars, because I think any book that makes me look something up has served an extra purpose beyond reading pleasure.
Thank you to Librarything early reader program and the publisher for sending me this AR copy of the book.
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LibraryThing member Micheller7
Songs of Willow Frost, by Jamie Ford takes place during the Depression in Seattle, Washington and is a beautiful, but melancholy story of an Chinese orphan in search of his mother. William Eng, a boy of twelve, lives in a convent orphanage, and one day on an outing sees a picture of a movie star he
The writing is pure and simple and conveys the sights, sounds and smells of the period. It recounts the abject poverty of the depression, as well as many tidbits about the live stage shows and budding film industry of the era. But at its essence, it is about a mother's love and sacrifice and about a young boy driven to find his mother.
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is convinced is his mother. He had lived with his mother during the early years of his life and still remembered her. Along with his blind friend, Charlotte, William runs away from the orphanage to try to meet his mother when he learns that she will be appearing in his city. The novel goes back in time to tell the story of Liu Song, his mother, and how her life story led her to put William in that orphanage. The story is heartbreaking. As William eventually realizes while seeing a film with the following quote: "It is the supreme irony-that the only person I have ever deeply loved, should be borne of blood that I loathe," that is his story too. The writing is pure and simple and conveys the sights, sounds and smells of the period. It recounts the abject poverty of the depression, as well as many tidbits about the live stage shows and budding film industry of the era. But at its essence, it is about a mother's love and sacrifice and about a young boy driven to find his mother.
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LibraryThing member Hccpsk
An interesting book about a talented Chinese American woman and her son, William, during the depression. The narrative bounces back and forth between William’s life in an orphanage, and the back story of how he came to be there. Ford does an excellent job of highlighting the struggle of women,
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and especially Chinese American women during the period. It also depicts the music and movie industry during the 1920’s and 30’s. The situations and dilemmas encountered felt real, but I wish that the main character, Willow, had been more deeply drawn out. I never felt the connection to her that I did with the characters in Ford’s first book, and this made the book drag for me at times. I think that Ford’s desire for historical accuracy and details get in the way of character development, but I still recommend this book as an enjoyable read about the period. Show Less
LibraryThing member susiesharp
As with Ford’s last book this is a bittersweet story that will give you such major feels. William is such a sweet kid, you can't help but love him and I just wanted to give him a hug. There are 2 characters that will stay with you long after you are finished and they are William and Charlotte,
Willow/Liu Song is a memorable character too but although I did feel sorry for her, I didn’t have the same feelings for her as I did for William. Her story is a sad one but some of that sadness comes from the choices she makes, Yes, I know bad things happened to her and I know she had no choice in those matters but I think her later choices are the ones she felt the most guilt for and in some ways rightfully so. Yes, I know it is a different time and prejudices being what they were made things all the harder for her as a single/unwed Chinese mother in the 1920’s so I understand she did the best she could being so young and having no family to depend on. Ok, I am not going to say anymore you will need to make your own decision about how you feel about Willow.
I liked the alternating chapters as Willow tells William the story of his life before the orphanage and seeing it through his eyes as the story unfolds, as sparks of memory he had forgotten are reignited.
How come it is so hard for me to write a coherent review of a book I loved? This book made me feel so much, it is beautifully written; Jamie Ford has a great talent for taking a sad/bittersweet story and telling it in a way that you are not depressed when you are done with the book. There were a few times I had to put it down for a few moments, one moment especially and when you read the book you will know exactly which one I am talking about. But it just made the story more beautiful, and heartbreaking.
This is an amazing story, I for one absolutely loved it and I hope you will too. Beautifully, heartrending and heartbreaking but a story that will stay with you long after you are finished, I have such a book hangover from this book that I have not been able to start a new book yet, and for me that is a sure sign of a great book.
5 Stars
I received this book from the Librarything Early reviewer program (also was accepted for it from netgalley but never got it downloaded)
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these two kids are so precious and so damaged by circumstance they will break your heart but they will also fill your heart with such feelings.Willow/Liu Song is a memorable character too but although I did feel sorry for her, I didn’t have the same feelings for her as I did for William. Her story is a sad one but some of that sadness comes from the choices she makes, Yes, I know bad things happened to her and I know she had no choice in those matters but I think her later choices are the ones she felt the most guilt for and in some ways rightfully so. Yes, I know it is a different time and prejudices being what they were made things all the harder for her as a single/unwed Chinese mother in the 1920’s so I understand she did the best she could being so young and having no family to depend on. Ok, I am not going to say anymore you will need to make your own decision about how you feel about Willow.
I liked the alternating chapters as Willow tells William the story of his life before the orphanage and seeing it through his eyes as the story unfolds, as sparks of memory he had forgotten are reignited.
How come it is so hard for me to write a coherent review of a book I loved? This book made me feel so much, it is beautifully written; Jamie Ford has a great talent for taking a sad/bittersweet story and telling it in a way that you are not depressed when you are done with the book. There were a few times I had to put it down for a few moments, one moment especially and when you read the book you will know exactly which one I am talking about. But it just made the story more beautiful, and heartbreaking.
This is an amazing story, I for one absolutely loved it and I hope you will too. Beautifully, heartrending and heartbreaking but a story that will stay with you long after you are finished, I have such a book hangover from this book that I have not been able to start a new book yet, and for me that is a sure sign of a great book.
5 Stars
I received this book from the Librarything Early reviewer program (also was accepted for it from netgalley but never got it downloaded)
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LibraryThing member dgmlrhodes
I loved the book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and was excited to have won a copy of the authors new book through the Library Thing Early Reviewer program. The story is one of William Eng who is growing up in an orphanage in Seattle. The story entertained with that of Williams mother
Ultimately the story is about love, motherhood and sometimes the difficult choices that must be made by a parent to help their child. Times were different in the depression era and the arbor does a wonderful job of setting the time and place.
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whose stage name is Willow Frost. The book alternates between two time periods: Tge time before William is born (and his very early childhood) and the time around age 12. Ultimately the story is about love, motherhood and sometimes the difficult choices that must be made by a parent to help their child. Times were different in the depression era and the arbor does a wonderful job of setting the time and place.
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LibraryThing member angela.vaughn
This book made me want to go out and buy Ford's first book. He managed to touch on the very real sacrifices mothers make for their children and never feel quite confident enough in their roll. I like the way the story was told fromWilliam's point of view also. You can feel the pain that they both
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went through and see that they will and have always been connected by their hearts. Show Less
LibraryThing member JGoto
I like rooting for the underdog as much as the next guy, but Liu Song was such a complete victim, that I just felt like screaming. I understand the times were different; sexual abuse, especially for a young Chinese girl in the 1920's, was shameful and a secret best kept hidden. But being called a
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slut was also shameful and grounds for removing her child from her, so why didn't she tell someone? The only moment when Liu actually fought back by donning a mask and scaring the devil out of her stepparents was the highlight of the entire book. I also believe that no human is 100% evil, but Liu's stepfather, Uncle Leo, had no redeeming qualities to make him human. On the day of Liu Song's mother's funeral, Uncle Leo, needing to fulfill his role as grieving husband, threw a big feast for all the funeral guests, but teenage Liu Song, the only child, was not invited. Really? Then, after hours of rowdy merrymaking at the feast, Uncle Leo comes home and rapes her. I think that in great novels, the evil characters always have a bit of humanity, and in the end, it makes them lifelike and only serves to emphasize their wickedness. Uncle Leo was hateful, but not a three dimensional character. I found that Songs of Willow Frost engaged me enough to finish it, but it was dreary and a relief to put down when it was finished. Show Less
LibraryThing member shayrp76
*I received a free uncorrected galley from netgalley*
5 Stars
For the last five years William Eng, a twelve year old Chinese-American boy has been a residence of the Sacred Heart Orphanage in Seattle. He remembers his mother being carried away from their apartment but can only assume her fate since
This novel is told from both William and Willow’s point of view and both are equally heart wrenching as well as heartwarming. One is a story of ambition, loss and sacrifice. The other is also about ambition and loss but also friendship and longing. On top of all that emotion is the harsh truth about racial and sexual equality of that time plus the obligation of tradition.
I have been very lucky so far this year to have read some phenomenal books and have been introduced to wonderful writers. This is absolutely among the greatest novels I have ever read. It’s hard to emphasize what made it great without giving bits away so I will keep it brief. The characters and how their stories intertwined kept me on an emotional reel. Sometimes jumping between perspectives can seem tedious but these flowed flawlessly and seemed to balance seamlessly. The pacing was never off and the pages turned effortlessly. There is something in these pages that everyone can relate to and something that will stick in readers’ minds for a long time. This is a novel I will visit again in the future.
I do believe I am gushing a little. This is a must read!
5 Stars
For the last five years William Eng, a twelve year old Chinese-American boy has been a residence of the Sacred Heart Orphanage in Seattle. He remembers his mother being carried away from their apartment but can only assume her fate since
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she never came back for him. Every year the nuns celebrate the orphans’ birthdays’ collectively by telling them news of their families and taking them to see a movie. That is where William sees Willow Frost for the first time and knows in his heart that she is his mother. It’s that day that he decides to do whatever it takes to find Willow Frost and in turn claim the family that he lost.This novel is told from both William and Willow’s point of view and both are equally heart wrenching as well as heartwarming. One is a story of ambition, loss and sacrifice. The other is also about ambition and loss but also friendship and longing. On top of all that emotion is the harsh truth about racial and sexual equality of that time plus the obligation of tradition.
I have been very lucky so far this year to have read some phenomenal books and have been introduced to wonderful writers. This is absolutely among the greatest novels I have ever read. It’s hard to emphasize what made it great without giving bits away so I will keep it brief. The characters and how their stories intertwined kept me on an emotional reel. Sometimes jumping between perspectives can seem tedious but these flowed flawlessly and seemed to balance seamlessly. The pacing was never off and the pages turned effortlessly. There is something in these pages that everyone can relate to and something that will stick in readers’ minds for a long time. This is a novel I will visit again in the future.
I do believe I am gushing a little. This is a must read!
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Awards
Maine Readers' Choice Award (Longlist — 2014)
High Plains Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2014)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — September 2013)
Pages
352
ISBN
0345522028 / 9780345522023