Warcross by Marie Lu (review by Tasha M. '20)

Warcross by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marie Lu’s Warcross at first seems like an overdone virtual reality dystopia, but provides a somewhat original take on the topic. Emika Chen, a hacker barely able to pay rent, shocks the world by “glitching” into the international tournament of Warcross, the most popular virtual reality video game. The creator of Warcross enters her into the tournament to gain inside information on someone trying to infiltrate the systems.

Lu’s future world is believable and immersive. The description was well-mixed with plot that was engaging and moved at a decent pace; however, the ending confused me and seemed like it should have been the first chapter of the sequel.

The characters were incredibly well-developed, especially Emika. She comes off as a strong, knowledgeable protagonist, but later on, her vulnerable side begins to show. While I would have liked to know more about the supporting characters, they had unique personalities. Also worth noting is the characters’ diversity: along with the Asian-American protagonist, Warcross features a disabled character, a gay character, and a Hispanic character. My only criticism is that the romance seemed forced.

All in all, Warcross is an enjoyable but not spectacular read, especially for fans of YA or science fiction. - Tasha M. '20

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The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gail Tsukiyama’s simple yet beautiful writing style draws the reader into this well crafted tale of two brothers whose stories span several decades. Set in Japan in 1939 on the eve of the second world war, Hiroshi finds his passion in sumo wrestling while his younger brother Kenji discovers the ancient art of carving masks for traditional Japanese theater. When the war comes, the two must readjust their lives, and when it is over, they must take part in the rebuilding of their nation.

I found this novel to be deeply touching and greatly appreciated the way Tsukiyama wrote about the struggles that each of the characters face and would highly recommend it to any reader looking for a coming of age story.

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The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden tells the tale of a young Chinese man, Stephen, who travels to a sea-side town in Japan to recover from tuberculosis during the Second Sino-Japanese war in the late 1930s. He stays with Matsu, who has worked for Stephen’s family all his life, and learns to live in the quiet town of Tarumi while he regains his strength. Stephen also meets Matsu’s friend Sachi, also an outcast, and slowly gains her trust. This book tells a touching story about friendship in a time of war and Tsukiyama’s simple, yet elegant language really draws the reader into Stephen’s story. I really appreciated learning about the war and how Tsukiyama incorporated Stephen’s identity as a Chinese man who is immersed in Japanese culture and makes friends at Tarumi during this time period. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a satisfying read.

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South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (review by Andrew R. '17)

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

South of the Border, West of the Sun is infuriating—not in the manner of books that disappoint and disgust from beginning to end, but in the way of plots that, after a few failed early chapters, reward readers with tantalizing tastes of undeniable brilliance. If only Haruki Murakami had seen fit to split the first half of the book, which chronicles the narrator’s over dramatic childhood in a wearyingly trite style, from the second half… Then I could assign a one-star rating to the first segment and forget about it, focusing instead on the simple, understated beauty that underlines the later chapters as they trace the protagonist Hajime’s relationships, past and present, with other characters. But, alas, the tale of Hajime’s later life is tainted by the cringe-worthy opening chapters; there’s no way to get the best parts of the novel without the worst. If there were, though, I would recommend the second half of South of the Border, West of the Sun to anyone and everyone who’s ever laid hands on a book. - Andrew R. '17

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Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (review by Sra. Moss, Harker teacher)

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Survival, Resilience and Redemption" read the book's subtitle. The most amazing thing about this book is that it's a true story! Louis Zamperini, now age 93, was a delinquent youth, then trained for and ran in the 1936 Olympics, survived 49 days at sea after being shot down over the Pacific in WW II and then three years in a prison camp in Japan. It was hard to imagine how things could ever get worse for this man, as I turned page after page, yet he survived it all to become an inspirational speaker and impassioned role model for troubled youth. It is only a matter of time before this is made into a movie. Hmmm, which actor will play him? He'll have enormous shoes to fill! – Sra. Moss, Harker teacher

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