Many thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emotionally this book pushed me to the edge. I am sitting here feeling something that I don’t even know how to describe because mere words can’t do it justice.

This beautiful, historical fiction story about Japanese-American internment camps starts three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This story is told from the perspective of fourteen different teens. I must admit initially I thought reading a story with that many perspectives was going to be overwhelming and too difficult to follow. But I was wrong it was done in such a way that each story flows into the next making it very easy to follow.

Fourteen Japanese-American teenagers who had grown up together in Japantown, San Francisco had their world turned upside down when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Anyone of Japanese ethnicity had become enemy number one in the United States. Japantown was cleared out and the residents were thrown into internment camps. The adversity that they faced was unimaginable but they didn’t give up. Yet, even after they are "freed," they have to deal with a country that is extremely racist towards them. Their communities and even families are scattered. Some left the camps earlier by pledging their allegiance to the U.S. by fighting overseas, some in high-security camps, some repatriated. Although they kept their heads held high what was taken from them can never be forgotten or replaced.

I didn’t learn about Japanese internment camps until my late thirties. Ever since I have tried to learn as much as possible about that terrible time in history. Therefore, I have read several books on the subject. None have had the impact of this book. The emotions are so real and so raw and so incredibly powerful and absolutely necessary, especially right now. Maybe it is because of everything that is going on in the world today such as the detention centers at our borders. History can repeat if we don’t learn from our past failures. This book should be a part of every high school curriculum. Highly recommended.

I won this book as part of a contest and delivery method was NetGalley. Book was not provided with intention of needing review but I am happy to post one. This is an amazing book that everyone should read.. It has 14 different character POV’s during WWII and what it was like for Japanese Americans put in interment camps as our government like they were a threat to our country.. This part of history does not get as much attention but it is so important. A wonderful, powerful, and very emotionally heavy read. There is a lot to process and I think this book will stick with me for a long time.

This novel is a historical fiction that starts three months since the attack on pearl harbor. Readers will be taken through a heartbreaking and yet beautiful journey of the 14 Japanese American who were ripped from their neighborhood in San Francisco and were forced to live off in incarceration camps during WWII.

We Are Not Free is one of the best books I’ve read this year, maybe in my whole life! After being engrossed by Kiku Hughes graphic novel, Displacement, which was also a story about the Japanese American internment, I was easily sucked in by Traci Chee’s stunning and powerful writing. We Are Not Free is written in 14, yes you read that right, 14 different POV’s with characters of different age groups. It sounds intimidating but it surprisingly worked so well for me. In fact, it was one of the many reasons why I couldn’t stop reading the book. The way Traci Chee wrote each chapter was incredible as you can really feel the individuality and difference of each characters. You can also notice how detailed and yet poetic the writing was. Each chapter, each POV really brought an emotion out of me. It’s amazing how readable and impacting this book is.

As I’ve mentioned above, the story started few months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and we saw how ordinary the lives of young teens were. I really liked how the timeline was done in this story and that even though the book has 14 POV’s, it was written chronologically. This way, the book made it easy for us to follow their stories. I really wouldn’t want to elaborate the whole plot even more here in my review as I wanted for you to experience it yourself. It’s devastating and absolutely riveting, I had to put the book down at some point just so I can process what was happening in the novel. The injustice, how they were mistreated and the racial fear they had to go through. Probably one of the saddest part of reading this novel is realizing that what they went through is still happening in the present time, just in different ways.

I don’t think I’ll forget this book anytime soon. It will always be at the tip of my tongue when someone will ask for a book recommendation. It is a necessary and incredible book. By reading this book, you may feel the pain, racism, and fear but this will also bring you joy, laughter, and will make you realize the power of friendship. Truly, a masterpiece!

This was a really eye opening book about a time in American history that we tend to gloss over- Japanese Internment Camps. I really enjoyed the characters and the pacing of this book.

Wow. This is such a powerful book, and a vital addition to YA literature about WWII and the incarceration of Japanese Americans.

The story is told through fourteen different perspectives, from March 1942, 3 months after Pearl Harbor, through March 1945 when in fact some camps were not yet closed. The story begins in San Francisco's Japantown, which most of the teens call home. We see them rail against racism and injustice even as they are sent to the Tanforan Assembly Center, then later to Topaz and Tule Lake. Some will eventually be sent to war, others head east at the first opportunity, still more are pulled apart because of supposed loyalties. Their bond remains strong throughout, and I felt for them at every separation.

I admit that I was skeptical of this format at first, and it was probably harder to follow than a single narrator would have been. Each person tells one piece of the story; only Minnow speaks twice, bookending the collection. That said, each perspective brings a unique and valuable contribution to the overall narrative, and the story is stronger for them all. From the introspective artist to the tough softball player, from nervous Tommy to the indomitable Bette, each teen has their own voice as they recount the next portion of the timeline. I loved meeting each new character; any one of them would have made an excellent book but the gestalt was just incredible.

I keep thinking back to This Light Between Us: A Novel of World War II, which I read earlier this year. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and I cared so much about sweet, sensitive Alex and his brave pen pal, Charlie. A certain type of reader would find a lot to love in that story, and I recommend it when I can. But We Are Not Free is different. Each character is so real, and this is what really sets the book apart for me. They get mad, they swear, they fight with their friends and make up with them later. They go to dances and try to make the best of things. They keep playing softball and drawing and discovering themselves, and they make decisions that their parents don't agree with. In short, they're normal teenagers, and I think most of today's teens could find themselves in at least one of the characters. I've read a lot of fiction about this ugly chapter in American history, but this is by far the most raw, relatable account that I've come across. I can't wait for our library's copy to arrive.

Japanese internment camps are something we like to gloss over and pretend never happened in America, so I was excited to see a whole book about them coming to the YA world. We Are Not Free is well-researched, beautifully written, and ultimately a timely story in our current political climate.

An Eye-Opening Read About Japanese-American History

Content Warning: Internment Camps, Racism, Racialprejudice, Abuse, Imprisonment, Hate Crimes, Death, Violence

As a Filipino, discussions on World War II history is not something new to me. And the thing is, both the USA and Japan colonialized our country – which is why Filipinos have this twisted mentality of seeing both of these nations as saviors. Anyway, that’s another story.

To be honest, I only know about WWII stories on our country – and I have no idea of its global implications. So, when I received an email for Colored Pages about this book that discusses World War II impact on Japan, and Japanese-American, in particular, I couldn’t resist signing up.

Please note though that I am not an #ownvoices reviewer for this one, as I am unfamiliar with the internment caps and I am not a Japanese, too.

Racism in America

We Are Not Free tells the story of Japanese-Americans living in the US during the time of the war. One of the first things you will notice at the first few pages is the blatant racism all Asians in the US face at this time. Especially for East Asians, they have to face death threats just for their looks and the onslaught of slurs just by walking down the street.

And the thing is, decades after, racism is still here – and I think that’s the worst thing.

Chilling and Heart-breaking at the Same Time

We Are Not Free is one great emotional ride and I am still in awe at how inhumane life can be at the time of the war. I never knew that internment camps existed and I didn’t know that they were tagged as “enemy aliens” with the worst treatments ever.

The ambiance of the book even pushed the somber mood even further and the way Traci Chee weaves words will really tug at your heartstrings. There are so many heartbreaking moments in this book – I don’t want to spoil anything, JUST READ IT. Trust me.

Multiple POVs? Here’s 14!

Traci Chee delivered this story, not through one person’s eyes, but from 14 different people! What I loved about this is that we see how teens handled all of these, especially a major life change, not being able to continue studying and being away from some of their loved ones.

The highlight of the story is also on this group of friends, with each one having a personality that shines through the pages. As much as I was trying to separate myself a little from each of them because I was so scared of being too attached, these young adults captured my heart and I will carry their stories for the rest of my life.

Final Thoughts: READ IT NOW
There are so many things I want to say but I can’t really find the words. I guess, what I want to end this with is buy this book. Read it. And tell others to do so, too.

I am not affected by this book. I am not an American and it's not my country which committed these atrocities. Why should I be bothered? Then the nightmares began. And I knew. There is no way to run. I cannot forget this story, even if I try to. That's the power of the written word. Who was I kidding again?
Fourteen youths. Incarcerated with their families in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbour attack. This is their story. Written in multiple POVs, reading this book felt like looking through a window to peek at the family living inside the room. All the stories are connected yet different. They have their personal woes and also pleasures, like a softball match. Inspired by the author's own family history, these fourteen voices make it known that they cannot be forgotten.
Other than the brief understanding, I didn't know much about the US incarceration camps before reading this remarkable work. Stamped as enemies, this San Franciscan Japanese community is forcibly deported from their homes to live in inhuman conditions and this happens in a country which advertises freedom more than anything else. The betrayal, the anger and the confusion that they experience are vividly portrayed by Traci Chee, making it so heartbreaking and real.
Not many books can't be claimed to have the power to haunt my dreams at night. 'We are not Free' is one of the exceptions and though bittersweet, I am happy to be splashed with some hard realities.

“All around me, my friends are talking, joking, laughing. Outside is the camp, the barbed wire, the guard towers, the city, the country that hates us.

We are not free.

But we are not alone.”

“We Are Not Free” by Traci Chee is unequivocally one of the most soulful, heartbreaking and poignant reads I’ve ever read. Chee puts her whole soul into encapsulating the lives of “fourteen” young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, irreversibly altered following the attack on Pearl Harbor, leading upto the mass incarceration by the U.S.

“And I get it, finally, Gaman. The ability to hold your pain and bitterness inside you and not let them destroy you. To make something beautiful through your anger, or with your anger, and neither erase it nor let it define you. To suffer. And to rage. And to persevere”

A page from history that is lesser talked about, this piece of historical fiction makes you emotional and hopeful at the same time. Chee prefers to call the book much more than “history” or “fiction” and once you read it, you will know why! The fourteen young Nissei, detained in the incarcenation camp among the inhumane conditions, find the littlest of joys being together, and if that doesn’t stands for hope, I don’t know what does! If you are someone who adores, “found family”, I donot have a better and necessary recommendation than “WE ARE FREE” for you.

“I’m not a great artist or anything, but I’m a better artist than that. When I draw the people in my neighborhood, I draw them with eyes like crescent moons and kindness and red bean cakes split down the center”

The alternate POV’s helped me understand how every character had aspirations of their own yet how each of them were shackled to the ramifications of their times. Shig, Minnow, Tommy, Bette as I came across a new character only augmented the longing for freedom in me. I am really glad I got an opportunity to read this book and got to know about a part of history that I never would’ve even come across otherwise in the contemporary times.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster for me.

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee follows the lives of fourteen teens, children of Japanese Immigrants, who grew up in San Francisco, CA, and were forcedly removed from their homes and put in Segregation Camps by the US Government. The story starts a little after Pearl Harbor and ends in March of 1945 and within that time we get to know these characters who grew up together and now have to face this new and unfair reality.

“And I get it, finally. Gaman. The ability to hold your pain and bitterness inside you and not let them destroy you. To make something beautiful through your anger, or with your anger, and neither erase it nor let it define you. To suffer. And to rage. And to persevere." — Traci Chee, We Are Not Free

To be honest, I was nervous about reading a book with fourteen main characters. I mean, how can you even keep track, right? Well, apparently I am less dense than I thought because I was able to do it just fine. Because of the way it was written, the speech/thought patterns were distinguished enough that the chapters felt natural to me. Big props to the author, that must have been so hard to write!

Anyway, because the characters all had their unique voice (and backgrounds) I couldn't help to relate to some more than others but what surprised me the most was that I could understand everyone. Even when I couldn't agree with their actions, even when I thought they were being irrational, I got them and I cared for them. And that's the beauty of books right? One can empathize with fictional characters so much to the point of tears.

And, gods, there were tears. I'm usually not a big crier. I can probably count on one hand how many times I cried while watching or reading something, but We Are Not Free left me pouring my eyes out at two in the morning. That's how good the book is.

"See, we don’t got liberty, we don’t got property, but you better believe we’ve got the Great American Right to die for a country that doesn’t want us.” — Traci Chee, We Are Not Free

I part of why I felt so connected with the book is because I felt represented. I can't remember the last time I saw so many Japanese characters who had also another nationality and who were also conflicted with their ancestry. I can't remember the last time I read a book and felt so seen because, even though I am nowhere near the characters in time, I could relate to their feelings and their thoughts and actions.

Regarding the plot, the author managed to cover a bit over three years' worth of fourteen character's lives, which means a lot happens. And a lot, historically, is covered as well. That means that there's always conflict, there's some romance and some brilliant quotes. Basically, I couldn't keep myself from turning the pages and ended up reading it all in one sitting and finished at 2 am (crying, no less).

“I want to believe in right and wrong. Here is what’s right. Here is what isn’t. Here is the line. Here is the question: If I go to war for America, if I kill for America, if I support an America that doesn’t support me, am I supporting my oppressors?” — Traci Chee, We Are Not Free

I did not know anything about the author and therefore it was a great surprise to find out she's so good. She's done a great job researching and writing We Are Not Free. The book kept on edge all the time (and I'm guessing it was on purpose) and moved me deeply. I will always be grateful to Traci Chee.

Also, it was a nice surprise to find out one of the characters is not straight! That usually does not happen in historical fiction (at least, not in the very few books I read within the genre).

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee is an amazing historical fiction. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great read who leave you emotionally wrecked (in a good way, I promised).

"You’ve lost too much to give more of yourself away.” — Traci Chee, We Are Not Free

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<p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Reasons to read <em>We Are Not Free: </em></p>
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<ol><li>Traci Chee <strong>masters the art of multiple perspectives.</strong> She includes not one, not two, but <em>fourteen distinct voices</em>, all within one story. There's Minnow, the quiet observer. Bette the optimist. Twitchy, the boy who keeps going. Shig, the charming but angry rebel. Yum-yum, the <s>resentful </s>obedient daughter. They all have such distinct personalities and struggles, and to get to know each of them both through their own chapters and their features in others was <strong>one of the most beautifully heartbreaking experiences</strong>. I've seen some reviews that didn't love having fourteen perspectives, mainly because it was just too much and it felt incomplete in a way. I agree that it can be a bit much to keep track of at times, but I think in terms of historical fiction/non-fiction based work, we're lucky to get complete happy endings anyway. In the lives of these fourteen teens, their lives have literally been interrupted; they didn't get to finish their own stories, not in the way that they wanted to anyway. At a time when they're being tossed around like nothing, they're each trying to gain control over <em>something</em> in their lives, no matter what that means. I'm not sure if Traci meant to parallel their unfinished lives with the patchwork writing of their lives (I think she did), but regardless, the pairing made for a tear-jerking read. It's no surprise that I cried <em>multiple times</em> while reading, and I'd gladly endure it all again. </li><li>Can we say <em>pure, wholesome friendships</em>??? I guess this kind of goes along with #1, but it deserves a category to itself. The friendships they build with each other create a whole other dimension to what it means to be a second-gen Japanese American teenager. Chee plays around age differences and gender norms and meshes them together in a way that allows the characters to form raw, authentic, and <em>necessary</em> relationships with each other. There was never a moment where someone felt alone. Sad, beaten, pissed off, hopeless, sure. But alone? Never. Something that really resonated with me was the bit about the yes-no surveys. In short, these two-question surveys serve as a loyalty gauge for those in the camps, and both questions had to be answered the same; basically, <strong>they're forced to either incriminate themselves or relinquish their freedom</strong>. To make matters even worse, younger children and teens couldn't answer for themselves and their fates depended on their parents. That being said, some of our 14 protagonists are "no-nos," who are forced to move to a more established base. Despite being separated by distance and now ideology in a sense, these friends write to each other and continue to think about and love each other from afar. <strong>They truly love each other for who they are</strong>, which is especially awe-inspiring because of how different they are. <em>Absolutely <strong>nothing</strong></em> could separate these friends. </li><li>Honestly, being a teenager is hard enough without racism and prejudice. Chee's choice in focusing on second-gen Japanese American teens is an <strong>astounding, extremely nuanced</strong> one. They live in a world that not only vilifies them for their existence, but in a smaller subculture of Asian Americans who face <strong>expectations of obedience and submission and goodness,</strong> internalized both by themselves and their parents. Chee's different commentaries on the stereotypes of obedience and resilience are <strong>refreshing</strong> and <strong>unapologetically angry</strong>. Have you ever thought about writing the book you needed when you were younger? <em>Traci Chee has done it.</em> It is a hurt and angry love letter to Japanese Americans and to have been able to grasp just the tiniest bit of it was amazing. </li><li>I'm not sure about other countries, but if you're from the U.S., the most we've learned about Japanese American history in school stops at Pearl Harbor. In <em>We Are Not Free</em>, <strong>it's just the beginning</strong>. Unless you've sought out information about Japanese internment camps and the mass evictions and vandalism and exclusion during and after WWII, it's hard to find it taught in schools. The surveys and the war itself became <em>huge</em> parts of the story. The surveys especially, although tiny little things, <strong>changed the entire direction of their lives</strong>. Their answers became their identities and nothing else mattered. That little bit of history alone leaves much to be unpacked, and I don't quite have the words to do it for you here, but if and when you read this, it will change you forever. The layers are so complex to work through and I'm <em>still</em> trying to figure it out for myself, but to read this was to become more human. Tying in with #3, I think centering teenagers was such a brilliant idea!! This generation has never known a world without war, and to write about how war affects everything <em>off of</em> the battlefield was <strong>absolutely genius</strong>. </li></ol>
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We Are Not Free is a phenomenal Historical YA Fiction book which tells the story of 14 Japanese-American teens in America during the second world war. In this book, we get to see the world through Frankie, Tommy, Aiko, Twitchy, Mas, Shig, Minnow, Stan, Mary, Keiko, Bette, Yuki, Yum-yum and Kiyoshi’s eyes.

Now if you know me at all, I am TRASH for Historical Fiction and an Asian enthusiast, so this book was perfect for me.

This book BROKE me. Ok well, I am very emotional but damn, this book was sad. The way the author wove words just made it sadder and better. Not only was this book sad, but It was also very informative. Before reading this book, I knew almost nothing about the treatment of the Japanese in America.

But it still hurts. It’s like we’re pulling up our roots, coming out of the dry soil, all our fragile threads breaking

-Aiko Harano
In this book, teenage friends have to go through racism and live in constant fear only because they look different and are “enemy aliens” to the country. They are taken, away from their homes to live in camps where life isn’t as usual. They witness murders, play baseball, fall in love and question whether they are loyal citizens to the country which treated them like trash.

My future isn’t mine anymore. It’s the property of the U.S. government, and so am I.

-Keiko Kimura
I am still in loss of words to describe this book. It was incredibly moving and Important. I recommend everyone to read it!

Representation– Japanese-American MCs, Japanese, Side Chinese characters, Possibly queer MC.

Trigger Warnings- Usage of racial slurs, swearing and mistreatment.

Historical fiction has been my lucky genre these last few years. It’s a term I invented ( I think ? ) which means a genre which I rarely read from, but whenever I do, I end up picking up a gem of a book. We Are Not Free by Traci Chee made me feel the same way. It was an utterly devastating and beautiful book at the same time.

We Are Not Free centers around the Japanese internment camps during the 2nd World War. I had no idea about this historical event (I’m not an American, but I haven’t heard people talk about it either) “Many Americans worried that citizens of Japanese ancestry would act as spies or saboteurs for the Japanese government. Fear — not evidence — drove the U.S. government to place over 127,000 Japanese-Americans in concentration camps for the duration of WWII.”

The book follows 14 POVs, and even though a huge amount of POVs generally make me lose my focus while reading, We Are Not Free never made me feel bored at all. I think the story would have felt incomplete without the inclusion of multiple perspectives, because each of the characters deserved their own place and voice in the story. I finished reading We Are Not Free in a day - I have to thank Traci Chee’s realistic writing style for that.

We are Not Free, in my opinion, is a book about the necessity of friendship and hope during the time when happiness feels completely out of reach. I loved how the lives of all of the characters in the book were connected by such a strong bond. I lost count of the number of times that I got emotional while reading the book. The pain that got expressed through the lives of those young people – people who are my age, felt so raw and real. I think very few authors can make readers connect with the emotions that the characters feel in the book, so kudos to Traci Chee for her incredible work. She drew a genuine picture of racism and oppression through her words and created a breath-taking story.

I can’t even begin to explain how important this book is. Please pick up We Are Not Free as soon as you can.

Review is available on my blog The Reading Fairy

TW: War, internment camps, survivor’s guilt, death of a friend, death, blood, violence, racism, use of slurs (y-word, j-word), hate crimes, sexism, poverty, animal death (on page), fire, abuse, imprisonment
Rep: Japanese American, Japanese Cast, Chinese side characters, possible queer MC

Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley for the blog tour. This does not affect my opinion.

“You know how, after Pearl Harbor, it felt like everyone in America was watching us? And it felt like we had t be extra careful not to give anyone the idea that we still had ties to Japan? Because if we slipped up, it didn’t just mean that we were un-American, it meant that everyone-our family, our friends, everyone was un-American and didn’t belong here.”

I was really excited for this book ever since I read Chee’s series of Sea of Ink and Gold! And plus her tweets about her family were in the internment camps back in World War 2. So naturally I was really curious and I am such a history buff. I knew that internment camps existed in America and Japanese families were sent there, but that was it because it was barely covered in American History class.

I am defiantly not ownvoices for the Japanese rep (as far as I know), but I encourage people to read the ownvoices reviews for this book-because I can’t say anything about the rep. I’m not sure if any of my family members were in internment camps at all because for me, it’s harder of the blank pages of my own history.

I know quite a bit of world war 2, so of course, the history bluff in me would be excited. From the very first page, I had chills from the very first page, because I could feel the threats towards Japanese and Japanese Americans during that time after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. On how it was really dangerous on being even Asian American during these times because whites don’t know the difference between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people.

I am really glad that Chee did not hold back when she wrote this book. I could feel the conditions on the war and the camps (the conditions being humane to not so humane), how tense the racist tensions between Asian and white people during this time, the slurs that was used (which some I have never heard of until recently!), and how America keeps failing it’s promises of being the land of the free, a place where you can get a new life and start over etc, even to this day.

Books like these are really important. We have to understand that it wasn’t just Jewish people who suffered in WW2, Asian people particular Japanese and Japanese Americans also suffered in America. And having an author who had family members and learned about the camps her whole life on how her grandparents and others went through this is really important.

There were also quite a bit of characters in this book! It did confuse me a little bit, and I couldn’t really connect with them too much-but I simply loved them quite a bit, and just wished I could wrap these children up and protect them from the world they were living.

We have a group of friends- Frankie, Tommy, Stan, Minnow, Mas, Shig, Twitchy. And I love how different and unique they were, because it was easy to tell, and how they were so close. I’m still crying over that ending, while it was realistic-I was just not expecting it and it was so sad.

From the perspective of the teenage Nisei, second-generation Japanese Americans, comes a story of Japanese internment camps on U.S. soil after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They have all lived in Japantown, San Francisco, but now their families are being rounded up as potential enemies of the state. These fourteen Nisei and over a hundred thousand American citizens like them are sent off to a new, prisonous, rights-restricted life that carries little to no Constitutional guarantees with it and no running water either. All these Nisei know, however, is that they must stick together as their people, and their country, navigate a harsh new reality borne of fear, shock, and the cruelty of a war that has engulfed the entire globe.

I thought it was a brilliant idea to tell this historically-based story with so many different perspectives, allowing each Nisei to be the narrator, one chapter at a time, in chronological order. These Nisei are a close group, so each turn as narrator doesn't feel too jarring, and we get a different perspective of ongoing events from their eyes and their families as they try to create some semblance of normalcy after their entire life has been uprooted in the name of national security and the unfounded paranoia that they or their parents might turn on their own country. I appreciated how genuine each of the characters felt, and it hurt to realize how much their families lost as a result of four years spent in these incarceration camps.

This is an era of American history that is often ignored, but is so important, because it is fairly recent and it is proof that under the right conditions, America is still quite capable of committing atrocities against large groups of people in the name of so-called safety or political expediency. There was no proof of widespread sympathy to Japan by Japanese-American citizens at the time, and even if there had been, it still would have been unconstitutional and illegal to round up American citizens indiscriminately to send them off to prison camps.

Imagine if your own family was targeted this way, because of a religious belief, the color of your skin, or a group you belong to. When these American citizens were incarcerated for years, they lost everything they had worked for their entire lives. Businesses, respect in the community, their homes, their jobs, most or all of their money, all wiped out in a matter of hours or days. They and their children and their children's children suffer the cost of that trauma even today. George Takei, former Star Trek actor, often reflects on his own time in those camps, and how that experience has affected his life and the lives of survivors. Additionally, I have previously conversed with an acquaintance whose parents were in the camps, and they described to me how their parents prepare rice in a very specific way, and that is because the incarceration camps and the relative lack of nutrition forced their families to change the way they traditionally prepared rice, and that adjustment has persisted for decades after the incarceration ended. While this seems like a rather small thing, it is a shadow of life-changing trauma that has never gone away.

The story found in We Are Not Free is heart-rending, and though it is fiction, the impact on Japanese Americans from their years-long incarceration is real and its injustice persists in the minds and hearts of today's generation. While the attack on Pearl Harbor was a tragedy, it was also no excuse for indiscriminately revoking from a hundred thousand people the very Constitutionally-guaranteed rights that Allied soldiers at Pearl Harbor and throughout the world died for. The little details in this story, how other Asian Americans had to "prove" they weren't Japanese to avoid incarceration, how fear and prejudice persisted against Japanese Americans after the war, all the cumulative damage that flagrantly and violently shaped so many people's lives, is what makes this book important and special. I highly recommend reading this, whether you are young or old, and even if you are familiar with this part of history. It is important to never forget the moments when a country had the opportunity to make a better choice, and chose instead the path of atrocity. We Are Not Free is a poignant, reflective endeavor that asks the reader to wonder how living through something like that would have changed and shaped their own life, and hopes that such a terrible event will not ever be repeated.

"We Are Not Free" follows a recent spate of books that treat the Japanese incarceration camps as their central topic. I'm happy to see this moment in US history gaining traction in fiction, necessary now more than ever.

Following fifteen different teen narrators (you heard me right), this book illustrates almost every facet of life heading into, life inside, and life following the internment camps. Each teen deals with the typical teenage trouble -- family drama, school stress, first relationships. But each also much deal with the added pressure of being Japanese during WWII, citizen or not. Each person navigates this journey in their own unique way, from hopeful optimism, to debilitating pessimism, from violent action, to infuriating inaction.

While I appreciated and even enjoyed some of the stories in this book, the number of narrators is dizzying. For much of the book, I struggled to figure out who was related to whom, and the individual narrative of each character. As a result, the character development fell flat. The central conflict was too broad for me as well -- having read a number of pieces of fiction (and a handful of nonfiction) about this time in history, I was bored at another book where the central conflict is just the situation of navigating racist America and living in the internment camps. I'm not in any way saying that this isn't worthy of being the central conflict, but for me, I had a hard time staying engaged with the plot and characters (which is probably why it took me two weeks to read). The parts that were most engaging for me were the events that I don't see covered often in fiction such as the decisions people had to make about going to war, supporting their country, and toeing the line to avoid unwarranted discipline.

This book would be best suited for younger readers, or those who are unfamiliar with these events.

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: We Are Not Free

Author: Traci Cee

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Japanese MCs and side characters

Recommended For...: history buffs

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Recommended Age: 14+ (war mention, racism, calling out an author for being racist (Dr. Suess), POWs, romance, and slight sexual content, violence)

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Pages: 400

Synopsis: From New York Times best-selling and acclaimed author Traci Chee comes We Are Not Free, the collective account of a tight-knit group of young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II.

Fourteen teens who have grown up together in Japantown, San Francisco.

Fourteen teens who form a community and a family, as interconnected as they are conflicted.

Fourteen teens whose lives are turned upside down when over 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry are removed from their homes and forced into desolate incarceration camps.

In a world that seems determined to hate them, these young Nisei must rally together as racism and injustice threaten to pull them apart.

Review: For the most part I thought this was an excellent book! I loved the multiple (14) povs and the story of these kids. The book did well to convey the horror of the real life situation Japanese people went through. The book also gave me information that I didn't have due to the poor American education system. I highly urge people to read this. We should know about the horrors we inflicted on our own people.

The only issue I had with the book is that the POV switches can be weird. You start really liking a character then have to go to a new one.

Verdict: Highly recommend and required reading!

Moving and powerful, Traci Chee’s We Are Not Free is one of the best books I have read so far in 2020. It is a collective account of fourteen second-generation Japanese American teens who are rooted overnight from their homes, along with their families and forced into incarceration camps during World War II by the United States government.
Overnight, the “American” is dropped from their identities. Because they look different.
Chee poignantly conveys the injustice of their imprisonment without any trial or charges. Their fear, anger, hopes, and shattered dreams – all are laid bare in front of us. Chee does not mince any words when the characters lay out their emotions. Take it or leave it. There is no sugar coating.

Through comic-book vivid descriptions, Chee describes every character in sharp detail and brings forth each one of them to life. We Are Not Free is not simply a story of their wrongful imprisonment but also a story of their growing up, finding themselves, and losing each other. Teenage crushes, living up to parents’ expectations, first kisses, first rebellion – everything finds a place in this book without any of this feeling inorganic.

This is a powerfully evocative read. I seldom get emotional while reading a book. However, I shed tears twice, first at 73% when Keiko is saying goodbye to her love, Twitchy, followed by another painful blow at 80%. This time, I could not control my tears for a long time. I had to stop reading for an hour or two. I could not (did not want to) believe what happened. That was the extent to which I was invested in the characters. All the injustice the teens faced hit me with a force. Moreover, throughout the book, first-person POV dominates the narrative until the catastrophe mentioned brings them all together and changes it into a “We”, thus providing a third-person perspective into everyone’s feelings.

Tracy Chee’s We Are Not Free is deeply captivating, powerful, and fast-paced. I am going to remember this story for years to come.
Read this book. Period.

We Are Not Free is a critical, necessary read for everyone of all ages. It follows 14 Japanese-American teenagers perspectives on their thoughts and journey through the times of WWII, particularly the internment camps. Though this is a work of fiction based of real historical events, Chee deftly captures thought-provoking emotions and is woven into a story of understandable teenage obstacles, along with family issues and harsh truths given to them about the country they were raised in. I adored the dynamic the characters had which isn't exactly found family since they practically already are, but their bond in how sticking together meant so much. They give off a vibe similar to "The Outsiders" dynamic. Not going to lie, but 14 different povs was a lot, since each chapter had their own story and own issues that they're were going through. It was difficult to keep track as it wasn't one flowing story with povs from 3 characters or less, and not to mention switched settings as well. Think of it as each chapter is it's own story but they're all connected and following a timeline. Every main character was so lovable and first person perspective was the right choice hearing inner thoughts along with talking about past lives. Chee's writing ability to provide so much to the table with the inner conflict and the depth of what they all felt individually was mesmerizing. This a definite read that should be everyone's priority, I am very much looking forward to other works by Traci Chee in the future!

Review based on a digital ARC received via Netgalley.

4.5 stars

This novel will stay with me for a long time. While the story is fictionalized, it takes inspiration from the author’s own family’s history during World War II, lending the story an immediacy and passion that is definitely felt by the reader. The incarceration of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor is a subject that has been getting more attention, but it is books like this one that will help to bring the events of that time into stark relief. Through the well-drawn characters that Chee creates, the reader is brought into their world – their feelings, inner thoughts, hopes, dreams, happiness and heartbreak. Each character has his or her own moment in the spotlight, with each chapter centering on one person placed in chronological order from before the forced removal from their homes to the incarceration camps to the hopeful ending. While each chapter is concerned with a single character, it is told in such a way as to continually strengthen the relationships between the characters and their families. Chee does an outstanding job illuminating the hardships faced in the camps, as well as the family and interpersonal dynamics felt between different groups within the camps. On one hand, the people were being asked to toe the loyalty line, while on the other; they were constantly being treated as if they lacked that very loyalty. Chee is adept at showing how people can be happy in an individual way in an individual moment, trying to make the best out of a bad situation, while also demonstrating that these circumstances were not in any way fair to a “free” people and could not in any way be interpreted as such. She does not shy away from the outright hatred and prejudice shown towards the Japanese Americans of the time, while revealing the real consequences that these actions had on her characters. Her characters were teenagers, trying to make the best of their high school years, falling in love, making lasting friendships, and yet they were thrown into a situation that both tore them apart and brought them closer together. The backbone of the story was the relationship between a group of teen boys, and I wish that there were a little more concentration on the girls in their group. I didn’t feel quite the connection to the girls that I did to the boys, but that might just be me. The inclusion of the Japanese Americans joining the fight in World War II and the consequences of that choice were powerful, as the repercussions were felt throughout the lives of everyone involved in the story, and in their community at large. Overall, this book is heartfelt and important – in an increasingly divisive time in the United States, it would behoove everyone to read books such as this one. Highly recommended.