“Every rivet a bullet.”

I like to support Canadian authors, so when the synopsis of this book caught my attention, I knew I needed to read it. Stories about underappreciated or forgotten people or parts of our country’s history appeal to me.

Chang’s male main character is interesting! He leaves northern BC, and his employment in the forestry industry, to relocate to Vancouver. Unable to find housing, he camps out in Stanley Park and is hired to drive rivets as one of three in a rivet gang at Burrard Drydock. I was in awe of his attitude; wanting to prove his loyalty, he sees himself as an essential fighter of the good fight with a rivet gun in his hand.

Poppy Miller, the female main character, is just as interesting. She’s hired as a jitney driver at the Burrard Drydocks just as women enter the workforce to help with the war effort. Poppy ‘lived’ about a mile down the road from me and I was captivated with descriptions of wartime housing in my neighbourhood. I was in awe of her tenacity at a time when females experienced so many restrictions.

As I got further into the book, my heart ached for a group of people who were ostracized, facing inequality and injustice in our country at a time when everyone was needed and a united front was necessary. I was unaware of the government’s change in enlistment policy; at the start of the war, the Chinese were allowed to enlist, but when it was discovered that the potential reason could be for citizenship, government policy was changed. Seeing how this affected Josiah and his continual quest to prove himself was engaging. The reasons for his enlistment and his choice during advanced training were heartbreaking.

I was glued to the pages learning about the history of the Commodore Ballroom, how difficult it was to get alcohol in Vancouver during the war, why British subjects (Canadians) didn’t marry resident aliens, and what life was like in the shipyards. My only disappointments were (1) a slight struggle with the non-linear timeline and (2) the infrequent swearing.

Wang’s novel about a Chinese Canadian who served during WW2 was a worthwhile read because it held my attention and stirred my emotions. I was fascinated, wanting to learn more about the Chinese diaspora and the Chinese North American experience.

I was gifted this copy by House of Anansi Press Inc and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.