Lost Names

I read the beginning of lost names to get to three hundred pages. It starts off with a mother telling the story of how her family moved and got through a tough time. They were leaving the country to go work at a missionary school, but the Japanese police were preventing her husband from leaving on time. She waited outside for him all night, and when he finally showed up, they crossed a footpath together despite the dangers. I was slightly confused by this whole story. I don't think that I had enough background information in this book. It must have been during a time when the Japanese were in charge. I was confused when they would not let the father go even though he had papers. How is that fair? If he had legal documentation, why couldn't he leave right away? It mentioned that he had rioted against the Japanese and served time in prison for it. It seems unfair that the Japanese would make him leave his home and his family because he once protested...I wish the book would have said what had happened to him. All it described was that he was bruised and bleeding slightly. I wonder if the Japanese threatened his family in any way...He hid all of his burdons very well from his wife.

I could tell that the mother was a very strong woman, though she felt somewhat dependent on her husband. When he was gone, she was confused at what to do. Once she figured it out though, her mind was set. She would not let anyone change her plan. Many young men offered to help her, but the only help she would accept was someone taking her luggage to the station. She insisted on waiting with her baby outside until her husband returned. It was freezing cold out. I felt bad for the baby! Despite how many times she was offered to go inside to warm up, she only did this after her husband had finally returned. I think that she has an extremely strong will. It seems different in this country. Women don't seem to be equals, but they do not seem to be as low on the totem pole as they were when I read Sold.

I think that this story was good from what I read, though I did not really get a feel for what was truly going on. I would like to finish it and figure out the time setting and what happens in the book. I can tell that it would be an interesting story, and I would love to get more of a feel for the characters, their morals, the culture that they live in, and even what is historically going on during this time. I think that it would be a good book.