Warriors in the Crossfire - Nancy Bo Flood

Warriors in the Crossfire by Nancy Bo Flood was sent to me by a writing buddy who raved about it. Boy, was she right. I love historical fiction and I adore this book. I cried when it was over and am happy to hear a sequel is planned.

Set in Japanese-occupied Saipan toward the end of World War II, Warriors in the Crossfire is told in the voice of the young islander Joseph and his cousin, half-Japanese Kento.  The two are close like brothers and share a fear and a hatred of the Japanese soldiers.

Joseph teaches Kento the ways of the island warrior to help him protect himself from a possible invasion of the dreaded Americans--who, they've been told, eat babies for dinner.

Joseph can't imagine life much worse than it is under the Japanese occupation. The Japanese soldiers control their food, their school and their lives. His father takes Joseph to a secret cave to show him where they will go when the battle begins, but then his father and brother-in-law are taken away to do hard labor for the Japanese. In the end, it is up to Joseph to keep the family safe from the battle to come and to save what villagers he can from the Suicide Cliffs.

I learned so much about Saipan and the Suicide Cliffs during this time in World War II. I had often wondered why the islanders didn't run immediately to the Americans, and now I understand that after years of occupation they had been brainwashed. The author paints a sensitive, realistic story about how these families loved and lived. I highly recommend this book.

Comments

[Marjorie (PaperTigers)]

I loved Warriors in the Crossfire - and my husband enjoyed it too - maybe that's why Denise's husband pinched her Kindle :-) And we've been privileged on PaperTigers to have Nancy as a Guest Blogger. I can't wait for the sequel!

[Diane Browning - Out of the Paintbox]

Nancy Bo Flood is a great storyteller and a charming lady. She spoke eloquently about her riviting book at a Writer to Writer meeting at Flintridge Book Store. It's wonderful she's doing a sequel!

[Nancy Bo Flood]

Tina, many sincere thanks. It is a wonderful feeling to share an important story. The human spirit is amazing. People survive the pain and destruction of war and then have the courage and hope to rebuild and forgive.

"To light one small candle rather than curse the darkness...."

Nancy Bo Flood

[Denise Doyen]

Tina,
Thank you for featuring this book. Nancy Bo Flood is a wonderful writer, her poetry as well as her novel. I'm partway through Warriors in the Crossfire and I'm hooked. (My husband keeps absconding with the Kindle its on! I'm plotting how to counter-kidnap the Kindle right now so I can finish Nancy's adventure!) Her book is what historical fiction should be.