“In Leslie Shimotakahara’s The Breakwater, the scars of Japanese internment mixed with long held family secrets make for an enthralling, captivating story. Expertly told, the novel speaks to what we search for at the end of our lives, what we strive to fix, the chapters we’ve hidden from others, and most devastating of all, the self-deceptions that have sheltered us from our personal guilt.”

“The Breakwater is beautifully written in delicate prose about a period in Canadian history that needs to be remembered. It shines a light on the long-term effects of the internment and dispersal of Japanese citizens in Canada. The story examines how internment influenced the struggles and relationships within one family, and how these struggles did not end with government compensation payments, which arrived many decades later. Told from multiple points of view, the story builds tension as love is mixed with misunderstandings and miscommunication, leading to longstanding rifts in the family. A moving and compelling read, this novel will appeal to readers who enjoy complex family stories. I recommend this as a great read.”

“The Breakwater provides insight into day-to-day struggles and sibling relationships of a Japanese Canadian family prior to the Second World War. However, the impact of the internment and forced dispersal forever altered the lives of innocent citizens with devastating effects, creating long-term family separations. Stories like The Breakwater provide an important historical Canadian context for minority groups by vividly exploring the effects of the racism and unjust government actions.”

“Leslie Shimotakahara shines a light on a shameful and complex time in Canadian history and explores the personal impacts of the Japanese Canadian experience during World War II and the generational trauma that follows when people are forced into impossible situations. The novel’s complex themes of survival, family, and sacrifice are further enriched by points of view from several characters. Each veritable account adds pieces to a larger family puzzle that comes together to reveal unsettling secrets, buried passions, and the lingering generational tensions that inevitably follow. Shimotakahara’s brilliant use of understated prose perfectly captures the depth and poignant realities of her principal characters and immerses readers in a page-turning read.”

“A vivid, earthy tale of two brothers whose lives are sundered by love, lust, and the need to simply survive. Shimotakahara takes us from the seedy back alleys of pre-war Little Tokyo and Chinatown, where gangsters, swindlers and madams meet, to the tumble-down shacks of an internment camp. All along, she immerses us in the rueful memories of her misbegotten souls.”