About the Book
In the vein of All the Light We Cannot See, a cross-cultural love story set against the dramatic backdrop of the Allied invasion of Europe during WWII.
Vancouver, 1942. Josiah Chang arrives in the bustling city ready to make a new life for himself. The Second World War is in full swing, and Josiah, like so many Canadians, wants to prove his loyalty by serving his country. But Chinese Canadians are barred from joining the army out of fear they might expect citizenship in return. So, Josiah heads to the shipyard where he finds work as a riveter, fastening together the ribs and steel plates of Victory ships.
One night, Josiah spots Poppy singing at a navy club. Despite their different backgrounds, they fall for each other instantly, and soon Josiah is spending his nights at Poppy's small wartime house. Their starry-eyed romance lasts until Poppy's father comes to visit and the harsh reality of their situation is made clear. Determined to prove himself to Poppy, her parents, and the world, Josiah travels to Toronto where he's finally given the chance to enlist. Josiah rises to the occasion, but is the world changing as fast as his dreams...
From the critically acclaimed author of We Two Alone, Jack Wang's gorgeous debut novel explores what one man must sacrifice to belong in the only home he has ever truly known.
About the Author :
Jack Wang is the author of the award-winning story collection We Two Alone. He holds an MFA from the University of Arizona and a PhD in English from Florida State University, and he is the recipient of an Artist Fellowship in Fiction from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the David T. K. Wong Creative Writing Fellowship from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Wang is a professor of writing at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, where he lives with his wife and their two daughters.
Review :
Wang is a potent storyteller, unblinkingly combining horrific history with an aching love story. He intimately intertwines the worst and best of humanity as his narrative seamlessly moves back and forth between Canada and various European fronts. Astoundingly accomplished, Wang's virtuoso novel haunts with poignance and grace. - Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"A debut novel of love, culture, and war....[T]his novel is about more than war; it is about love and loyalty, acceptance, and clash of cultures. Will Josiah survive the war? Will Poppy wait for him?....The tale has its roots in history: There was in fact only one Chinese Canadian in that battalion, although many more fought in other units. Josiah is fighting for more than simply defeating Hitler, as African American soldiers also did with distinction. All Josiah wants from Canada is full citizenship and the right to vote. A compelling and emotional read." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Set in Canada, the U.S., and Europe during the Second World War, this historical novel explores the life of a Chinese Canadian man, Josiah Chang, whose romance with a white woman, Poppy, undergirds his drive to prove himself. Tracing Josiah's trajectory from lumberjack to shipyard riveter to ambitious serviceman...Wang's novel presents a tale of war and homecoming, rife with correspondence, death, and pangs of yearning for a beloved back home." - New Yorker
"What a brilliantly written book! I would encourage anyone with an interest in historical fiction or with a love for beautifully written prose to check out his book. I will be thinking of The Riveter for months to come."
- The Gloss
"Readers of historical romance and tales of forbidden love will be satisfied by Wang's writing and its infusion of Canadian history, geography, and point of view." - Booklist
"THE RIVETER, Jack Wang's assured and glorious debut novel, is a war story, a love story, and an exploration of the forces that hold us together or pull us apart. From the opening pages, we are dropped into the world of Josiah Chang, a Chinese Canadian serving in an elite paratrooper battalion during WWII. Themes of honor, duty, and brotherhood on the battlefield are interlaced throughout, adding philosophical depth to the action-packed scenes. Beyond the battlefield, THE RIVETER probes the limits of love through Josiah and Poppy's cross-cultural romance, evolving through the years to the unforgettable and emotional final pages." - Melissa Fu, New York Times bestselling author of Peach Blossom Spring
"Impeccably researched and beautifully written, THE RIVETER tells the story of one man's journey through the horrors of war, fighting for a country that will not recognize him or allow him the freedom to love simply because of his race. Josiah Chang is a character who will stay with readers long after the final page." - Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris
"A stunning debut novel. Even in the cauldron of war, Jack Wang creates scenes of such scalding beauty that I didn't want them to end. The intense love between Josiah and Poppy, and the web of people and things trying to keep them apart, will break your heart." - Gil Adamson, Giller Prize finalist author of Ridgerunner
"In this exemplary historical, a Chinese Canadian man fights prejudice and falls in love during WWII....The author successfully combines the entertainment of an old-fashioned war story with a crystalline view of pthe period's racism, offering a genuinely touching romance between Josiah and Poppy and visceral scenes of training and battle. Fans of WWII fiction will devour this." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Wang has created two captivating main characters challenged by racism and harsh circumstances. He has rendered honest, gut-wrenching scenes of training and war. Night parachute jumps into strange lands and close combat, as well as times of numbing tedium for soldiers itching to fight, all come alive. Wang superbly portrays the two lovers, always unsure about each other and then not knowing whether they will see each other again....[B]oth heart-tugging and true to life. Highly recommended. - Historical Novel Society
