We Are Not Free begin its story in a Japanese town in the San Francisco area. During WWII, no one lived a stable life. Especially the Japanese American population in the US, facing pressure not only from the outside, but from their own country as well. Others discriminated against them because of their heritage.

Things got a lot worse after the Pearl Harbor Attack. Shortly after the US joined WWII, the government evicted more than 100,000 Japanese Americans from their homes to containment camps. Among those 100,000 people are the story’s 14 protagonists. Through the 14 different voices, the book takes readers on a journey from their home to the containment camp, then to the battlefield in France and Italy.

When the order to move comes down, they only have five days to pack up their things and sell what they can’t bring. They have to sell most of their belongings at a price equivalent to being robbed, but they don’t have the power to say it is unjust. They forcibly board a train headed to an abandoned horse stall. The living conditions are poor. The next stage of the trip includes transport to a more substantial camp in Utah with slightly better living conditions. In Utah, they build their houses and farm their food. The work divides their attention away from despair and homesickness.

Although it is far worse than home, life seems to be back on track for a little while. However, a loyalty questionnaire and the formation of a Japanese American Army breaks it all. The camp is divided into two sides: the “yes-yes” and the “no-no.” The “yes-yes” are still willing to be loyal to America, while the “no-no” are enraged by what the government has done to them and refuses to swear their loyalty. Tension arises within the camp, and the government decides to relocate the “no-no” to another camp where the conditions are worse and military control is much heavier.

The government starts recruiting people from the camp for the war effort. Many join and are sent overseas to Italy. They form the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which is later known for its bravery. Many die and sacrifice for the country.

After the war ends, they are allowed to go back home. When they return, the Japanese Americans discover their neighborhood no longer exists, and they are discriminated against everywhere.

I love this novel because, unlike the other books that try to depict a historical event, We Are Not Free is constructed with 14 different points of view. Seeing the story through different perspectives really “completes” the story. Not only do we know about the lives of the “yes-yes,” but we also have the opportunity to share the inner thoughts of the “no-no.” If the perspective were shared from only one person’s, we could not grasp the entire scope of the experience. Additionally, a single view might present a biased opinion. Since everyone has their unique view towards an event, portraying just one person as the protagonist would lead to a somewhat limited perspective.

The book’s language is also artistic, and the descriptive storyline presents emotion and beauty like colors in a painting. Through the pages, the readers experience love, homesickness, friendship, loyalty, bravery, justice, and many more insights in each chapter. This constant change of emotions is like waves in the ocean, keeping the readers engaged as the plot seems predictable. Each short story in the book also conveys some different themes or lessons, so the book is not only interesting to read, but it can also teach us a lot.

We Are Not Free makes readers rethink racism on a government structural level by depicting an unfortunate event in recent history. I highly recommend it.