I learned so much about what happened to people who were not of Asian descent in the Pacific during the second world war. I had no idea that it was not just Germany, but Japan, also, had concentration camps during the war. I could not imagine what the people had gone through during that time. The author did not hold back on how horrendous this time for those in the camps. I am just so shocked at how horrible it was for them all. I found myself grabbing tissues at times at some of the scenes. There is no way to for me to even think of or imagine what it was like for all involved. I admired at the bravery and courage of the determination of the captors to continue to live. I was amazed at their story of hope and survival...I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical events.

Was fascinated by this account of a Dutch family in a prison camp in World War II, well three members of the family as the father was in the military. Life was very hard for the mother and two children and when the family finally got back together and returned to Holland, it was difficult to adjust to being free and the children had to learn how to live like normal human beings. A good read.

History comes alive in this book relating the story of Hulda and her family. The chapter about Hulda’s ancestors and how she came to be living in the Dutch East Indies is very interesting (especially if you like genealogy). In 1942 the invasion of the Dutch East Indies by Japan began. Hulda, her mother and her younger brother Peter were imprisoned, her father escaped to Australia. This part of the story is a real page turner... at times you think you are reading an adventure novel… but these events really happened. The book ends with a description of events following the defeat of the Japanese in 1945. This book reminds us how uncertain the future is and how precious freedom is.

This book fills a knowledge gap for anyone who is interested in World War II. Huldah Bachman Neeb’s writing is brilliant. While most accounts focus on Europe, I came away with a much greater understanding of the war in the Pacific Rim and what happened to the people there. I highly recommend this book. As a survivor of a Japanese concentration camp in Indonesia, Huldah’s first hand account does a wonderful job of telling this important story.