Reviews

"An exploration of the conflicting loyalties of a generation of Japanese Americans. . .  Complex and engaging. . .
True and truly felt." 
-- San Francisco Chronicle

“Hamamura’s first novel is a marvel, a revelation, the story of a man torn between two great loves, two great cultures, two complex and evolving worlds. Bravo.” -- James Dalessandro, author of 1906 and Bohemian Heart

“Hamamura’s writing is sleek and powerful, and his evocation of the Japanese-American experience compelling. A haunting, beautiful story of love, honor, and dedication, Color of the Sea is a remarkable novel.” -- Holly Payne, author of The Virgin’s Knot and The Sound of Blue

“Hamamura writes deftly and powerfully. . . about the subtle vibrations of the human heart. . ."  -- David Maine, author of
The Preservationist and Fallen

"Hamamura shines as a storyteller and is definitely a name to watch.
Highly recommended. . ."
-- Shirley N. Quan, Library Journal

"A poignant, fresh story told with feeling and sincerity."  -- Kirkus Reviews

"John Hamamura shows in his debut novel Color of the Sea, faith, love, and shared humanity can help us find a new life of the heart in the battle-torn rubble of the world.  Rich, poetic, and touching language."  -- Craig Smith, Pasatiempo

"Color of the Sea takes the reader back to a painful moment in history when Japanese Americans were caught between two identities and the future of a nation hung in the balance.  Through beautifully written prose, artful imagery and achingly real characters, John Hamamura sweeps his reader away to a time in history that shook the world and a love story that will resonate long after the final page."
-- Asian American Press

"Hamamura has a real command of the relevant history and packs a great deal of it into several dense but lucid and accessible story lines."
-- Publisher's Weekly