Review by Dzejn_Crvena -- Wonks by William Reese Hamilton

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 06 May 2021, 03:34

[Following is a volunteer review of "Wonks" by William Reese Hamilton.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Wonks by William Reese Hamilton recounts the story of non-Asians who were cramped in an enclosure during World War II when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. Let us follow the life of Johnny Oldfield in the camp as he struggles to survive in living quarters, as well as his shenanigans with his mischievous playmates and older folks to avoid boredom and maintain their sanity. When left to his own devices, he becomes more contemplative. When is the war going to end? Will he be able to see his father? Is there hope for Americans to win this fight?

The titular name refers to a pack of big yellow dogs that wander about in the streets of North China. The wonks would usually wreak havoc in the villages when the pack population gets uncontrolled. In other words, when Johnny and his friends are called wonks, they are acting like a bunch of troublemakers with a high chance of getting to an unfortunate end.

The plot is full of action-packed adventure as well as dramatic effects. Consequently, the author can provide comical relief in serious situations where I almost tear up a little. The punch lines hit me right in the funny bones. A very engaging story to read: there is no dull moment, and with something new stories to tell. Ultimately, there is a suspense build-up near the end of the novel. The characters have well-described personalities. Each person has a story to tell in each chapter, and I became attached to them. I am sure Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn would enjoy hanging out with Johnny Oldfield. Reading the whole story takes me back to my high school days when I read my country's history books. The mentions of the names of the places and leaders involved made me think everything in the book is non-fiction. This book is family-oriented and raises relevant issues on racism, philosophy, and politics.

William Reese Hamilton is a master of writing a narrative with distinct language that sounds new to my ears. Some may consider it a flaw, but to me, it is a non-conventional take on creative writing. Many conversations do not follow the correct syntax of the grammar rules, but I will leave them as they are to retain his signature style.

I give Wonks a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The book looks well-edited to me. The overall vibes of the story make me feel at home, so it relates to me as a Filipino. For someone who considers the book an all-time favorite, I cannot find anything to dislike in the book.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction set during World War II in Asia (particularly in the Philippines). However, the book contains a graphic description of sexual stuff and a vivid description of human torture and animal cruelty, so heads up for the sensitive readers who might find them upsetting. While the main character is a teenager, I consider the book to be more appropriate for more mature readers.

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Wonks
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Mtibza eM · Post by **Mtibza eM** » 28 May 2021, 16:07

Thank you for sharing. I have also read this book and absolutely loved it. I could see myself in that concentration camp exploring with the protagonists and his flamboyant friend.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 29 May 2021, 13:27

Boredom, insanity, havoc, and survival would push just about anyone to their breaking point. It sounds like this novel contained some mature but realistic content that was highly representative of the historical time period featured. Thank you for providing such a helpful review!

smolbird · Post by **smolbird** » 30 May 2021, 04:17

As a Filipino, I liked that I could easily envision the places mentioned in the book, which made it easier to follow. I never got to continue reading though, so I didn't get to the parts that had torture and animal cruelty. Thank you for the heads up and the descriptive review!

markodim721 · Post by **markodim721** » 30 May 2021, 13:23

I like that the book is full of action and dramatic moments. The review definitely got me interested in the book.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 30 May 2021, 21:58

Presenting this story from a different vantage point is a great way to learn more about WWII. Thank you for a great review!

Rayah Raouf · Post by **Rayah Raouf** » 01 Jun 2021, 09:44

Thank you for the incredible review! It does provide a different perspective. Unfortunately, it is not exactly the book for me.

Raluca_Mihaila · Post by **Raluca_Mihaila** » 01 Jun 2021, 14:05

It seems like an equally educational and captivating story. I would love to find out more about that part of the world. Thank you for your recommendation and great review!

Lisa A Rayburn · Post by **Lisa A Rayburn** » 01 Jun 2021, 20:37

I'm not big on historical fiction, but it sounds like Johnny and his friends really kept the laughter going. I love a book with great character development and humor as well. Thanks for the great review!

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 02 Jun 2021, 02:39

Mtibza eM wrote: ↑28 May 2021, 16:07 Thank you for sharing. I have also read this book and absolutely loved it. I could see myself in that concentration camp exploring with the protagonists and his flamboyant friend.

My younger self would enjoy hanging out with them, too!
Thanks for stopping by.

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 02 Jun 2021, 02:41

AvidBibliophile wrote: ↑29 May 2021, 13:27 Boredom, insanity, havoc, and survival would push just about anyone to their breaking point.

Indeed. Good thing they managed to survive the prison camp.
Thank you for your insight!

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 02 Jun 2021, 02:47

smolbird wrote: ↑30 May 2021, 04:17 As a Filipino, I liked that I could easily envision the places mentioned in the book, which made it easier to follow.

SAME! I wanted to hear more WWII stories from our lolos and lolas, so I'm glad to find this book.
The scenes with torture were very painful to read, so I have to warn the others, too.
Thank you for the comment, kababayan!

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 02 Jun 2021, 02:48

markodim721 wrote: ↑30 May 2021, 13:23 I like that the book is full of action and dramatic moments. The review definitely got me interested in the book.

Yay! Hope you like it.
Thanks for showing interest in the book.

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 02 Jun 2021, 02:53

MsH2k wrote: ↑30 May 2021, 21:58 Presenting this story from a different vantage point is a great way to learn more about WWII. Thank you for a great review!

Thank you for your comment.
Now I'm thinking of reading WWII books set in Africa.

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 02 Jun 2021, 02:56

RayRuff wrote: ↑01 Jun 2021, 09:44 Thank you for the incredible review! It does provide a different perspective. Unfortunately, it is not exactly the book for me.

Understandable. Not every book is fit for everyone.
Thank you for stopping by!