Impacts of Love, Honor, and Sacrifice

Writer Katherine Barker reviews Andrew Lam’s Repentance, from Tiny Fox Press, 2019

Long after the battles have been fought, when the smoke has faded and the ringing of gun shots are stripped away. When the survivors make their way back to familiar soil, what remains of World War II and the stories of those who were involved in the unfolding of history? In a search for answers to these questions, Daniel Tokunaga discovers that the truth to the past is not always on the surface -- sometimes you have to dig a little deeper and have a little faith in the people around you. Through the novel Repentance it is clear that once the action of war has concluded, what remains is the deeds done that impacted others. Deeds of honor, love, sacrifice, and respect. The reader is left with an understanding of what it means to be a person of great character and how those individuals impact the lives of others.

It often seems that what individuals most remember about those who have passed is the way that they have made those left feel or what they have done for those left. This rings true for Daniel Tokunaga's feelings towards his father Ray Tokunaga, but not until he discovered the truth. However, it is clear that deep down Daniel knew his father was honorable, loving, and willing to sacrifice; he just needed to understand the lengths that Ray went to ensure that honor, love, and sacrifice were upheld before he could accept that truth. It took a trip across the ocean and half a dozen conversations with those who knew Ray in France for Daniel to truly grasp the great character of his father Ray -- which is the tragedy of it all, a lack of communication drove a wall between father and son. However, Once Daniel does understand the truth and the magnitude of what Ray had done for him and for his mother, he sets the grudge he has been holding against Ray free. Daniel can then view Ray “free as a man who had never gone to war, never left the woman he loved for the woman he had to marry to make things right,”. For Daniel Tokunaga, ignorance is bliss and the truth hurts, because “it was too late for Daniel to atone for all he’d done, all he'd failed to do,” . However, there is beauty in forgiveness and in redemption. Daniel must forgive himself for the things he has done and the person he has become. For Ray, there was no other path to travel for the rest of his life than redemption for a mistake that was made in battle. In the end, love, honor, and sacrifice is all that remains and all that matters.

Through the power of redemption and forgiveness Lam’s novel is able illustrate how deep the bonds of family run. Lam is effective at drawing the reader into the family dynamic through expressing personal narratives, thoughts, and emotions.The novel is captivating, as one does not want to put it down but thought provoking, as one is prompted to stop and consider how our actions affect others around us. For readers seeking a story of prevailing truth in the midst of doubt, Repentance is a fantastic read. Through his novel Repentance, Andrew Lam challenges its readers to be a better version of themselves by sacrificing for others, loving when it is hard, and standing for honor.

Katherine Baker is from Evington, VA. She is a student at Bridgewater College, where she studies English, Professional Writing, and Secondary Teacher Education. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper - BCVoice.