A cross-cultural love story set against the dramatic backdrop of the Allied invasion of Europe in WWII.
Vancouver, 1942. Josiah Chang arrives in the bustling city ready to serve his country in the war against fascism, but Chinese Canadians are barred from joining the army out of fear they might expect citizenship in return. So, Josiah heads to the shipyard to find work as a riveter, fastening together the ribs and steel plates of Victory ships.
One night, Josiah spots Poppy singing at a navy club. Despite their different backgrounds, they fall for each other instantly and begin a starry-eyed romance that lasts until the harsh reality of their situation is made clear. Determined to prove himself, Josiah takes a train to Toronto where he’s finally given the chance to enlist. After volunteering for the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and jumping into Normandy on D-Day, he must fight through the battlefields of Europe to make it back to the woman he loves.
By turns harrowing and exhilarating, The Riveter explores what one man must sacrifice to belong to the only country he has ever called home.
A cross-cultural love story set against the dramatic backdrop of the Allied invasion of Europe in WWII.
Vancouver, 1942. Josiah Chang arrives in the bustling city ready to serve his country in the war against fascism, but Chinese Canadians are barred from joining the army out of fear they might expect citizenship in return. So, Josiah heads to the shipyard to find work as a riveter, fastening together the ribs and steel plates of Victory ships.
One night, Josiah spots Poppy singing at a navy club. Despite their different backgrounds, they fall for each other instantly and begin a starry-eyed romance that lasts until the harsh reality of their situation is made clear. Determined to prove himself, Josiah takes a train to Toronto where he’s finally given the chance to enlist. After volunteering for the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and jumping into Normandy on D-Day, he must fight through the battlefields of Europe to make it back to the woman he loves.
By turns harrowing and exhilarating, The Riveter explores what one man must sacrifice to belong to the only country he has ever called home.
| Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — Feb 11, 2025 |
| Specifications | 392 pages | 5.25 in x 8 in |
| Keywords | Asian Heritage Month; AAPI Month; Father's Day; Remembrance Day; Allies; World War Two; Holocaust; Military; V-E Day; V-E Day Anniversary; Danuda Gleed Award; Kobo Emerging Writer Prize; Canada Reads; Central New York Book Award; Michael Ondaatje; Anthony Doerr; |
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Excerpt |
| Written By |
JACK WANG is the author of the story collection We Two Alone, winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, and longlisted for Canada Reads. His writing has appeared in the Fiddlehead, Brick, PRISM international, the Malahat Review, the New Quarterly, and Joyland, and has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and longlisted for the Journey Prize. He held the David T. K. Wong Creative Writing Fellowship at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and has received grants from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council for the Arts. Originally from Vancouver, he lives in Ithaca, New York, with his wife and their two daughters. |
| Written By |
|
JACK WANG is the author of the story collection We Two Alone, winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, and longlisted for Canada Reads. His writing has appeared in the Fiddlehead, Brick, PRISM international, the Malahat Review, the New Quarterly, and Joyland, and has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and longlisted for the Journey Prize. He held the David T. K. Wong Creative Writing Fellowship at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and has received grants from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council for the Arts. Originally from Vancouver, he lives in Ithaca, New York, with his wife and their two daughters. |
"Fans of WWII fiction will devour this." — Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
” —“A compelling and emotional read ... This novel is about more than war; it is about love and loyalty, acceptance, and clash of cultures.” —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
” —“Impeccably researched and beautifully written, The Riveter will stay with readers long after the final page.” —Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Last Train to London and The Postmistress of Paris
”“Even in the cauldron of war, Jack Wang creates scenes of such scalding beauty that I didn’t want them to end.” —Gil Adamson, author of The Outlander and Ridegrunner
”“The Riveter probes the limits of love through Josiah and Poppy’s cross-cultural romance, evolving through the years to the unforgettable and emotional final pages.” —Melissa Fu, author of Peach Blossom Spring
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