Praise for The Riveter

“The author successfully combines the entertainment of an old-fashioned war story with a crystalline view of the period’s racism, offering a genuinely touching romance between Josiah and Poppy and visceral scenes of training and battle. Fans of WWII fiction will devour this.”

— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW

“This novel is about more than war; it is about love and loyalty, acceptance, and clash of cultures. Will Josiah survive the war? Will Poppy wait for him? They are both sympathetic characters readers will root for… A compelling and emotional read.”

— KIRKUS REVIEWS, STARRED REVIEW

“A stunning debut novel. Even in the cauldron of war, Jack Wang creates scenes of such scalding beauty that I didn’t want them to end. The intense love between Josiah and Poppy, and the web of people and things trying to keep them apart, will break your heart.”

— GIL ADAMSON, GILLER PRIZE FINALIST FOR RIDGERUNNER

”Author Jack Wang delicately balances an old-fashioned, emotional love story with the harrowing realities of World War II and racism. Fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Kite Runner will adore this gorgeous cross-cultural love story set against the backdrop of intense battle.”

— APPLE BOOKS, FEBRUARY FAVORITES STAFF PICK

”When his battalion is assigned to the Allied push in Normandy on D-Day in 1944, Josiah discovers that survival is only a matter of chance. This exhilarating debut is part cross-cultural romance and part underdog story, one that will have readers rooting for its memorable, indefatigable character.”

— THE TORONTO STAR

“Impeccably researched and beautifully written, The Riveter tells the story of one man’s journey through the horrors of war, fighting for a country that will not recognize him or allow him the freedom to love simply because of his race. Josiah Chang is a character who will stay with readers long after the final page.”

— MEG WAITE CLAYTON, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS

“A gloriously absorbing first novel… Wang is a potent storyteller, unblinkingly combining horrific history with an aching love story. He intimately intertwines the worst and best of humanity as his narrative seamlessly moves back and forth between Canada and various European fronts. Astoundingly accomplished, Wang's virtuoso novel haunts with poignance and grace.”

— SHELF AWARENESS, STARRED REVIEW

“Short chapters sketch the romance between Josiah and Poppy, flipping from their life before war to paratrooper training to bloody battles in the European theatre to wartime meetings and eventual reckoning. Readers of historical romance and tales of forbidden love will be satisfied by Wang's writing and its infusion of Canadian history, geography, and point of view.”

— BOOKLIST

“This book tackles the themes of loyalty and identity with the most gorgeous prose. I found myself going back time and again to read passages about Josiah’s evolving understanding of himself in dynamic contexts as a son, a Canadian, a soldier, and a partner… I would encourage anyone with an interest in historical fiction or with a love for beautifully written prose to check out his book. I will be thinking of The Riveter for months to come.”

— THE GLOSS

“Jack Wang’s assured and glorious debut novel is a war story, a love story, and an exploration of the forces that hold us together or pull us apart. From the opening pages, we are dropped into the world of Josiah Chang, a Chinese Canadian serving in an elite paratrooper battalion during World War II. Beyond the battlefield, 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

Tracing Josiah’s trajectory from lumberjack to shipyard riveter to ambitious serviceman, Wang offers a protagonist of unflappable morality and decency. Despite racially discriminatory laws barring him from enlisting (and gaining citizenship), Josiah nonetheless joins an élite parachuting battalion and intervenes to prevent war crimes. Nodding toward this Odyssean journey, Wang’s novel presents a familiar tale of war and homecoming, rife with correspondence, death, and pangs of yearning for a beloved back home.

— THE NEW YORKER

“In often lyrical literary prose, Wang has created two captivating main characters challenged by racism and harsh circumstances. He has rendered honest, gut-wrenching scenes of training and war. Night parachute jumps into strange lands and close combat, as well as times of numbing tedium for soldiers itching to fight, all come alive. Wang superbly portrays the two lovers, always unsure about each other and then not knowing whether they will see each other again… No one can remain unchanged by years of intense, soul-crushing war and separation. How Josiah and Poppy emerge is both heart-tugging and true to life. Highly recommended.”

— HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY, EDITORS’ CHOICE