Chrissie's Reviews > Moloka'i
Moloka'i
by
by
![632247](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p2/632247.jpg)
Chrissie's review
bookshelves: hf, medical, kirkus, usa, islands, kindle, life-stages, hawaii
Apr 01, 2009
bookshelves: hf, medical, kirkus, usa, islands, kindle, life-stages, hawaii
NO SPOILERS!!!
I want to make it very clear; those of you who are looking for a book of historical fiction on life in Hawaii, look no further - this is your book. Do not make the mistake I made by first trying Shark Dialogues. I could not complete Shark Dialogues. Moloka'i will teach you about life in Hawai through the 1900s. It will teach you about leprosy, today called Hansen's Disease. I thought I knew quite a bit about this disease. This book proved me wrong. I learned so much. This book brings the horrors of this disease to you, the reader, as a mighty punch in the stomach. I learned so much. Besides learning about the disease, I learned about Hawaii. I feel I can now smell it and see it and feel it. The mositure, the pounding surf, the majestic mountains, cliffs and crumbling paths mounting the peaks. You learn not only about the physical landscape but also native Hawaiian customs and belifs.The reason why I give this book four stars is that I learned so much. The historical and medical facts are presented in the framework of an engaging tale.
There is an excellent author's note at the end. It explains what is fact and what is fiction. Several of the characters are based on true experiences and real people. So much history is reflected in this book. Not merely the treatment of leprosy, but also the death of King Kaläkua, the reign of Queen Lili'uokalani, the American take-over, WW2 and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, fires, the tsunami, the marvels of invention that characterize the early 1900s, the Depression, all of this is covered from the Hawaiian perspective. It is fascinating to read this book.
Rachel is the main protagonist of the book. Her life is very difficult and heart-wrenching, but there is humor. That which happens in her life makes the reader understand how it might feel to be a leper then, there, in Hawaii, in the 1900s. The style of writing is straight-forward. The circumstances and facts are presented so you come to understand the people who suffered the stigma of leprosy and the events of the times.
I want to make it very clear; those of you who are looking for a book of historical fiction on life in Hawaii, look no further - this is your book. Do not make the mistake I made by first trying Shark Dialogues. I could not complete Shark Dialogues. Moloka'i will teach you about life in Hawai through the 1900s. It will teach you about leprosy, today called Hansen's Disease. I thought I knew quite a bit about this disease. This book proved me wrong. I learned so much. This book brings the horrors of this disease to you, the reader, as a mighty punch in the stomach. I learned so much. Besides learning about the disease, I learned about Hawaii. I feel I can now smell it and see it and feel it. The mositure, the pounding surf, the majestic mountains, cliffs and crumbling paths mounting the peaks. You learn not only about the physical landscape but also native Hawaiian customs and belifs.The reason why I give this book four stars is that I learned so much. The historical and medical facts are presented in the framework of an engaging tale.
There is an excellent author's note at the end. It explains what is fact and what is fiction. Several of the characters are based on true experiences and real people. So much history is reflected in this book. Not merely the treatment of leprosy, but also the death of King Kaläkua, the reign of Queen Lili'uokalani, the American take-over, WW2 and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, fires, the tsunami, the marvels of invention that characterize the early 1900s, the Depression, all of this is covered from the Hawaiian perspective. It is fascinating to read this book.
Rachel is the main protagonist of the book. Her life is very difficult and heart-wrenching, but there is humor. That which happens in her life makes the reader understand how it might feel to be a leper then, there, in Hawaii, in the 1900s. The style of writing is straight-forward. The circumstances and facts are presented so you come to understand the people who suffered the stigma of leprosy and the events of the times.
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Reading Progress
April 1, 2009
– Shelved
April 1, 2009
– Shelved as:
hf
April 1, 2009
– Shelved as:
medical
April 1, 2009
– Shelved as:
kirkus
April 1, 2009
– Shelved as:
usa
October 15, 2009
– Shelved as:
islands
June 17, 2011
– Shelved as:
kindle
June 18, 2011
–
Started Reading
June 18, 2011
– Shelved as:
life-stages
June 23, 2011
–
Finished Reading
September 27, 2011
– Shelved as:
hawaii
Comments Showing 1-50 of 64 (64 new)
message 1:
by
Lisa
(new)
-
rated it 5 stars
Feb 08, 2011 12:21PM
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
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![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
Belgian mail costs are high. I trust ABeBooks but I have never returned anything ther. I do not know how. I have tried trading books at Belgian second hand stores and you get peanuts. The guy was really yucky! If I mail it to Amazon, do I get credit for buying another book? However their mailing costs are so high the whole idea seems worthless. I don't think international swap at GR works yet. I am all prepared. I have a swap helf and wishlist shelves!
What I wish is that someone just wanted to read this book, and they had a book I wanted to read and we switch. First I trash the book in my review and then I expect someone to want to read it?! Kind of illogical, but I am not about to start saying I like abook I don't. If I just knew someone who wanted to read it! That seems so much simpler than anything else! I do have a whole shelf of swapable books but I guess no one knows this. Everyone know what to do, but I don't!
So yes, I could take it to that yucky guy here in Belgium.... and get a few pennies. Yup, I could take a bag and go downtown with them.
And as I have explained, due to the hight cost of mailing, it is usually a better deal to buy a book from BookDepository than to start with BookMooch. Thanks for your concern! It certainly is not a problem. I just made a mistake and Iwill have to live with that.
![Laura](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1544395177p1/900147.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Donna](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1228091013p1/1722935.jpg)
![Donna](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1228091013p1/1722935.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Laura](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1544395177p1/900147.jpg)
there is a lot about the treatment, including the natural alternatives by the native's island.
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Laura](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1544395177p1/900147.jpg)
I do agree with you Lisa, an excellent reading Chrissie, hope you will enjoy as much as we did.
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
Oh good! Yes, I LOVE this book. Rachel is a wonderful character.
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
Chrissie, I don't remember a glossary. Here's what I said: "I absolutely loved all the Hawaiian words interspersed throughout, all with their English counterparts right with them so their meaning was always apparent."
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
![Laura](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1544395177p1/900147.jpg)
Hooray!!!
![Manybooks](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1459773375p1/2970379.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
Donna, you gave it four stars too!
![Diane](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1558395550p1/143168.jpg)
Chrissie, what a wonderful review you gave, and no spoilers, so I read it completely. I just got this book last week, I've been wanting to read it forever, so finally got around to buying it. Seeing how much you and Lisa think of it, I'm even more excited to read it. I have about 3 books ahead of it, but I think this is what I will take on vacation with me in early August -- a nice read for my plane ride. I'll be sure to check back in with you when I read it.
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
Lisa, I am sure you enjoyed the bits about San Francisco. Alan can really describe places and events.
![Manybooks](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1459773375p1/2970379.jpg)
More excited than ever about reading it, just hope it becomes available soon at the library.
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
![Cynthia](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1229297723p1/1802440.jpg)
![Anne](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577653837p1/2967061.jpg)
![Anne](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577653837p1/2967061.jpg)
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
I was in Hawaii, briefly, when I was 10: 2 days on Oahu, 1 on Maui, 1 on Hawaii, and 1 on Kauai = 5 days.
It was gorgeous and interesting, but I'd love to go back, and to more islands include Molokai, for longer to both relax and learn more. This book did make me want to go back, and I assume I'll want to even more if/when I read Honolulu.
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
I loved learning more about the history of Hawaii. The Americans have something to be ashamed of here. And then Japanese internment camps. I was particularly touched by the mourning of the Hawaiin people when their last King died.
Cynthia and Lisa, I haven't seen the movie. The way you guys sign up for movies and get them sent home is so amazing to me. What is available here in Belgium are either Dutch or French films. DVDs with several languages are predominantly not available in English except for the latest most popular films, which are usually French. I do like French films, although I am much more of a book person. In Stockholm, when the kids lived at home, we had a video store right across the street. In Sweden, English language films were very popular - on TV, at the movies, video stores. Here the taste is very different. I have tried ordering a film; it never works.
![Anne](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577653837p1/2967061.jpg)
![Lisa Vegan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1243394822p1/83445.jpg)
Yes, a lot to be ashamed of regarding the Japanese internment camps, which I knew about as soon as I learned of them.
Now, though, I'm just learning about Hawaii. I remember when it became a state (I was 5-1/2 years old) and it was cause for celebration in California, where I lived. I don't think it occurred to any of us there that the people in Hawaii would be any less pleased. So wrong!
![Cynthia](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1229297723p1/1802440.jpg)
It's amazing to me too and I'm addicted.
![Chrissie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1321799585p1/632247.jpg)
I am going to go back to my book. If you haven't gotten my message loud and clear - the book After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam is utterly fascinating. I am spouting information to my husband, and he asked me if I was almost done. I have only read like 40 pages.
![Anne](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577653837p1/2967061.jpg)