Moloka'i
Books | Fiction / Historical / General
4
(732)
Alan Brennert
Young Rachel Kalama, growing up in idyllic Honolulu in the 1890s, is part of a big, loving Hawaiian family, and dreams of seeing the far-off lands that her father, a merchant seaman, often visits. But at the age of seven, Rachel and her dreams are shattered by the discovery that she has leprosy. Forcibly removed from her family, she is sent to Kalaupapa, the isolated leper colony on the island of Moloka'i.In her exile she finds a family of friends to replace the family she's lost: a native healer, Haleola, who becomes her adopted "auntie" and makes Rachel aware of the rich culture and mythology of her people; Sister Mary Catherine Voorhies, one of the Franciscan sisters who care for young girls at Kalaupapa; and the beautiful, worldly Leilani, who harbors a surprising secret. At Kalaupapa she also meets the man she will one day marry.True to historical accounts, Moloka'i is the story of an extraordinary human drama, the full scope and pathos of which has never been told before in fiction. But Rachel's life, though shadowed by disease, isolation, and tragedy, is also one of joy, courage, and dignity. This is a story about life, not death; hope, not despair. It is not about the failings of flesh, but the strength of the human spirit.
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More Details:
Author
Alan Brennert
Pages
384
Publisher
St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published Date
2010-04-01
ISBN
1429902280 9781429902281
Ratings
Google: 4
Community ReviewsSee all
"Absolutely beautiful book!"
E
Eve
"This is a well written book on a difficult subject. This book is historical fiction and offers some of the Hawaiian culture....but I just didn't overall love it"
J w
Jfly winslow
"This book undoubtedly broke my heart in a million different ways, but I think the ultimate lesson here is that all life has dignity, and there are many ways to lead a life well lived. Rachel was dealt the most unfair and unjust of hands, first through disease and separation, and then through the loss of loved ones and prejudice against the very condition that ostracized her in the first place. But even through all that, the end of the book was ultimately hopeful. There is love in all situations, and Rachel had a chance to experience that in many different forms: her parents, her uncle and adopted aunt, Sister Catherine, her husband, her ‘ohana on Moloka’i and her biological family. I am grateful to this story, and to the author for shining light on all those who truly did live lives such as these."
A P
Allie Peduto
"Very good book. Still need to read “Daughter of Molokai”"
F B
Faye Black