kokorobosoina's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
clara_ward's review against another edition
5.0
While I enjoyed Light from Uncommon Stars enough to track down this earlier novel, it turns out this is the book that I needed to read. Without giving too much away, I’ll say that Hilo is as much a character as a setting in this story, which I love. Other characters inhabit the place and language (by turns poetic and/or in dialect) that bring them to life. The story is a bit like The City We Became crossed with American Gods, and yet uniquely itself. The characters save and heal each other with such seemingly simple gifts as their personal understandings of fishing, hula, or plate lunch. They also offer several, often humorous, insights related to the question, “What is Hawaiian?”
alexis_maturana's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
minacherie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sumayyah_t's review against another edition
4.0
"He Mele A Hilo" is a story about love, faith, friendship, and identity. Written in Hawaiian pidgen English, the narrator weaves several individual tales together to create one large story. Some transitions between voices will feel choppy to those unused to folktales and traditional story telling. All in all, the cadence and language feel warm. Ryka Aoki has done a wonderful job immersing the reader in Hawaiian culture, and bringing to life the lives of Harry, Nona, Noelani, Kam, and Steve, to name a few.
danibeliveau's review against another edition
5.0
I never wanted this book to end. Every page was a taste of Hawaii - the atmosphere, the attitudes, the foods, the music, the community, the speech patterns. It's one of those books I put off finishing for a while because I just wanted to continue to live inside of it a little longer, and sure enough, the ending made me cry. An absolute joy from start to finish.
mxsunny's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely LOVE this novel. Since I'm at work, and have already spent the first hour here finishing the book, I'll keep this quick. This book is full of characters who have deep histories with each other, with their families and communities and with the islands. You'll love this book if you're into seeing the world as full of ancient magic and believe that our past is always part of our present. I could hear all the voices as I read though I did have to make liberal use of the hawaiian pidgin glossary int he back. If you love food, dance, music or human relationships then you might enjoy this book. Please read this book!
okay go read this review: You are more than your trans self by Emma Caterine.
okay go read this review: You are more than your trans self by Emma Caterine.
jacob_wren's review
5.0
I cried through the last fifty pages of this book. Perhaps the closest I've ever come to tears of joy while reading.