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sarah_tellesbo's review against another edition
4.0
I’m still struggling with one of my random reading lulls, so it feels nice to have finished my first book of April. And despite it taking me quite some time, Moloka’i was actually a really wonderful read. Alan Brennert, the author, was born in New Jersey and has lived in Southern California since the 70′s, but he certainly seems to know a lot about Hawaiian history; the amount of research that went into this book is commendable!
Moloka’i is a fictional story involving a lot of non-fictional elements. In the late 1800′s, as Hansen’s Disease (historically known as Leprosy) began to ravage the highly susceptible population of Hawaii, the settlement of Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka’i became a prison of sorts for those unfortunate enough to have contracted the illness. In 1980, the Kalaupapa settlement was designated a National Historical Park, but for many decades, the six-by-six mile peninsula was the only place these particular societal outcasts could call home.
And this is the setting Brennert chose for his novel; the place where 7-year-old Rachel Kalama is sent after being diagnosed with Leprosy and brutally torn from her family. Rachel– a strong, spirited, and compassionate girl– comes of age (and ultimately grows old) in a settlement where death is always right around the corner and unfathomable loss is the norm. Yet, set in stark contrast, there is life here, also. Friendship, love, joy, play, growth, happiness– on Moloka’i the resiliency of the human soul is beautifully apparent.
Moloka’i is a fictional story involving a lot of non-fictional elements. In the late 1800′s, as Hansen’s Disease (historically known as Leprosy) began to ravage the highly susceptible population of Hawaii, the settlement of Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka’i became a prison of sorts for those unfortunate enough to have contracted the illness. In 1980, the Kalaupapa settlement was designated a National Historical Park, but for many decades, the six-by-six mile peninsula was the only place these particular societal outcasts could call home.
And this is the setting Brennert chose for his novel; the place where 7-year-old Rachel Kalama is sent after being diagnosed with Leprosy and brutally torn from her family. Rachel– a strong, spirited, and compassionate girl– comes of age (and ultimately grows old) in a settlement where death is always right around the corner and unfathomable loss is the norm. Yet, set in stark contrast, there is life here, also. Friendship, love, joy, play, growth, happiness– on Moloka’i the resiliency of the human soul is beautifully apparent.
klboehm's review against another edition
5.0
A sweeping masterpiece, a story beautifully told of a young girl who is very reluctantly exiled to the leper island of Molokai in spite of her mother’s efforts to conceal her daughter’s disease. Heartbreaking account of her life in seclusion and her struggles to adapt in a community which is isolated and feared by outsiders. Historical fiction at it’s finest.
rachel_wilson's review against another edition
5.0
What a unique and fascinating story. I could not put this book down, and read it in two days. It follows a young girl who contracts leprosy in the last few years of the 1800's and her life with all of the struggles of being a leper. It covered many points of history (starting with the the Haiwaiian kings all the way through Pearl Harbor) alongside her personal story. I cried several times at the difficult life she lived but the story was beautifully written.
djones1994's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kathlynnsell's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
bethanybeyondthejordan's review against another edition
4.0
Audio.
I've wanted to read this for a long time, and it finally emerged from library hold purgatory about the same time as COVID-19 isolation was beginning.
This is the story of a young girl who is taken away from her family at the age of 6 and quarantined with strangers (who become family) who also have leprosy. It was timely hearing her inner thoughts about interacting with non-infected people who couldn't tell she was infected, the identity issues surrounding being unlike her family, and her journey to discovering who she is and how she fits among both those who are blood related and those who become like family.
It's an epic journey, following Rachel over the course of her lifetime, and also following the trajectory of leprosy as it became curable and lost the stigma it once carried.
I'm not usually one for sequels and series but I'm really looking forward to reading Daughter of Moloka'i.
I've wanted to read this for a long time, and it finally emerged from library hold purgatory about the same time as COVID-19 isolation was beginning.
This is the story of a young girl who is taken away from her family at the age of 6 and quarantined with strangers (who become family) who also have leprosy. It was timely hearing her inner thoughts about interacting with non-infected people who couldn't tell she was infected, the identity issues surrounding being unlike her family, and her journey to discovering who she is and how she fits among both those who are blood related and those who become like family.
It's an epic journey, following Rachel over the course of her lifetime, and also following the trajectory of leprosy as it became curable and lost the stigma it once carried.
I'm not usually one for sequels and series but I'm really looking forward to reading Daughter of Moloka'i.
carlytal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ajbenso73's review against another edition
5.0
HANDS DOWN - in my Top 10 favorite EVER!!!
Admittedly I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of this book when chosen by my book club ladies due only to flipping through the pages and having difficulty with the beauty of the Hawaiian language and pronunciation as I read. I am thrilled that I stuck with it and broadened my horizons! It’s a beautiful and epic tale of love and loss that will stay with you long after the last page!
I’ve gifted it and recommended it many times over and will continue to do so!
Admittedly I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of this book when chosen by my book club ladies due only to flipping through the pages and having difficulty with the beauty of the Hawaiian language and pronunciation as I read. I am thrilled that I stuck with it and broadened my horizons! It’s a beautiful and epic tale of love and loss that will stay with you long after the last page!
I’ve gifted it and recommended it many times over and will continue to do so!
cqshah's review against another edition
4.0
This hit on lots of my areas of intrest: Progressive-era history, history of medicine, race/ethnicity and cultural creolization. well done.