A review by bethanybeyondthejordan
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

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.