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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| May 20 2008, 4:28 PM EDT (current) | DrDrewHonolulu | |
| May 20 2008, 4:28 PM EDT | DrDrewHonolulu | 360 words added |
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Brennert, Alan., Moloka’i. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2003. 389p. ISBN 0-312-30435-8 (pa), $13.95.
Moloka’i weaves fact and fiction together in a tale of a young woman who contracts Hansen’s Disease, better known as leprosy, and is sent to the Kalaupapa settlement on Moloka’i. As a little girl taken from her family and all things familiar, Rachel Kalama must learn how to live with this disease while being on her own. As most of those around her are also afflicted with the same disease, Rachel comes to understand the true meaning of family and the role that family plays in her life.
The book does deliver an engaging story about a woman who is faced with tremendous difficulties. Although the facts are not always correct, this book does not claim to be a store of facts on Hawai’i. Not many other works deal with the topic of Hansen’s Disease patients or the forced separation that befell the victims of this disease in Hawai’i. Usually this subject is taboo but instead is the focus of this work. While in a few spots the writing tends to lag a bit, the story of Rachel commands the reader’s attention and overshadows the writing flaws. Hawai’i by James Mitchner (Fawcett, 1986) could be comparable as the characters in these stories are fictional and the story well-told however the facts are sometimes changed or left out in order to fit the story better. School for Hawai’ian Girls by Georgia Ka’apuni McMillen (Authorhouse, 2001) does not contain as much fact as Moloka’i nor does it have as compelling a lead character. Moloka’i is recommended for libraries with readers that enjoy historical fiction. However the book is not proposed for collections looking only for serious research materials on Hawai’i.
Author Alan Brennert is best known for his work in TV and film. He won an Emmy Award in 1991 for his work as writer-producer for the TV series LA Law as well as a People’s Choice Award for the same series. His short story “Ma Qui” won a Nebula Award in 1992.
Moloka’i weaves fact and fiction together in a tale of a young woman who contracts Hansen’s Disease, better known as leprosy, and is sent to the Kalaupapa settlement on Moloka’i. As a little girl taken from her family and all things familiar, Rachel Kalama must learn how to live with this disease while being on her own. As most of those around her are also afflicted with the same disease, Rachel comes to understand the true meaning of family and the role that family plays in her life.
The book does deliver an engaging story about a woman who is faced with tremendous difficulties. Although the facts are not always correct, this book does not claim to be a store of facts on Hawai’i. Not many other works deal with the topic of Hansen’s Disease patients or the forced separation that befell the victims of this disease in Hawai’i. Usually this subject is taboo but instead is the focus of this work. While in a few spots the writing tends to lag a bit, the story of Rachel commands the reader’s attention and overshadows the writing flaws. Hawai’i by James Mitchner (Fawcett, 1986) could be comparable as the characters in these stories are fictional and the story well-told however the facts are sometimes changed or left out in order to fit the story better. School for Hawai’ian Girls by Georgia Ka’apuni McMillen (Authorhouse, 2001) does not contain as much fact as Moloka’i nor does it have as compelling a lead character. Moloka’i is recommended for libraries with readers that enjoy historical fiction. However the book is not proposed for collections looking only for serious research materials on Hawai’i.
Author Alan Brennert is best known for his work in TV and film. He won an Emmy Award in 1991 for his work as writer-producer for the TV series LA Law as well as a People’s Choice Award for the same series. His short story “Ma Qui” won a Nebula Award in 1992.
Submitted in April 2008 by Jennifer Crowther, LIS student, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
