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jmcampbell57's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Homophobia
Minor: Confinement
internationalreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Death, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia
_kathill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts
beckyjc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a really soulful book. It explores our relationship with nature, with our traditions and heritage, and how this is changing in the 21st century. I have never been to Hawai'i and had a limited knowledge of cultural traditions there before reading this book. I knew about ukulele and lei but nothing of the history and mythology of the islands and their people. This is kind of the point - Washburn wants to joyfully share the 'authentic' Hawai'i with us, the one beyond the surf bars and volcano treks for tourists, and I lapped it up. I enjoyed looking up some of the language and customs mentioned - especially as they hold such power (can't forget those ancient hula performances I watched on YouTube in a hurry). I always like learning things about another culture or country from novels, I find it really enriching.
There are elements of magical realism and fantasy woven through the story, as the family of characters grapples with the island's evocative ancestral history. I can sometimes find mystical aspects like this a bit jarring (try as I might, I just could not get swept away by One Hundred Years of Solitude...) but Washburn handles this smoothly, I think because his characters are both sceptical and dry-humoured, and open-minded to the spiritual forces they clearly experience. This is a family that feels very real in all its petty squabbles, tense dynamics, and gritty quest for survival, and this grounds the loftier elements of the plot. There is also a very visceral sense of the earth in the narrative. The beauty and danger of Mother Nature (Pele in this case), and the perils of losing our connection to her, are wrapped around the dialogue and action like a creeping vine.
This is an impressive debut novel and would definitely look out for more from him in future.
Moderate: Grief and Confinement
Minor: Sexual assault
mitone_winona's review against another edition
- 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
This book is so natural and real with how it goes over being siblings in a challenging dynamic, being successful in a way that matters so much to you and your parents, and the consequences of reality on those goals and aspirations. Each sibling is very unique in both struggles and goals they all wish to achieve.
This book is so natural and realistic in a way that makes you cheer on even if the moment is tense. You want these characters to thrive and continue on. I highly suggest you read this book if you like magical realism combined with TRUE reality that intertwines both amazingly.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Violence
usedtotheweather's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Grief, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
kayleyhyde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Racial slurs, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism and Animal death
kaiulanilee's review against another edition
- 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
Particularly the way it wove language into beautiful but sometimes very jarring sentences and the way the author was able to capture the distinct personalities and thoughts of each character with the way he wrote their chapters was brilliant. This is an absolutely brilliant story about family, resilience, Hawaiian mythology, and our connection to the world around us and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual assault
bookmarkie's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Dementia and Grief
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal death, Drug use, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Rape