Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes

18 reviews

eslsilver's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Colonisation

Moderate: Death, Cancer, Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Miscarriage

Minor: Death of parent

onegalonelife27's review against another edition

Is this extremely well written, a beautiful exploration on Hawaii exploitation on its people and culture, and how it effects one family through generations of women?Absolutely! I've been really enjoying it, fleshed out characters and deeply rich telling of the history of the Hawaiian Islands. However, decisions are being made and I'm not mentally or emotionally prepared for I what I predict happens-I'm just saving myself from the huge wave of second hand embarrassment, sympathy, fury and a whole lot more for what's coming. Don't think I can sit through traffic (I tend to listen to a lot of audiobooks on a commute I have) while this all goes down. Will try this book again, probably in another format. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Colonisation

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Pregnancy

tlaynejones's review

slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation and Miscarriage

abby_can_read's review

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

📖
I had a good time reading this book. I loved it. The different timelines and the switches are a little confusing at times, but it does make for a good overall narrative. I liked the characters and the complex relationships between them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Colonisation, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

Minor: Cancer, Blood, and Pregnancy

vedpears's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75

Excellent book - helps to have audiobook playing while reading the Hawaiian, if unfamiliar with the language. There were parts that characters spoke in Hawaiian, and the author did a great job to let unfamiliar readers get the gist of the meaning without writing out a direct translation, allowing for the novel to continue with ease.

The depicted relationships and family dynamics are realistic and dive deep without bogging the reader down. The very real occupation of Hawaii is both a backdrop and a nemesis in this book and I appreciate Hakes' willingness to lay out all the pain that comes with that here, without softening the language to make the invaders uncomfortable. I think Hakes does a fine job balancing fact and fiction to ensure the readers walk away being able to trust this view through a literary window of the ongoing theft of Hawaii from her people. 

The only thing that keeps this from being a 5-star is that I felt the first third of the book didn't fit as well or flow as nicely as the rest of the novel. The beginning didn't have the same raw emotion/depth that the remainder of the story did, and I initially found it very difficult to push on - glad I did, but that took effort to push through. 

Content warning: maternal estrangement, miscarriage, colonizers, bullying, cancer, car accident, death.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Abandonment, Death, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Deportation, Car accident, Colonisation, Cancer, Bullying, and Body shaming

creativerunnings's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Cancer, Grief, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Death, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Drug use

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, Child abuse, Racism, Colonisation, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Bullying, and Physical abuse

Minor: Pregnancy, Cancer, Misogyny, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

silodear's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

I loved this book. It takes place in the town I grew up in, partially during the time of my childhood. The characters were so vivid and complex. I loved the unique of the story. I felt the heartache of the characters so acutely. I loved the light dusting of magic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

Moderate: Racism and Colonisation

alexisgarcia's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this was a very beautiful generational tale about 3 different Hawaiian women. this was really enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Infertility, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Grief

brynpemery's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation and Miscarriage

Moderate: Cancer, Racism, Death, and Grief