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bea_reads_books's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hula is a story of family, of mothers and daughters, of falling apart and coming together again. It is a story about history, about the ways history affects us through our generations. It is a story of colonization, of a people forced to assimilate and commodify their cultural identity. It is about how that great violence tears apart whole people groups, but also how it breaks individual families. It is emotional and raw and painful, but also dares to be hopeful. I cried… a lot.
jesslojo's review
4.0
Hula is richly packed with culture, and the history of Hawaii. It is a multigenerational saga from the point of view of three Naupaka women; Hulali, Laka and Hi’i. The dynamics of the relationships are both complicated and heartwarming at the same time. The history present in the novel was pretty dense and with the writing style made it difficult for me to really latch onto this novel and follow every word, but the storyline is truly beautiful.
It is definitely clear that Jasmin ʻIolani Hakes’ passion for Hawaii runs deep, her love and understanding for Hawaii bleeds into her writing.
Thank you to NetGalley, and HarperVia Publishing for the advanced readers copy!
It is definitely clear that Jasmin ʻIolani Hakes’ passion for Hawaii runs deep, her love and understanding for Hawaii bleeds into her writing.
Thank you to NetGalley, and HarperVia Publishing for the advanced readers copy!
quailtea's review
challenging
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? Yes
4.75
so captivating and compelling, i couldn't put it down, beautiful interweaving of the interpersonal challenges with the colonialism ones, cheering on every character in their struggles.
awebofstories's review
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
gina_readsbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
“We are not here for you. We were here before you came and will be here when you leave.”
Thank you to partner Bibliolifestyle and Harper Via Books for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
This is a really beautiful story of family, tradition, and history that flows through three generations of women. There is a focus on relationships between mothers and daughters, but also the history of Hawaii. It captures the rage and unrest of the Hawaiian people as their land and culture was stolen. The history provided throughout is so important, and it wasn’t something I knew anything about before.
These characters are so fascinating, especially Hi’i, the youngest. She struggles with her identity as she doesn’t look the way she’s expected as a Hawaiian. But she so desperately wants to participate in hula and prove that she is just like her mom. There is so much rich culture and detail in this book, juxtaposed with this anger at the way their identities were appropriated.
This is a really fascinating read, and it was so great to get to read something out of my comfort zone.
melanieavreuter's review
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Hula is a story spanning five generations of women that tackles what it means to belong. The story is beautifully written and captures so many stages of life. The author sprinkles in a lot of information about how Hawaii because to be known as a state. Truly a love letter to Hilo, family, and women.