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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Excellent book. So big, so vast and so interesting. Loved every one of the sections and learned so much!
Read this last winter when I was in need of sunny weather. Had no idea what to expect and was absolutely blown away. I loved how the book moves through history following different generations of different families and how their stories intertwined. Bawled my eyes out reading about the brothers fighting in WWII. Felt so angry at the heartless merchant captains and slavers. Felt the beauty of the islands. Felt happy for the ones who were able to make life their own against the odds.
I had no idea what Hawaii's history was like, and this book painted such a vivid picture. The only thing I disliked was how the chapters were laid out. If you like historical fiction, this one deserves a spot on your list!
I had no idea what Hawaii's history was like, and this book painted such a vivid picture. The only thing I disliked was how the chapters were laid out. If you like historical fiction, this one deserves a spot on your list!
A page turner. Loved many of the characters and the plot, but after a while the female characters began to wear on me and I couldn't quite finish the book. There were two in particular who were gang raped and Michener describes both as simply losing all memory of those rapes, allowing them to continue to engage in the story as if nothing had happened. Um, both women? Really?
slow-paced
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An epic story from the formation of a land mass before humans, through it's becoming a US state. Wonderful telling of the history of the people, and what happened when Europeans came to "educate and save" the those same natives. Makes us look at national pride and racism through the lens of one island's melting pot history.
3.5 stars. This book reads like a collection of like themed novels. The stories themselves are about different periods of historic times in Hawaii, and have some character overlap, but are not always extensions of each other.
I like this concept, but the quality varies significantly from story to story. The missionaries sorry is filled with hope dialog and is too long. The"modern" chapter is oddly narrated, and feels out of touch.
That said the book is lush with descriptions and is written with care and love. If it were 600 pages and not 1000, I might have enjoyed it more.
I like this concept, but the quality varies significantly from story to story. The missionaries sorry is filled with hope dialog and is too long. The"modern" chapter is oddly narrated, and feels out of touch.
That said the book is lush with descriptions and is written with care and love. If it were 600 pages and not 1000, I might have enjoyed it more.
It's probably impossible to write a book this long without some slow parts but the highs make up for the lows.
This is quite a novel, stretching from the formation of the islands to the mid-20th century. It really brought to life the history of Hawaii through a series of enjoyable characters and families. Any time I read history now, I'm reminded of why "Make America Great Again" is such an appalling slogan. Our history--like most countries--is quite painful and filled with discrimination and social injustices. Even in today's climate, I'm confident that there are ways in which we continue as a society to move forward.
If you are heading to Hawaii, this is a fun way to get steeped in the history and culture. Michener is a masterful storyteller.
If you are heading to Hawaii, this is a fun way to get steeped in the history and culture. Michener is a masterful storyteller.