A review by spootilious
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Read: August 1, 2023
Title: Moloka'i
Series: Moloka'i #1
Author: Alan Brennert
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3/5
Review:
I'm probably going to keep this review short since I am unaccustomed to writing these reviews on my mobile. So, please forgive me if I have more grammatical errors than usual and for a shorter post. 

Moloka'i was probably the most refreshing and heart-rending work I've read in the last two years.

Brennet's writing feels unemotional and apathetic. In some cases it hurts the story, making it cold and unrelatable, in others it highlights the traumatic and grotesque tragedies of the story.

Regardless, this novel was compelling. It had touching moments, heartbreaking ones, moments that incited anger, disgust, and warmth. It shines that light on pieces of history (both Hawaiian and American) that we don't learn in our history books… history that much of the United States probably would prefer to stay buried. 

I have learned so much from this novel. My curiosity and thirst for more of this history has been sparked, so much so that I've found myself knee deep in historical articles, memoirs, and essays, as I hope it has for others.

I highly recommend this novel for anyone who loves historical fiction, Hawaiian culture, World War II fiction, or simply a heavy, moving, and heartbreaking study of the human condition. 

(I will not be reading book 2, mostly due to my already massive TBR and lack of time)

Quotes:
“There is beauty…in the least beautiful of things.”


TW: Sexual Content, Attempted Rape, Medical Content, Physical Abuse, Epidemic, Christianity, Polytheism, Loss of Child, Loss of Parent, Adoption, Attempted Suicide, Mentions of Suicide, Hate Crimes, War, Segregation, Racism, Coup, Spousal Abuse, Physical Abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Grief, Drowning, Blood, Descriptive Injury, Bombing