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This was truly my white whale this year - taking me nearly the whole year to read. Because of that, let me go on a bit of a lengthy review here...
Hawaii is a book that has been recommended to me by my grandmother for my whole life who insists this is the best book she has ever read. Coming from someone who reads voraciously, this was a big deal. So I thought, since I had a trip to Hawaii booked this year that 2018 would be the year I tackle this monstrosity. I wanted to read it before the trip, but October came and went and Hawaii was still sitting on my bedside table.
Michener did a wonderful job encapsulating the entire history of Hawaii from the formation of the islands to modern day. Just looking at the genealogy charts at the back of the book shows the huge story he has told. It is amazing the scope of the work alone. We get to see the islands from the point of view of initial settlers, native Hawaiians, missionaries, Chinese workers and later on, Japanese workers. This all comes together to paint a picture of the societal norms and challenges Hawaii has faced through the centuries.
Wu Chow's Auntie, or Nyuk Tsin is the shining star of this book. She's the ultimate matriarch and her strong story and overall arc from the Hakka village to Hawaii was engrossing. Her family and their growing empire was such a wonderful story and how Michener kept it all straight was mind-blowing. If I had just read their story it would be a five star rating.
Unfortunately with a 1136 page book with such a large scope... there are many tangents and large sections of particular politics that lost me. Michener gets a little lost in certain details and there would be parts where I would put down the book and not feel the need to continue for a month or two.
With that said, this is a still wonderful piece of literature, is fairly easy reading, and I am so glad I read it. For me, this is so much more than a book and instead almost feels like a family tradition. When I told my grandma I was reading it she lit up and asked me if she could borrow it when I was done - so excited to revisit the characters a few decades after reading it the first time. I can't wait to talk to her more about it after she's read it again and be able to share her favourite book with her.
Hawaii is a book that has been recommended to me by my grandmother for my whole life who insists this is the best book she has ever read. Coming from someone who reads voraciously, this was a big deal. So I thought, since I had a trip to Hawaii booked this year that 2018 would be the year I tackle this monstrosity. I wanted to read it before the trip, but October came and went and Hawaii was still sitting on my bedside table.
Michener did a wonderful job encapsulating the entire history of Hawaii from the formation of the islands to modern day. Just looking at the genealogy charts at the back of the book shows the huge story he has told. It is amazing the scope of the work alone. We get to see the islands from the point of view of initial settlers, native Hawaiians, missionaries, Chinese workers and later on, Japanese workers. This all comes together to paint a picture of the societal norms and challenges Hawaii has faced through the centuries.
Wu Chow's Auntie, or Nyuk Tsin is the shining star of this book. She's the ultimate matriarch and her strong story and overall arc from the Hakka village to Hawaii was engrossing. Her family and their growing empire was such a wonderful story and how Michener kept it all straight was mind-blowing. If I had just read their story it would be a five star rating.
Unfortunately with a 1136 page book with such a large scope... there are many tangents and large sections of particular politics that lost me. Michener gets a little lost in certain details and there would be parts where I would put down the book and not feel the need to continue for a month or two.
With that said, this is a still wonderful piece of literature, is fairly easy reading, and I am so glad I read it. For me, this is so much more than a book and instead almost feels like a family tradition. When I told my grandma I was reading it she lit up and asked me if she could borrow it when I was done - so excited to revisit the characters a few decades after reading it the first time. I can't wait to talk to her more about it after she's read it again and be able to share her favourite book with her.