Skip to main content

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Life in a Hawaiian leper colony in the early 1900s--based on a true story

 

Moloka’i
by Alan Brennert
St. Martin's Griffin
Moloka’i tells the story of Rachel, a young child who is diagnosed with leprosy and taken by the Hawaiian government health officials away from her family and sent by boat  to Moloka’i, a secluded leper colony, where she lives in a dorm managed by nuns along with other girls who have been diagnosed with this devastating disease. Moloka’i takes us through Rachel’s whole life on the island and beyond, when she is allowed, in middle age, to leave the island, after tests show her leprosy is in remission.
This is a well-researched novel full of heart and based in historical fact. I was filled with compassion for the characters and also when thinking of the real-life people who spent most or all of their lives on Moloka’i. I enjoyed both the Christian and pagan perspectives portrayed, and thought the author treated both with great respect. It’s a story both tragic and, because of the spirit of Rachel and the other residents of Kalaupapa on Moloka’i, uplifting. It hit me right in the heart. Reviewer's foot note: On October 21, 2012, a nun named Marianne Cope, a German—born American known for her charitable works and virtuous deeds and who spent much of her life caring for the lepers on Moloka’i without ever contracting the disease, was declared a saint by Pope Benedict XVI, and is now known as Saint Marianne of Moloka’i.
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eventide by Christine Allen-Riley

  Published October 20, 2014 5/5 Stars Devon Greer’s world is shattered when a tragic car accident takes her best friend, Rachael. Miserable with grief, Devon attempts to adjust to this new, hostile reality, in which the kids at school (and most of Rachael’s family) blame Devon for Rachael’s death, since Devon was driving the car that fateful night. Not long after the accident, Devon has reason to question her own sanity when she sees Rachael running through the woods next to the road near the accident site. Upon investigating, Devon finds there are more creatures living in the woods than just wildlife, and she begins to believe there’s a chance to rescue Rachael from them and bring her back. Will Devon and Jonah – Rachael’s cousin who has discovered the secret in the woods as well, and who is developing tender feelings for Devon – be able to rescue Rachael before it’s too late? Allen-Riley has taken the wild and beautiful forests and waters of Michig...
1 comment
Read more

Brown Dog by Jim Harrison

  The character of Brown Dog is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan's Siddhartha. Brown Dog is always on the lookout for a good fishing river, a night of carnal pleasure, or an odd job that pays enough to buy a six-pack. He is happiest when he is in the woods of Michigan and flying under society's radar. He is a flawed every-man with simple tastes and a pure heart whose bare-knuckled fighting skills, occasional poor judgment, and adherence to his own set of rules rather than the law of the land often land him in one sort of trouble or another. He does his very best to take care of those who can't take care of themselves, even when he's having a hard time meeting his own needs. This book collects all of the various Brown Dog novellas into one (along with one new B.D. novella) so lovers of Brown Dog can immerse themselves in his off-kilter hero's journey. I am so fond of the character of Brown Dog. As someone who has lived in and has strong memories of the U.P., I ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Marauders by Tom Cooper

Oil spills, stunted shrimp, stolen weed, and buried treasure in Louisiana's Gulf Coast Genre: Contemporary adventure The author got a rave review from Stephen King, so he probably doesn't need my praise heaped on top, but he's getting it anyway. This is a really fantastic story. The tribulations of the Louisiana shrimpers during an industry tailspin after the BP oil spill in the Gulf, the theft of high quality weed from a couple of crazy brothers, one man's drug-addled search for a treasure no one else believes in, and many other shenanigans are taking place in Louisiana's Gulf Coast. There is a lot going on here, but the characters are so well wrought that it is not difficult to keep up. I love books, like this one, in which the setting is detailed and described with such passion it become a character in the story. I have a soft spot for well-written flawed characters and realistic, not-idealistic storylines and this book is full of them. Tom Cooper do...
Post a Comment
Read more