Moloka'i

About a year ago. . .over a year ago my mom sent me a book called, "MOLOKA'I" by Alan Brennert. My family was going to Hawaii for 2 weeks on a cruise and my mom's cute and likes themed gifts for our trips. Well, like an ungrateful daughter I took a look at the cover of the book (anyone in marketing please listen up) and thought it looked a bit cheesy. I never got around to reading it. Sorry, Mom, I know you have good taste in books. My bad.

Well, I started packing up my stuff to move next weekend and I packed up all my books. I had just finished, "Beauty for Ashes" by Joyce Meyers and I wanted to read something for leisure. I found this book again and picked it up. I read the first few pages and got into it. It was really good. Full of Hawaii history that I remembered from our time in Hawaii. The next night I ended up staying up till 1am reading. I love how it takes soooo much of Hawaii's history into it. It starts in 1901 and tells the story about the sad story of the leper colony in Kalaupapa, Moloka'i that King Kamehameha V decided to have designated for his people who were found to have Hanson's disease (leprosy). It is the story of a girl, Rachel Aouli, who at the age 7 finds out she has leprosy and is then shipped to Kalaupapa. It is about how her life changes radically going from a normal 7 year old life to one of being rejected by her country and her family. It's about her new life, new friends, and growing up in a leper colony where people are sent just to die.

The story touches on the US take over of Hawaii (aka the theft of Hawaii), the studies of Hanson's disease, Father Damien, and Hawaii's native beliefs that the early missionaries tried to banish.




Father Damien, who came to Kalaupapa in 1866 as a young missionary. He missioned at the settlement building most of the first houses and building there. He really fought to make sure that the patients of Hanson's disease could get better care all around. He died in 1889 from Hanson's disease serving for 16 years in Kalaupapa.


I really like this story, even with my prejudices against the cover. The writing and how all the characters are written. The missionaries, the Hawaiians, and people in between. It's a very touching story and one that enlightened me more about Hawaii and the history of those islands and Hanson's disease. I then went and checked out some of the facts online and they surprisingly are accurate. Also it uses a lot of Hawaiian in it and I find myself googling the definition of these too (they say vaguely what they mean in the book but it's a good vague). It makes the reading that much more touching.

"Moloka'i" may not be a noble peace prize winning book but I would recommend it if you like a light read, Hawaii, or historical type books. Or all three.

Seriously, need to stop judging books by their cover. It reminds me of the Barenstain Bears where Sister Bear is learning about not judging people and Mama bear takes a beautiful apple and cuts it in half and it's all gross inside and wormy. But then she picks up a funky bumped apple that when she cuts it open is fine and delicious. And the moral of the story is not to judge people based on their appearance kids.

Thanks Mom. Good read.