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Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1)
Moloka'i - Moloka'i, Bk 1
Author: Alan Brennert
Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Her...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780312304355
ISBN-10: 0312304358
Publication Date: 10/4/2004
Pages: 400
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 429

4.3 stars, based on 429 ratings
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

summrsun16 avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 15
Wow. What a stellar book. The characters are still fresh in my mind, even now, almost 2 months after I read it! This is a very well-researched historical fiction, and it gave me new insight into the Hawaiian leprosy epidemic, as well as the annexation of Hawaii by the U.S. It is extremely well-written, engaging, interesting, and insightful. I even cried at the end, and I never cry at books! Definitely pick this book up. You'll never think of Moloka'i the same way again.
mwelday avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 148 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 13
This is an excellent book! I can't believe it was written by a man...he gave the main character, Rachel, an amazing voice. A wonderful novel about love, compassion, friendship, life/death, grief...it's a coming-of-age story set against incredible obstacles in Hawaii at the end of the 1800s. My book club read this one month and everyone really enjoyed the story. 5 stars!
angelatres avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 72 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 13
This is a really good read. However, I found it to be very depressing throughout the entire book. I set it down about halfway through and took a break from reading it for about two weeks--just to take a breather from the overwhelming heartbreak I felt for Rachel. I would recommend this but be prepared for a heartwrenching story.
annapi avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 334 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
My first 5-star book of the year! In 1890s Hawai'i, young Rachel Kalama is 8 years old when she contracts leprosy and is separated from her family to live in the leper colony on the island of Moloka'i. What might have been a death sentence becomes a triumph of a strong spirit as Rachel determinedly lives her life to the full amidst horror and despair. This novel puts a face and a human voice to the countless affected souls discarded by society in fear of this dreadful disease, and chronicles their battle over the years to not only find a cure but reclaim their dignity from the world that rejected them. While Rachel is fictional, she is set amongst several historical characters and Stein weaves a rich tapestry imbued with deep-seated emotion. Yet despite its moments of harshness and pain it's an easy read, flowing surprisingly fast as it draws in and completely absorbs the reader. Highly recommended.
reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 43 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
When I think historical novel, I think yawn...usually. This book was utterly charming. It begins with a 7 year old girl that has leprosy and the turn of events that ends with her heading to the Leprosy Settlement on Moloka'i. What at first seems to be a death sentence then turns into a beautiful story of family, community, and hope. The characters in this book were truly original and likable. I loved it!
Read All 80 Book Reviews of "Molokai Molokai Bk 1"

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youngj85 avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Amazing story which is well told. I was fascinated by the history and ways of the island. I feel like I have a personal connection with the characters.
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 983 more book reviews
This is a riveting story of life in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th century. Idyllic, a paradise, but not if you've got leprosy. Young Rachel is taken away from her family at a young age and put in Kalaupapa, where those with leprosy are doomed to live out their lives, be they long or short. Full of tragedy and triumph, full of countless people that Rachel loves and loses. This is but a glimpse of what life was like in a place that most think of as a paradise, but for these poor people was certainly a hell.
lmntree avatar reviewed Moloka'i (Moloka'i, Bk 1) on + 37 more book reviews
This is why I read! I knew absolutely nothing about this time and place but was transported entirely. I loved Rachel- she became so real to me. A wonderful book, I can't say enough about how well written it is. I just put Honolulu by the same author on my wish list.


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