NOW A LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER | NAMED A BEST/MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK BY: USA Today • BookRiot • BookBub • LibraryReads • OC Register • Never Ending VoyageThe highly anticipated sequel to Alan Brennert’s acclaimed book club favorite, and national bestseller, Moloka’i“A novel of illumination and affection.” —USA Today Alan Brennert’s beloved novel Moloka’i, currently has over 600,000 copies in … national bestseller, Moloka’i
“A novel of illumination and affection.” —USA Today
Alan Brennert’s beloved novel Moloka’i, currently has over 600,000 copies in print. This companion tale tells the story of Ruth, the daughter that Rachel Kalama—quarantined for most of her life at the isolated leprosy settlement of Kalaupapa—was forced to give up at birth.
The book follows young Ruth from her arrival at the Kapi’olani Home for Girls in Honolulu, to her adoption by a Japanese couple who raise her on a strawberry and grape farm in California, her marriage and unjust internment at Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II—and then, after the war, to the life-altering day when she receives a letter from a woman who says she is Ruth’s birth mother, Rachel.
Daughter of Moloka’i expands upon Ruth and Rachel’s 22-year relationship, only hinted at in Moloka’i. It’s a richly emotional tale of two women—different in some ways, similar in others—who never expected to meet, much less come to love, one another. And for Ruth it is a story of discovery, the unfolding of a past she knew nothing about. Told in vivid, evocative prose that conjures up the beauty and history of both Hawaiian and Japanese cultures, it’s the powerful and poignant tale that readers of Moloka’i have been awaiting for fifteen years.
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Around ten years ago, someone in my book club selected Moloka’i as our monthly read. I wasn’t sure I’d like the book as I knew very little about Hawaii or leprosy, but it was a chance to learn. By the end of the novel, I was in tears and had scheduled a trip to visit the islands. It was a major hit at our book club meeting and I fondly recalled the book for several years. Last month, I was searching NetGalley to see what was newly released when this book showed in my queue. WHAT, A SEQUEL? I quickly requested it, waited days to find out if I’d be granted the approval, and messaged my former book club members to tell them about it. When I was awarded the book, I moved it up the queue and read it this week. This novel was truly a wonderful read and lived up to the first book; it’s a high recommendation from me.
The sequel starts in the 1920s at an orphanage where Ruth, a young girl, has been dropped off by her parents, for adoption. While she didn’t have leprosy, Ruth’s parents did which meant they couldn’t raise her for fear of further spreading the disease. Ruth waited years to be adopted because she’s half-Japanese and half-Hawaiin; few potential adopters were interested in taking her with them after a visitation. All Ruth wants is her own pet — a cow, a dog, anything… but the orphanage can’t allow it. One day, a Japanese couple arrive and adopt her. Ruth finds a wonderful home and everything she deserves falls into place — for a few years. Her adoptive father’s brother asks them to move from Hawaii to California to help farm his land. They do, but they find resistance to Japanese by Americans. By the time Pearl Harbor occurred, life for anyone of Japanese descent in mainland America was impacted. Ruth and her entire family, including new husband, Frank, and their two kids, were placed in various relocation camps across the Western US. Pain, death, and regret follow the family for a few years.
As a reader, I came to tears several times, but they also have wonderful moments and relationships that deliver a strong balance in emotional terms. About 2/3 into the book, Ruth receives a letter from her biological mother explaining why she was given up for adoption. Should Ruth meet the woman? Who is she and what is her connection to the characters from the first book in the series? Author Alan Brennert delivers a powerhouse of emotions and history in this sequel which I feel is definitely a parallel match. Not only do we learn about the culture of Hawaii but about Japan in this second installment. To understand what happened to Japanese-Americans in the 30s and 40s was difficult and crushing. It was equally as crushing as the deaths at Pearl Harbor and in WW2 as a result of all the fighting, but the focus here was on those around Ruth and her family.
The book ultimately chronicles Ruth’s life from age 3 to 55 when she’s grown with her own kids who are beginning to think about marriage in the late 1960s after the Korean War efforts. We walk step-by-step with her as she loses family members, gains new ones, finds her connection to animals in a second life, and understands who she really is. The language in this book, whether it’s Hawaiin, Japanese, or American English, is inspiring. It shows the flavor of the world Ruth lived in, both good and bad. At times, I laughed. Others, I teared up. To see a 50-thousand foot version of someone’s life throughout the middle of the 20th century during many horrific wars is quite impacting. We learn of a few different things that happened during the first book that we didn’t know then, but from a different perspective. We re-visit a few of those scenes again just to make connections. It’s quite comforting and eye-opening to learn things that we hadn’t know happened to Ruth’s family before she was born.
I can’t say enough good things about this sequel… perhaps in a few parts it was a tad slow and repetitive, but that’s so minor, it didn’t bother me. I still give this book a full 5 stars.
Another great story from this author. I have read them all.
I had been anxious to read this novel since Molokai was one of my all time favorite books. I think the descriptive writing in this book is just as wonderful as in his previous novels. First the descriptions of Hawaii were breathtaking and it was hard to believe that anyone would want to leave there.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. The story really starts when Ruth a little girl of 8, is living in an orphanage on the islands because her mother was forced to give her up. If you haven’t read the first book you might wonder why, the reason was that she had leprosy. At that time lepers were kept on the separate island of Molokai in an attempt to reduce the spread of the disease, nothing was really known about leprosy then. When a baby was born they were taken into a special home and if they show no signs of disease after one year of age they are put up for adoption.
Little Ruth had almost given up hope of being adopted, she realizes she is different because she has different “eyes” than most of the other kids. She is half Hawaiian and half Japanese. On a wonderful day a Japanese couple arrive and fall in love with Ruth. They have three sons but have always wanted a daughter.
Ruth finally has a home, a real home with love and siblings and her own little space in the flat above her new father’s thriving wood making shop. Her father begins to get letters from his brother in California who would like him and his family to come and share in the ownership of his land, he grows strawberries and grapes. At first her father is uncertain but eventually he moves his family to California. Unfortunately they encounter extreme racism against them and conditions on the land and his brother’s fortune aren’t as they were portrayed.
They begin to farm the land and reap the ever ripening harvest, they are making a go of it and then the unimaginable happens and the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. By this time Ruth is married to Frank and they have two children. FDR issues the order that all Japanese will have to relocated away from the West Coast.
They are “relocated” to what is little more than abandoned army barracks, some are even in the stables. Still they try to make the best of the terrible situation, making some friends and fixing up their small space to feel like home. To learn what happened to the Japanese in the 30’s and 40’s is heartbreaking and I kept wondering why this isn’t in children’s history books, maybe it is now but it wasn’t when my daughters went to school.
The book follows Ruth from age 3 to about 55, the good parts and the sad parts. I don’t want to give away any more of the plot. The author delivers another great character driven novel in which we get to know Ruth’s family.
I must admit that I didn’t feel quite the connection to this story as to Molokai. Perhaps it was because in the first book we learn so much about Hawaii and how leprosy is treated along with the incredible nurses and other help who risked their own lives to work among the lepers. This made such a huge impact on my heart. This book I feel is more about the internment camps and I have read several books about them and so wasn’t that much “surprised” about the conditions, etc.
This is still a wonderful read but I would encourage reading Molokai first because there is a lot of background history to learn about Ruth and all of the lepers and how they overcame their afflictions, tried to help others and live in the moments that they had.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley
This book is a sequal to the book Moloka’i. It focues on the life of Ruth. It covers her life from when her mother, Rachel, is forced to surrender her because of being an inmate at a leper colony … to her time in the Japanese internment camp during WWII … to her life when the war ends. The author does an amazing job with the vivid descriptions of Hawaii. While you can read his book as a standalone, it would be beneficial to read Moloka’i first.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The sequel to Moloka’i, focuses on Ruth, adopted at five years old, moves to the US, then experiences what it’s like to be a west coast Japanese during WWII. The tie to the first book really come after the war and the nostalgia with Hawaii.
I was pulled into this moving story instantly. “Daughter of Moloka’i” engaged my senses. I was shedding ugly tears, feeling breezes, and picturing the beauty of Hawaii, with the flowers, the water and tropical scenes. But, even surrounded by this beauty, I did have a harsh history lesson, learning what really took place in American history; hopefully never to be repeated. I can’t imagine hearing these words:
“attack was apparently made on all naval and military activities on the principal island of O’ahu. A Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor naturally would mean war…”
The story begins in Honolulu, 1917 and infant Ruth is taken to a girls home after her Mother is quarantined because of leprosy. Ruth is adopted by a Japanese couple and they move to California. When Ruth becomes an adult and has a family of her own; life takes an ugly turn when World War II starts. She and her family are sent to interment camps.
I truly enjoyed reading this book. The author, Alan Brennert, has a way with words that kept me turning the pages. I know many have said to read the first book of the series but having won this in a giveaway, I did not. I will go back and read the first one. (I bought already after reading this book half-way through) Alan Brennert has made a big impression on me and I look forward to reading all his books!
~This novel was given to me through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for a fair and honest review.~
A fine conclusion to book “Molokai” I would not have liked it as much if I had not read Molokai first.
I loved Moloka’i and was so excited to have the story continued. It also works even if you haven’t read the first book. I laughed, I cried, I loved it. The best historical fictionI’ve read this year.
How war causes people to treat people in humanly despite the facts that those are the people who make the world a better place. Shows the determination of people to better themselves despite the obstacles.
I learned more details about the internment camp experience here in the U.S.
I loved the charecters and that it took place in Hawaii. I read the other two books with the same families .
Molokai was one of my favorite books. This was a long awaited sequel. It didn’t hold up to the original novel. Disappointing. I would skip it.
Moloka’i was one of my favorite all time books so was anxious to read the follow up Daughter of Moloka’i. It didn’t disappoint, another great read!
I thought it was enjoyable and entertaining, loved it
I enjoyed Alan Brennert’s Honolulu and Moloka’i, so I was interested in the sequel of the latter. This tells the story of Ruth, the daughter of Rachel who was forced to give up her baby for adoption because she had Hansen’s Disease (leprosy). Ruth’s life involves happiness, with hardships during the Depression and WWII years when the family is relocated to two internment camps in CA. The story is another excellent observation of the power of love, family dynamics, and overcoming adversity. Highly recommend!
Not quite as good as Moloka’i, but interesting to follow the next generation.
It was a lot of history in a family saga of only 353 pages. Sometimes covers too much and too many characters. I could only read it so long and had to put it down after awhile to separate some of the “sections”. Interesting to be sure, in many ways sad and tragic through a lot of it. Glad I read it, but wouldn’t follow up reading any others.
Historical fiction story about the history of Molokai and Fr. Damon’s mission to care for the Hansen’s Disease patients. The character development and authentic descriptions brought me to tears many times while reading.
I recommend highly. One of the best books I have read in years.
Very nice follow up to the first book. Over all a good read. Sometimes focuses to far from the central story
This story about how our country treated the Japanese citizens during WWII It is heart wrenching, provoking and saddening.