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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Technically, this is a sequel to Moloka’I (published in 2004), which tells the story of Ruth’s mother, Rachel but I do think that this could be read as a standalone. There is some carryover/duplication, but I do believe you could read this without having read the first and still enjoy it.
I read Moloka’i years ago, and while I found it to be incredibly emotional and poignant, I don’t recall crying while reading it. I cried quite a bit while reading this book. I don’t know if it was because I’m now a parent, or if it’s because I lost my mother six months ago, but I seem to have been far more emotionally invested than I was while reading the first book. Not that the first book wasn’t emotional, maybe I just was able to relate to more now due to my own life experiences..
As a college history major who focused on Germany during WWII, I was aware of the internment of the Japanese here in the US, but I’ll admit it’s not something I’d done a lot of reading about. This was a fascinating look at the run-up to that unfortunate period of our history and showed how racism and prejudices culminated in tragedy for so many hard-working, law-abiding citizens.
The writing is incredibly descriptive and really made me feel as if I were actually there, experiencing everything along with the characters. As with much historical fiction I read, I tend to get sucked into internet rat holes because I’m drawn to look up people and locations. To me, this is a sign of a good book, because it means I’m INTERESTED in the subject and the author has done a good enough job of making it something I want to learn more about.
*eARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
I read this immediately after reading Molokai, so I was deeply invested in the characters, the culture and history. The first half of the book takes place as Ruth is adopted by Japanese parents. Ruth is the daughter Rachel and her husband are forced to give up as patients of the isolated Kalaupapa leper colony. She grows up in a loving family, comes of age and marries. Shortly after having two children, Pearl Harbor is bombed and life becomes a nightmare for Ruth’s family. When she meets her birth mother later in the book, her birth mother is horrified that her daughter’s family was exiled to a concentration camp. She was tormented to think her daughter had to experience being ripped away from her home as she once had. That part of the book was difficult to read. The second half of the book is about the relationship between Ruth and her mother. From the gentleness of the characters to the beauty of the culture, this is a remarkable and unforgettable piece of work, told with tact and tenderness.
Spanning more than 50 years (1917-1970), Daughter of Moloka’i follows Ruth, the daughter of lepers Rachel and Kenji, as she is brought to an orphanage, adopted by loving parents, moved to California, married — and after the attack on Pearl Harbor — held unjustly in a Japanese internment camp. I’d already read about the camps in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (4 stars), but this provided a different dimension and also included a bit about the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima.
If you loved Moloka’i (5 stars) as much as I did, then you will love finding out more about Ruth’s life. Although I wasn’t as enthralled with this one quite as much as the first, I did, however, enjoy revisiting and learning more about the characters while getting a glimpse into both Japanese and Hawaiian cultures.
Lastly, I’d also highly recommend Honolulu (5 stars) by this author. I read the latter while visiting Hawaii for the first time which made it even more memorable for me.
Location: Oahu, Hawaii and Florin, California
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Moloka’i is, simply put, a fascinating, endearing, haunting, and compelling story about Rachel Kalama, a character that invades and remains in one’s heart. Rachel was torn from her family in Honolulu and exiled to Molokai, where she remained quarantined for more than 50 years in Kalaupapa, an isolated leprosy settlement. She was fortunate to meet a wonderful man, Kenji, and marry, but they were heartbroken when they were forced to give their only child, daughter Ruth, up a few hours after her birth. After one year in isolation on Molokai — during which her parents could only visit her with a glass wall separating them — Ruth was put up for adoption.
Daughter of Molokai follows Ruth from her arrival at the Kapi’olani Home for Girls in Honolulu, to her adoption at age 5 by a Japanese couple. After a few years happily growing up in Honolulu with her parents and older brothers, the family relocates to Florin, California, a small town near Sacramento. Her family joins her father’s brother and his family on their strawberry and Flame Tokay grape farm. Rachel marries Frank and the two of them are happily running a local business and raising their two young children when the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, changes everything. Rachel and family are forced to leave everything behind and enter an internment camp, eventually assigned to Manzanar Relocation Camp. After the war, her life is again changed when she intercepts a letter to her parents from a woman who claims to be Ruth’s birth mother, Rachel.
At that point, the two books overlap. Moloka’i was Rachel’s story and her eventual relationship with Ruth was not described in detail or from Ruth’s point of view. That aspect of the story is related in Daughter of Molokai.
Author Alan Brennert has crafted a worthy follow up to Moloka’i. It is an equally rich tale, focused upon Ruth’s upbringing in a Japanese family, struggle to understand why her mother gave her up, and challenges as a person who is hapa (of both Hawaiian and Japanese descent) living in the Japanese community. Scrupulously researched, Daughter of Molokai explores the extreme prejudice toward Japanese nationals, as well as their children and grandchildren, in California which was exacerbated on a national scale when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Brennert describes, in heartbreaking detail, the indignities to which Ruth and her family are subjected during World War II, illustrating the different ways in which the various family members respond.
And he fully explores the reunion of Rachel and her beloved only child and the relationship they are at long last able to forge. Rachel deems it nothing less than a miracle, brought about the cure for leprosy, later known as Hansen’s Disease, developed in the 1940’s. From Ruth’s perspective, meeting her mother allows her to discover the truth about her past, and develop an understanding and appreciation of the Hawaiian culture.
Like Molokai, Daughter of Molokai is a beautiful story, full of historical and cultural detail that leaves the reader richer for the experience of having read the book. Brennert’s love of the Hawaiian and Japanese people is evident in the accurate, yet compassionate, manner in which he tells the story of his characters’ lives. Daughter of Molokai is poignant, emotionally satisfying, and powerfully eloquent. I enthusiastically give it, and Molokai, my strongest recommendation.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book.
Daughter of Moloka’i (Moloka’i #2) by Alan Brennert
February 2019
Fiction, historical
St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley
I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
Originally published in 2004, Moloka’i (book 1) by Alan Brennert provides a richly detailed history of Rachel Kalama’s life growing up in a leper colony on Moloka’i, Hawai’i during 1891 to 1948. “Kalaupapa had evolved from a “given grave” where the afflicted could only wait for death to a place where people lived as well as died.”
Rachel lived a full, meaningful life on Kalaupapa where she married Kenji Utagawa. In 1918, they made the heart wrenching decision to put their only child up for adoption. Once it was determined that Ruth was not afflicted she was sent to live in Kapi’olani Home, an orphanage.
Daughter of Moloka’i provides a parallel history of Hawai’i from the perspective experienced by Ruth Utagawa during 1891 to 1948. The historical aspects of life during these years is not overlooked. The author provides well-researched information which allows the reader to understand the hardships and devastation of the time. Ruth was adopted by Taizo and Etsuko Watanabe, a Japanese family, with 3 boys desperately wanting a girl to add to their family. She eventually goes on to marry Frank Haradas and have 2 children of her own.
The stories entwine to provide perspectives of family life and loyalty. Although this novel could easily “stand alone” the emotional family history is enhanced with the “complete” story explained in Moloka’i.
A very moving account of the history of a Hawaiian and Japanese Americans during the 1900’s. It focuses in particular on children who in an orphanage and were then placed in foster care. It is a touching story of searching for and finding your identity. The author uses historically accurate information on which to base the story. There is still lots of strength and warmth that encourages the reader to put themselves in the place of the characters. It is a striking story.
Daughter of Moloka’i is a lovely written novel by Alan Brennert and is the companion book to Moloka’i. Although I did not read the first book, I was able to jump right into this book. I do plan to go back and read the first book.
This book is a sweeping historical fiction that follows the life of Ruth Utagawa. She was born in 1917 on the leper colony, Kalaupapa, on the island of Moloka’i and is taken from her parents and brought to Kapi’olani orphanage on Honolulu, where she lives until a Japanese couple adopts her. The family then moves to California and life becomes difficult for Ruth’s family. I enjoyed the twists and turned that Ruth’s life takes and how the author interweaves history throughout the book. Mr. Brennert does an outstanding job with character development. I especially loved the relationship that develops between Ruth and her adoptive parents, Etsuko, Taizo and their three sons, and later in the book the relationship she develops with her birth mother. This book was very well researched. I enjoyed the in-depth description of Hawaiian and Japanese culture. Mr. Brennert majestically captures the raw beauty of Hawaii in his storytelling, to where I could feel the warm trade winds like I was in Hawaii. Also, he almost entirely, in my opinion, delves into a dark period of American history where Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps during WWII. There was one small problem that I had, and that was the comparison between what Japanese Americans experienced and what the Jews experienced at the hands of the Nazis.
Overall this was an exceptional book, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to read it. I would recommend this book if you enjoy reading about one women’s struggles and the joy she discovers in spite of them — happy Reading.
***I kindly received an ARC of this book by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review my honest opinion .***
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Previously, I read and reviewed Book No. 1, Moloka’i, which is Rachel’s story of contracting leprosy, being wrenched from her family and sent to live at Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Book No. 1 was full of emotions, from one end of the spectrum to the next, a roller coaster of a ride with happiness and joy marred by heartbreak. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the same emotional impact from Book No. 2. It just really fell flat for me. It was a good story with a lot of potential, but it just didn’t engage me as the first book did.
Book No. 2 is the story of Ruth, Rachel’s daughter. While Kalaupapa may have been a quarantined island, the residents were still free to live in their own homes, fall in love, marry and have children. With dire consequences, I might add. Rachel fell in love with Kenji, who was Japanese. They married and their daughter, Ruth, was taken from them at birth. I think this is the part of the book that deserves 5 stars for making me think. Imagine how devastating it would be to have a child taken from you immediately after birth. Would it then be less traumatic to never see them again, or to see them for a year and then have them whisked away to an orphanage on another Hawaiian island? Until Ruth’s first birthday, Rachel and Kenji can see their daughter, albeit from behind glass and never being able to touch her. I really wrestled with which option was the lesser of two evils and still haven’t been able to decide.
On with the story, which now becomes Ruth’s story. She spends five years or so in a Catholic orphanage before being adopted by a Japanese family. We follow her through childhood, adolescent and teen years, into her marriage and as a new mother. We also follow her and her family into a Japanese internment camp. The writing style of Book No. 1 was simplistic, but in a good way. There wasn’t a lot of flowery prose, just raw emotion that clearly conveyed. Book No. 2 is just simplistic and lacks any depth to the plot or the emotions. There is so much anger and hatred towards the whites that interred the Japanese, yet it is never fully examined. Please don’t think I am condoning this, I just felt there was a lack of story behind the actions to help me better understand what each side was feeling. I do understand feeling anger and hatred towards those who imprison you unjustly, but felt there would have been more complexity and depth to those emotions which I just didn’t pick-up from the writing. At the same time, there are some family rifts which I would have loved seen explored more from a Japanese cultural perspective of family, honor and shame.
There were things mentioned in the book which I needed to go look up for myself to see what the author was referring to, see if they were true and to learn more about them. I would have loved to have seen more of that explained in the book, but they were just glossed over.
There was also a large section of the book which was taken directly from Book No. 1. I guess if it’s been a while since you read the first, or if you didn’t read the first, to be able to recap. Since I read them back-to-back, it dragged down the pace of the book.
While this is a stand alone book, I would encourage anyone interested in reading this to read Molokai first. In this sequel, you follow the story of Rachel’s daughter, Ruth. Ruth is taken away from her parents at a day old so she doesn’t get infected with leprosy. This is Ruth’s story. We meet Ruth as a young child, half hawaiian, half Japanese, in an orphanage in Hawaii and travel with her to California. We live her life with her through the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the effects it has on the Japanese Americans living in California. I learned a lot about a sad time in America’s history. I would recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers, it’s so well done. #netgalley #daughterofmoloka’i
Daughter of Moloka’i by author Alan Brennert is a beautifully written sequel to Moloka’i which begins in 1917. Ruth and Kenji have a baby daughter which has to be given to the orphanage once it is determined that she does not have leprosy. Ruth is a very smart child and is full of fiesty spirit. She is finally adopted by a Japanese family when she is about six years old. She learns to trust and love her new mother and father along with older brothers. Later her father is offered land in California if he will move there with his family and help his brother farm the one hundred acres which is heavily in debt. Ruth groes up and happily marries Frank, the owner of a small diner. Soon the Japanese community is caught up in political turmoil and government restrictions after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Ruth and her family are sent to an internment camp.
I don’t want to post spoilers, but the things which happend during those years are very sad. Overall this is a story about the perseverance of family in the midst of a troubled time. It is about deep love and the honor of family.
I sobbed for Ruth and Only. I also felt the scene with the birthday presents Rachael had saved for Ruth was so very special!
Publication Date: February 19, 2019
This book is beautifully written. This is the first book I read by this author so I have not yet read the first book Molaka’I but certainly plan to read it in the future. I fell like I really got to know the various people involved. I can tell you it’s an emotional book. Quit a few times I had tears in my eyes. I also learned a lot of things I was not aware of. I did know about the Leprosy colony having read the books on Father Damien and was aware of the Japanese interment camps in the US but did not realize the open hostilities toward the Japanese population in California prior to World War II.
Knowing the current attitude towards the emigrants from South America it should not have surprised me. We never seem to learn from history.
This book is hard to put down because you become so involved with the little girl as she survives the years in the orphanage. Her adoption by a Japanese couple that with their sons made her feel a welcome member of the family. The move to California. Getting married and starting her own family. The years of been in the Japanese interment camps were you not only see the anger but also the solidarity of the people living in a very difficult situation. Later on we see her still been able to establish a 22 year long relationship of getting to know her birth mother. This book brings to life both the Japanese and Hawaiian cultures. I found this a very rewarding read so I highly recommend this book even if you haven’t read the first one yet.
A well written story that I was drawn into from the very start.
First off, this is the first book by this author that I have read. I didn’t read the prequel to this book, Moloka’i. It isn’t necessary to be able to understand and enjoy this book. But, I will definitely be going back to read it just because I loved this story so much.
Daughter of Moloka’i is Ruth’s story. Ruth was born on Molokai to parents who had leprosy. She was brought to a convent in Honolulu where she would have a chance at a better life. From an early age, Ruth struggles with being half Hawaiian and half Japanese. When she is adopted by Japanese parents, she is brought up with their culture. Ruth and her new family move to California to help on her uncle’s farm when she is five years old. It turns out to be a big mistake. They are faced with racism as soon as they arrive. The story follows Ruth through her school age years, marrying and having children. And, just when things seem to be going good, Pearl Harbor is bombed. Ruth and her family are sent to live in internment camps. After the war ends, everyone is allowed to leave the camps and resume life, even though they don’t have a clue what they will do after losing everything they had. Ruth also learns who her birth mother is and meets her. She learns more about her Hawaiian side of the family and their culture, and with what it was like for her mother living in Kalaupapa, the leprosy settlement on Moloka’i.
This is a story of love, loss, triumph, tragedy and overcoming the odds with dignity. This book is so well written, I could easily visualize the scenes. It is one story that will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend it.
Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.