Moloka’i

By: Alan Brennert

Narrated by: Anne Noelani Miyamoto

Length: 17 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

The powerful debut novel from Alan Brennert, Moloka’i tells the story of Rachel Kalama, a seven-year-old Hawaiian girl who contracts leprosy and is quarantined on the island of Moloka’i during the 1890s. Separated from her family and forced to grow up in the leper colony of Kalaupapa, Rachel experiences intense isolation. But she remains strong, finding moments of joy, and even love. Rich in Hawaiian history, this novel proves itself a stellar piece of historical fiction.

©2003 Alan Brennert (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“Compellingly original … Brennert’s compassion makes Rachel a memorable character, and his smooth storytelling vividly brings early twentieth-century Hawaii to life.” ( Publishers Weekly)

Page turner

Excellent narrator; story is superb, didn't want it to end! Excellent blend of history and fiction.

Beautiful tragic tale of 1860-1960 Hawaii!

Where does Moloka’i rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

High, this is well written, historically correct, and characters are well developed.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There are so many, Rachel, Henry, Kenji, Katherine

Have you listened to any of Anne Noelani Miyamoto’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I love her voice and the natural cadence of her voice, just beautiful to listento.

If you could take any character from Moloka’i out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Uncle Pono, he was so funny and so loving...if I could include Henry we'd have a party!

Any additional comments?

This book will engage you, educate you, introduce you to Hawaiian Culture, make you laugh out loud, cry through a box of tissues and leave you wrung out. I loved every word.

great history lesson through fiction

I had never known anything about the history of Moloka'i. The story was both an intriging story and a history lesson at the same time. I didn't want it to end.

Incredibly moving

This book is a new favorite of mine. I could see myself going back to read it again which is something I never do. It’s been one year since my mothers passing. This book accounts beautifully the wonders of life and the sorrows of grief.

I loved this book. Profound, sad, hopeful ... This book is historical fiction at its best.

One of the best books I've read. I had to read other books afterwards and research related topics since it fed and stoked my desire for knowledge.

A complex compassionate look at leprosy

Would you listen to Moloka’i again? Why?

Yes. This book, and the people who populate it, are complex and not just characatures - from the nun who struggles with her faith and resists her calling, to the people who populate Moloka'i itself, to the government officials who say one thing and do another.
As other reviewers have said, the narration was ok (accents were great, but narrative pacing too slow). There were portions, particularly in the middle of the book, that could have been shortened. But for a debut novelist, Brennert did a remarkable job here!

Would you listen to another book narrated by Anne Noelani Miyamoto?

Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps a shorter one. A book the length of Moloka'i seemed to exhaust her... I got about 3/4 of the way through it and just had to read it in print.

If you could rename Moloka’i, what would you call it?

A Family of Exiles

Hidden Hawaiian History

A bit of a slow start made me think I had chosen a children's or young adults book. However, I soon realized the main character was a child at first; my interest and empathy grew with her as she was forced to separate from her family. As Rachel builds a life in the leper colony and forms a new ohana over the years, the reader learns the fascinating history of Molokai. It enticed me to visit that island next time I'm on Maui. The narrator did a fine job of sounding like a "hang loose" Hawaiian and gave me a smile or two. Thanks!

great read

I'm a fan of the author's style of historic fiction. He brings history to life in a very thoughtful and meaningful way. Not only was this a good read, I learned a lot about Hawaii, the island's history, and a ton i didn't know about Hansen's disease.

I definitely suggest reading Honalulu.

Tugs at your heart

You can feel the feelings over the characters in this book. Well written. Heartbreaking yet heartwarming. Beautiful story. And a piece of history that seems to be overlooked.

The narrator sounded like she had a very fake Hawaiian accent but other than that the performance was good.

A thorough, revealing walk in another's shoes.

Although not to be taken lighthearted, the story was written and performed exceptionally well.
This is an entire "life walk" in another person's shoes who had one hurdle after another(making my daily trials feel petty) but did her best to see the good in what she had. It was quite an eye opener for myself with a wealth of history I was previously unaware of.