The Last Aloha

A Novel

By: Gaellen Quinn

Narrated by: Jolene Kim

Length: 13 hrs

Publisher's Summary

How did Hawaii become part of America? This story, inspired by true events suppressed for nearly 100 years, is the one James Michener never wrote. In 1886, Laura Jennings travels to Hawaii to live with missionary relatives. She imagines she’ll live in a grass hut, ministering to uncivilized locals. When she arrives in Honolulu, she’s surprised to find her relatives are among the wealthy elite plotting to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy. And the Hawaiians have developed a charming and prosperous Victorian kingdom. 

To avoid her conniving uncle’s control, Laura leaves to work for the royal family and learns her family’s prejudices against them are false. The last queen, Lili’uokalani, wages a tragic struggle to save the kingdom. Through choices she makes when every avenue is blocked, Laura sees the power that can restore the spirit of a people caught in a turbulent world and discovers how long-hidden secrets of her own family lead the way to reunion.

©2019 Gaellen Quinn (P)2019 Blackstone Publishing

Powerful true account of how Hawaii was overthrown

This book is a must read for anyone visiting Hawaii, You will never see it as you did before.
History is always written by the victor and so we knew very little about the inherent racism and gender inequality that gave these American colonialists the idea that the white male had the God given right to rule over darker skinned indigenous people. The evidence is now public, so the story of the peace loving accomplished Royal family can now be told. They sacrificed their independence for the safety of the people and to keep the spirit of Aloha alive.

After reading and then listening to this book I approach visiting these beautiful islands with a sense of respect and not with any sense of ownership. I want to learn more about these gracious people and the history that is being rewritten.

Thank you Gaellen Quinn for you dedicated service to the truth and your gift of telling a story that draws us into the lives of all the characters. I didn't want it to end. Although it could not have been a more beautiful and sensitive ending.

Get a narrator who can pronounce Hawaiian words correctly

As a native Hawaiian that is fluent in my mother tongue it is difficult to listen to things like Hanalulu when it is pronounced Honolulu with in “O” sound repeatedly. It this time of racial reckoning I would think Audible would hire someone familiar with ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi for accuracy and in respect to my people

Interesting story, poor narration

I am an avid Audible fan and have enjoyed my subscription immensely. The Last Aloha is a compelling story depicting the takeover of the Kingdom of Hawaii by non-Hawaiian business people. The story is told, with all its intrigues, from the perspective of one woman. While I was interested enough in the story, the narration quality was poor and I would have returned the book had I not wanted to found out what happened. This was free for me, but had I paid for it I might have returned it. Narration makes a huge difference in the enjoyment of the book and this one was just terrible.

wonderful story but narration is terrible

this was a fantastic story! but the narrator sounds like she has a Really bad cold! a stuffy nose & sore throat and seriously sounds like she’s terribly out of breath- the Entire book but much worse the last 1/3. it was very very distracting and made me take deep breaths all the time bc she made Me feel out of breath bc she was! i will Not listen time any other books she narrates. unfortunate.

If you can struggle through the narration, good book!

This is a period of history that I am very interested in, so it was with much anticipation I started listening. And came upon a speed bump. Even though the book is well written, the narrator is, not good. In a stilted breathyness she monotones ponderously through each chapter.
I increased the speed and powered through for content, it could have been so much better!

Great story

This is a well written story about the stealing of the Hawaiian islands by greedy Americans. The horrible injustices done to the rulers is a story that bears retelling

Good but not great.

I really wanted to love this book and it started out very interesting but it just dragged on and on in my opinion. Would've kept my interest if it had been a bit shorter and more to the point. I did enjoy hearing about Hawaiian history. Didn't care for the narrator at all, she read way too slowly and had a nasal sound to her voice. Overall worth listening to if you know nothing about Hawaii's annexation into the US and like historical fiction.

Enjoyable !

Enjoyed the book very much. I now want to learn more about Queen Liliuokalani.

I didn’t like the last chapter when all of a sudden Laura is married. How did she meet her husband, etc.

Anyway I’d recommend it. Btw, I don’t know why other reviewers have said the pronounciations of the hawaiian words were incorrect. I thought they were just fine.

For Hawaii Lovers

I needed to increase the speed of the narration, but that was my only issue with performance. I truly appreciated the correct pronunciation of the Hawaiian language used through out the story. The story... where do I begin. I grew up in Hawaii, married into a local family in my late teens and assimilated in. I am only haole on the outside. My love of Hawaii, it's unique culture and amazing people, allowed me to feel a gamut of emotions. I reveled in her awe of the beauty of the Island, felt comraderie with her when she realized the difference between her austere existence in the Price home and the freedom of her holoku and all it represented. Been there...done that! I felt true anguish over the betrayal, the viciousness and the low down, dirty dog ruthlessness that the wealthy haoles exhibited to overthrow the Queen and steal her sovereign nation. I truly appreciated the depth that the author took me into my feelings with her attention to historical details. I thought I knew before, but know I feel as though I really do.

Great story!

This was a wonderful book. It makes me want to visit Hawaii. Definitely would recommend it onyone.