Helpful Score: 2
This book was amazing! Such a wonderful novel intertwined with Hawaiian history during the 1920's and 1930's. Loved the authors style. His first book Moloka'i is also outstanding!
Helpful Score: 1
I read the book in an entire day. It flowed so easy. I learned so much about history that I didnt know.
Our story starts out in Korea, that has been taken oven by the Japanese. Our Main character is named Regret, as female children are not valued. Regret longs to read, and go to school, but life in Korea doesnt offer much for women except to eventually be a daughter in law. Being a daughter in law is like a slave or a kicked dog. No honor, no love, no life. Regret begins a journey, where her Aunt helps her to learn to read via a teacher. Her father beats her when he finds out. Her teacher tells her she is a GEM, and Regret starts going by the name Jin.
Then an idea is presented to her by missionaries that Korean Men in Hawaii need wives. Regret and her friend, Sunny start this process. The take photos, and are promised a great life, and the opportunity to go to school. On the 9 day boat ride, They meet, Beauty, Jade Moon, and Wise Pearl. When they arrive in Hawaii of course these men are not as wealthy, handsome or as young as the picture of them.
The rest of story is a great adventure as Jin, takes the bad in life and turns things around for herself. This fictitious book is interwoven with some real people and real events. Through all the ups and downs, we see the women really make the most of their lives and their friendships.
Our story starts out in Korea, that has been taken oven by the Japanese. Our Main character is named Regret, as female children are not valued. Regret longs to read, and go to school, but life in Korea doesnt offer much for women except to eventually be a daughter in law. Being a daughter in law is like a slave or a kicked dog. No honor, no love, no life. Regret begins a journey, where her Aunt helps her to learn to read via a teacher. Her father beats her when he finds out. Her teacher tells her she is a GEM, and Regret starts going by the name Jin.
Then an idea is presented to her by missionaries that Korean Men in Hawaii need wives. Regret and her friend, Sunny start this process. The take photos, and are promised a great life, and the opportunity to go to school. On the 9 day boat ride, They meet, Beauty, Jade Moon, and Wise Pearl. When they arrive in Hawaii of course these men are not as wealthy, handsome or as young as the picture of them.
The rest of story is a great adventure as Jin, takes the bad in life and turns things around for herself. This fictitious book is interwoven with some real people and real events. Through all the ups and downs, we see the women really make the most of their lives and their friendships.
If you love reading books about different cultures, this is a great book. It's historical fiction, so you get a great story surrounded by the history of another time. I've read both "Molokai" and "Honolulu" by Alan Brennert, and I was very pleased by both. In fact, both books had me wanting to learn more about Hawaiian culture. Definitely a book worth reading!
Helpful Score: 1
This was a beautiful story of coming-of-age with your innocence dashed by disappointment, but forging ahead for new beginnings. I enjoyed journeying with Jin/Regret as she made her way from Korea to an unexpected adventure of a life in pre-and post-Depression era Honolulu. This was a very satisfying story, rich in emotion, and life lessons - and it had a very satisfying ending, which I love!
The only thing I didn't like was the way the story seemed to be heavy-handed with some of the industrial info, politics of the times, and even the detailed fashion materials talk made my eyes glaze over a couple of times, but that aside, I really enjoyed this story, and will definitely count Alan Brennert among my auto-buy authors.
The only thing I didn't like was the way the story seemed to be heavy-handed with some of the industrial info, politics of the times, and even the detailed fashion materials talk made my eyes glaze over a couple of times, but that aside, I really enjoyed this story, and will definitely count Alan Brennert among my auto-buy authors.
Helpful Score: 1
After reading, and loving, Molokai'i I was slightly disappointed in this book. It is just as well researched as Molokai'i, but it's missing the rich imagery and attention to detail. It is still worth a read because it tells a forgotten story of the cruelty non-white immigrants to Hawaii endured and their resilience as they worked to shape the state into what it is now.
Fantastic story about a young woman who arranges to marry a complete stranger in order to leave her home and live in Hawaii. She arrives not long after Hawaii has become the 50th of the United States. During the trip, she meets other brides and they manage to stay in touch and remain friends in their new land.
A well researched novel about a Korean girl who takes the risk to become a picture bride to Hawaii where she is it is paradise with streets paved in gold. Her life in Hawaii begins with more struggles to survive the work conditions and an abusive husband. She takes the chance to become a runaway wife and finds later that America is not paradise but gives her a wonderful life in the end.
Honolulu is about Korean mail-order brides at the turn of the century with their story continuing through until the mid 20th century.
This is absolutely one of my favorite books (along with Alan Brennert's other book, Molokai). It is wonderful history, but a great novel. Most of the places and events are true (I googled them).
This is absolutely one of my favorite books (along with Alan Brennert's other book, Molokai). It is wonderful history, but a great novel. Most of the places and events are true (I googled them).
As with his other novel, Moloka'i, Brennert weaves quite a tale.
Four young women go to Hawaii as "picture brides" - to meet husbands arranged for by mail and some shady dealings. This is their story woven into the story of Honolulu.
Four young women go to Hawaii as "picture brides" - to meet husbands arranged for by mail and some shady dealings. This is their story woven into the story of Honolulu.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very quick read and shared a lot of the history of the community along with presenting an enjoyable story.
I loved Honolulu by Alan Brennert! Honolulu is just one of those books that sucks you in - with its story, characters, great writing - and compels you to read just one more chapter, even though it's already 2am.
Honolulu tells the story of Regret , the only girl born to a traditional Korean family. Wishing to learn, Regret approaches her father, only to be beat down and berated. As a last resort, Regret secretly offers herself up as a picture bride (equivalent of a mail-order bride), only telling her parents once the match is complete. Disowned by her father, Regret travels to Hawaii to meet the rich, handsome husband promised by the matchmaker. Once in Hawaii, Regret finds herself as a wife to a plantation worker with drinking and gambling problems, and a foul temper. Nothing she does is ever good enough, and she endures much physical abuse before choosing to leave her husband, and run away to Honolulu. In control of her life for the first time, Regret (now taking the name Jin) finds her way with hard work and the renewed friendships with the other picture brides. Through numerous tests and trials, Jin realizes the strength she never knew she had, and becomes a great immigrant success story.
In addition to spanning Jin's entire lifetime, Honolulu is a very accurate depiction of life in 20th century Hawaii. In the prologue, Alan Brennert explains that various events described in the novel are historically accurate. I think Honolulu is a great way to learn about that part of Hawaii's history while enjoying the story. I only wish that we read more books like this in history classes.
Honolulu tells the story of Regret , the only girl born to a traditional Korean family. Wishing to learn, Regret approaches her father, only to be beat down and berated. As a last resort, Regret secretly offers herself up as a picture bride (equivalent of a mail-order bride), only telling her parents once the match is complete. Disowned by her father, Regret travels to Hawaii to meet the rich, handsome husband promised by the matchmaker. Once in Hawaii, Regret finds herself as a wife to a plantation worker with drinking and gambling problems, and a foul temper. Nothing she does is ever good enough, and she endures much physical abuse before choosing to leave her husband, and run away to Honolulu. In control of her life for the first time, Regret (now taking the name Jin) finds her way with hard work and the renewed friendships with the other picture brides. Through numerous tests and trials, Jin realizes the strength she never knew she had, and becomes a great immigrant success story.
In addition to spanning Jin's entire lifetime, Honolulu is a very accurate depiction of life in 20th century Hawaii. In the prologue, Alan Brennert explains that various events described in the novel are historically accurate. I think Honolulu is a great way to learn about that part of Hawaii's history while enjoying the story. I only wish that we read more books like this in history classes.
I really enjoyed this book, the history of Korea when the Japanese ruled was very interesting and I learned a lot of facts about the Korea culture I didn't know.. I love when an author combines fact, history and fiction and there were many real life people portrayed here.
The story of the "picture brides", where women chose a husband by his picture, promising wealth and status in Hawaii, only to find out it was not to be. Most of them lived in poverty and worked in the field, many husbands were cruel, and treated them like slaves.
This is a story of a women who only wanted to be educated, and ended up with a husband who beat her when she tried to tell him of her dreams. Her story is so interesting you don't want to put the book down, and I finished it in a couple of evenings. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 since because it was a little too long and it dragged on at times. However, I highly recommend it.
The story of the "picture brides", where women chose a husband by his picture, promising wealth and status in Hawaii, only to find out it was not to be. Most of them lived in poverty and worked in the field, many husbands were cruel, and treated them like slaves.
This is a story of a women who only wanted to be educated, and ended up with a husband who beat her when she tried to tell him of her dreams. Her story is so interesting you don't want to put the book down, and I finished it in a couple of evenings. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 since because it was a little too long and it dragged on at times. However, I highly recommend it.
My favorite genre is histoical fiction. This one is a bit simplistic but flows well and is engaging. I most enjoyed the introduction to the Korean culture.
Another wonderful book from Alan Brennert!
I loved this book! It is the tale of the life of one girl and her friends who come to America the only way they could, by marrying a citizen already in the country. The difficulties, love, grief, sorrows and joys of their lives make for a very beautiful story in the hands of this author. It is a full and rich life, and a thoroughly satisfying read. Highly recommended! D.
I loved this book!! Very interesting the whole way through.
Not as good as the previously written "Molokai" but good, nonetheless. Interesting as he wove facts about people actually living at the time into his fictionalized version. His choice of using a Korean picture bride and her culture and background made the book hard to put down.
Engaging tale of a Korean "picture bride" who journeyed to Hawaii in the early 1900s and became part of the generation that melded into Hawaii's culture while still bringing their own flavor to the mix. Brennert loses points for a "Zelig" riff in which the protagonist meets Duka Kahanamoka, the "real" Sadie Thompson, and the inspiration for "Charlie Chan", and is intimately involved with one of the Hawaiian men kelled in the infamous "Massie" affair in the 1930s. One of these connections would have been believable; four of them is overload.
