Tiny Bubbles....

Ahhhh, I love Hawaii. In fact, I frequently order pina coladas in bar, which is probably the most annoying drink a bartender has to make, just because the taste of a pina colada reminds me of Hawaii.

I recently read Moloka'i by Alan Brennert because the cover had these really beautiful plumerias on the cover. And because it was about "the lepers", which have been a source of fascination since I was about 10 years old and I learned what a leper was at bible school. And because the author was a screenwriter for LA Law and LOVE me some witty banter between Corbin Bersen and his spunky red-headed assistant.

So, Moloka'i was pretty good. In fact, it was quite good. Long story short, it chronicled the life of Rachel Kalama as she grew up in Honolulu and was sent away to Moloka'i after she developed leprosy in 1890. She spent almost the rest of her life on the tiny remote island and the majority of the story details her grim life on Moloka'i.

Rachel lives to a fairly old age and watches (from a distance) as Hawaii became a state of the union, was attacked by the Japanese in WWII and was transformed from a sleepy little fishing town to the tourist trap that Waikiki is today.

Don't be fooled though. Rachel and her friends surf, go to school, date, marry and enjoy quite a full life on Moloka'i despite their challenges, like their fingers falling off. She shares her life with quite a cast of characters, including a native healer named Haleola, a transvestite named Leilani and eventually, her husband Kenji, a Japanese businessman.

I actually learned quite a bit about leprosy during my reading. For instance, I had no idea that they found a cure for what is now called Hansen's Disease. I also had no idea that the state of Hawaii was requiring all Hansen's Disease patients to be surgically sterilized before entering the mainland again. I learned that any leper who became pregnant had to immediately turn the baby over to be adopted. I also, unfortunately, learned more than I ever wanted to know about open sores and their treatment. Ick.

Now, I'll admit that the writing is not pulizer prize-winning and the ending was a wee bit contrived, but I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick fun read with a happy ending.