Honolulu: A Novel

Alan Brennert is a talented writer who brought to life the character Jin/Regret. The ups and downs in her life are something anyone in the world has had some experience with.

Very good touching book. It starts slow but gets addicting come the middle to end. A great history on Hawaii and the melting pot it became.

This novel is a definite read for anyone interested in Hawaii and it’s rich history. The perspective from an immigrant's viewpoint gave insight into the hardships and joys of making Hawaii their home. I learned a lot about how the current Hawaiian culture took shape. It was a fun read!

This is a fascinating account of the life of a Korean girl who aspires to more than her life in Korea promises. The regimented, highly confining life of a young girl in Korea makes her desperate to find a way of escape. After secretly learning to read and write (as girls are not educated in other than wifely tasks), she latches onto the only access she can find to the outside world - that of a "picture bride". Life takes off from there, as she travels to meet her new husband in Hawaii.Although the author in his notes talks about "the glamour days of the 1920-1930's", we are not treated to clipper ships, elegant cruise liners,or vacationing celebrities. We are ensconsed in the tenements of the fields of pineapple plantations and in canneries, where our protagonist struggles to find a life with an abusive husband. This is the story of the seemier side of Hawaii, the struggle for survival, and the unrest between ethnic groups - the Korean, Japanese, Chinese, the white elite, and the naval personnel - during a period of growth, depression, and eventually, war. Unfortunately, the novel does not cover anything of the impact of World War II. I kept waiting for that, and was disappointed.All in all, though, as one who has only been exposed to the high-rises, the beaches, and tourist attractions, this story, which is based largely in reality and truth, is an eye-opener. Having read Hawaii by Michener, which dealt with the missionaries who went to work on the native Hawaiians in the very early days, this book was a good follow-up.I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and for me, it was a page-turner. The ending wrapped up a bit too neatly (and prosperously), but I'll never turn down a happy conclusion to a story. I did wince however, when Jin, our protagonist named "Regret" in Korea, said, as the last line in the book that she had no "regrets"! Ouch.

I was a huge fan of Brennert's book Moloka'i, so I was a little hesitant to read this follow-up. I need not have been, while not quite as good as Moloka'i it was a fascinating look at Hawaii long before it became the vacation capital of the world.The book begins in Korea, where girls have very little value. This is made abundantly clear when her parents name our protagonist Regret. Wishing to better her life and get an education, Regret becomes a "picture bride". In exchange for passage to Hawaii she agrees to marry a young Korean named Noh. Unfortunately when Regret gets to the promised land she learns she has been duped into marrying an older man, an alcoholic with a severe gambling habit and an inclination to take his anger out on his wife with his fists. Regret, now called Jin, has been taught her whole life to be subservient to men; eventually she gets the courage to run away and try to make a better life for herself.When Jin relocates to the other side of the island she reconnects with a few other picture brides she met on her trip over from Korea. With the help of these friends, plus her own will and determination Jin begins to carve out a new life. Over the course of 40 years we follow Jin and her friends ups and downs. Brennert peppers the narrative with real life historical figures and introduces us to a land that is little more than a ramshackle town, segregated into the haves: sugar and pineapple plantation owners and the have-nots: the laborers that made them rich.I enjoyed following Jin's journey from unwanted and unloved Regret to a life filled with many joys and sorrows, a woman who never gives up her dreams of a better life.Although I appreciated all the research that went in the book, there was sometime a feeling of overload. In addition I found the fact that Jin was constantly meeting and befriending all of the famous personage's on the island highly unlikely. For these two reasons I dropped my rating a little; nevertheless I do recommend the book, it was a worthwhile read.

I bought this book to read on our next trip to Hawaii. Covid 19 has prevented that and I decided that I could wait no longer!It is well written and I was taken back to the streets we had visited in Honolulu. Street names I didn't know I looked up and whilst reading this fiction book I found myself researching the true stories behind some of the characters. I learnt lots whilst reading a truly outstanding story. It has only made me want to return to Hawaii even more and to travel the streets in the book.Thank you for such an amazing read; I've started Molokai next!

I wouldn't say this is one of the best books I've read but there is a compelling factor to it. It wasn't difficult to put down but I did want to get back to it which for me is a sign of a good read. The narrator is a likeable, original character and you want to see what happens to her.There are some poetic parts to the writing which are artfully worded.What bothered me about the book is that sometimes the story veers off on tangents irrelevant to the narrator and you get the feeling you're reading an informative history book. It's interesting but it doesn't belong.All in all it's a good read and I do recommend it.

Excellent read,touching,dark at times,feels like a realistic portrayal of a time period and place I didn't know much about, my favorite work by this author.

Well researched.

Enjoyed this book but the authors book series Molokai is superb!