Considering the usual settings for historical fiction novels, this one stands apart as quite original. It brought up a lot of interesting points that I would be willing to bet that most people never think about.
Set in the immediate aftermath of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, we get the story of Lana, who is on a personal journey following a mysterious call from her father. The plot also uses a few flashbacks to the days immediately prior to the bombing to set the scene for the rest of the book.
Lana was a complicated character, because a lot of what she went through seemed almost more contemporary than what one would assume would have happened in the 1930s and 40s. Her past mistakes and decisions weigh heavily on her present situation, but she learns and grows through it all.
I thought the mixture of characters was also interesting. The interactions all seemed to be realistic, but again some of them seemed more modern than historical. I especially liked Coco. She absolutely made the book for me.
The underlying message of mysticism and how people should pay more attention to universal signs around them is manifested in Coco. As a child, she still holds childish beliefs, but she ultimately teaches Lana (and other adults around her) how important it is to have beliefs in the esoteric. This is an especially strong message as the world is quite literally falling apart around them.
I did like the setting, as it brought back many memories of visits to Hawaii when I was younger, especially camping trips in Kona. The nature of the Hawaiian people was apparent and reminded me of the people I had the pleasure of knowing there (Auntie especially…I could picture her in my mind).
The timing was important because of plot points. I would be willing to bet that some readers did not know that Italians and Germans were also rounded up in the immediate aftermath of Pearl Harbor.
I’ll never forget a WWII history class in college. I grew up in California, and I wrote a research paper about how the Italian fishing trade from Monterey Bay to the SF Bay Area was decimated when the federal government rounded up Italians. The instructor took issue with it, saying that he had never heard of it. I showed him all of my resources and references. He wrote me an apology letter and said he would be changing his lectures about the prisoner camps.
Anyway, it was an informative read, and I was taken in by the overall message of looking at the bigger picture and the signs that might be sent to help through the hard times. Good advice these days.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sara Ackerman is the USA Today bestselling author of The Lieutenant’s Nurse and Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. When she’s not writing or teaching, you’ll find her in the mountains or in the ocean. She currently lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a houseful of bossy animals. Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on FB @ackermanbooks.
This review was the first of three on the 2020 Summer Reads Blog Tour for Historical Fiction. Be sure to check back here on 6/23 for The Black Swan of Paris and on 7/16 for The Woman Before Wallis!
