Young Rachel Kalama, growing up in idyllic Honolulu in the 1890s, is part of a big, loving Hawaiian family, and dreams of seeing the far-off lands that her father, a merchant seaman, often visits. But at the age of seven, Rachel and her dreams are shattered by the discovery that she has leprosy. Forcibly removed from her family, she is sent to Kalaupapa, the isolated leper colony on the island of Moloka'i.
I loved this book because it is about both a beautiful place and horrible disease that I know little about. I have always wanted to visit Hawaii, and hope to some day, and reading Brennert's descriptions of the people and islands made me want to go even more. What a gorgeous place to set the tale about such a devestating disease. Althought fictional, some characters and the events of sending leperous people to Moloka'i are real. I enjoyed learning about this disease that I have no exposure to and also seeing how those on the island grew together to form their own community and family.
And I had no idea about the leper colony there and how families were torn apart from the disease. I couldn't imagine having my 7 year-old Rachel taken from me and sent off away to suffer such pain and fear on her own. It would have been awful to be so powerless.
I felt like I was right there, following the life of Rachel Kalama as she experienced Moloka'i. Definately a good read.
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