Moloka'i

I kept coming across Moloka'i by Alan Brennert as a recommendation on multiple book boards. Without knowing the plot or anything, I put it on my hold list at the library. All those people can't be wrong, right? This is an older book, written in 2002, I think. Not that that really matters here.

Moloka'i is the story of Rachel Kalama, a young girl growing up in Hawaii in the late 1800's. During this time, the islands were being ravaged by a leprosy epidemic. Rachel contracts the disease and after spending some time in a hospital in Honolulu, she ends up being sent to the island of Moloka'i, where all the lepers go. At this time, she is just 7 years old. Alone and scared, Rachel learns to live with this debilitating disease and carry on with her life in exile. She is separated from her family and grows up on Moloka'i in a girls' home run by nuns. See what happens as she deals with heartache, death and, ultimately, life.

I thought this book was so good! It covers a large span of years but it moves along at a captivating pace. I was glad I took this recommendation. It was a nice departure to read a historical tale of this nature. Rachel is a wonderful heroine. Check this one out!