Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me by Lurline Wailana McGregor

by Lurline Wailana McGregor

Moana Kawelo, PhD, has apromising career as a museumcurator in Los Angeles. Theuntimely death of her father andthe gravitational pull of Hawai iwhen she returns home for hisfuneral causes Moana to questionher motivations and her glamorouslife in California. Between the DeepBlue Sea and Me is the story ofMoana s struggle to understand herancestral responsibilities, mendrelationships, and find her identity asa Hawaiian in today s world.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Native American, Indigenous, Historical Fiction

Paperback

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcia Vining

McGregor, L.W., Between the deep blue sea and me: A novel. Honolulu, HI:
Kamehameha Pub., 2008. Print

Genre: Multicultural

Format: Print

Selection Process & Award: Winner of the American Indian Youth Literature Award (2010)

McGregor tells a warm, searching story of finding one's path home in this tale of Moana, a Hawaiian woman trying to find her place. Dealing with the themes of family and culture, this story touches on both while leaving the reader wanting to explore their own culture and history. As Moana deals with her father's death she is forced to face her own confused feelings about leaving her homeland and culture. She must decide where home is and how she fits in to the puzzle that is her culture and at the same time realize that she has much to learn about her family and where she comes from. Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me will resonate with readers from all cultures while helping non-native Americans to gain some understanding of Native American traditions and perspective.
This book is recommended as a book that opens doors of understanding through the telling of an engaging and interesting story.

[Yuna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid look at life in modern Hawaii and a woman's struggle to reconnect with her roots. I liked the way it tackled family struggles, being sort of a forced diaspora and dealing with that fallout when reconnecting with one's heritage. I could sympathize with both Moana and Lei's viewpoints and thought they read realistically on why they'd be disappointed in/resentful of each other. However, I thought their butting heads went on so long that it started to feel tedious.

Not sure why this is tagged as young adult? Moana has a PhD and a lot of her challenges aren't necessarily things that say, 16-year-olds are going to connect with: engagement troubles, work competition, agonizing over board meetings, problems with family estate planning...not very young adulty. Maybe new adult?

The writing was a bit clumsy, and some dialogue read very stilted for me. I'm not hugely a fan of 3rd person omniscient because it can lapse into a lot of telling and passive voice, which is what happened here. It read most "true" to me when Moana was able to speak or act out her mind/emotions instead of trying to force dialogue to get too many points across, or go into a round of exposition.

[Kiani Akina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me" delves into the beauty and struggles of being Native Hawaiian in both Hawai`i and the diaspora, highlighting the Indigenous connection to Hawai`i's lands, waters, and ocean. This book beautifully tells the story that so many Kānaka Maoli and other Pacific Islander and Indigenous communities can relate to!

Lurline Wailana McGregor's writing is so brilliant! I was hooked when I picked up this book and binged it in two days because I was itching to follow this storyline and found it relatable to experiences in my own life. This book was recommended to me by my former boss as he insisted that I would love the book even more than he did; I can happily say that he was, in fact, correct, and I have since passed this book on to my Grandmother, Mother, and younger Sister, all of whom have thoroughly enjoyed the book!

[Sophie (RedheadReading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely read about ancestry and belonging. Albeit a simple story, I genuinely enjoyed this from start to finish, although its origins as a screenplay are clear from the more sparse style of prose.

[Paige Franjione · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick but enjoyable read on cultural responsibility across generations - Moana Kawelo spends most of her life shielded from engaging with her Native Hawaiian roots by her father until her ancestors oblige her to return home and embrace her role as the protector of a powerful heirloom. Provides an interesting perspective on a range of Native Hawaiian experiences, including that of those with a lifelong cultural connection, those are forced to embrace assimilation, and those who seek out connection to their roots later in life. The prose felt cursory in moments where I wish it had more to offer, but I enjoyed the story and the writing nonetheless.

[Gumby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a story about self discovery and the strength of family. It would be of particular interest to people who are familiar with Oahu and the political climate. The use of the Hawaiian language is an effective way to feel the exclusion. I liked it. And a quick read.

[Josie]

This won an American Indian/Native award for excellence in teen lit. I didn't really think it was too much of a teen book, and didn't bother to get through it. If you have an afinity for Hawaiian lit and culture, though, it could be a good one.

[Sisilia Meli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, I’ve really gotta start reading more local literature. They give such beautiful insight on modern life in Hawaii and I truly appreciate that!

[Ishaan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t usually like to buy books I haven’t read, since I prefer to try things out from the library and see how I like them. But sometimes it’s nice to find a book I’ve never heard of and buy a copy and try it out. I picked up a used copy of Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me mainly because of the cover, and because whoever the previous owner had left annotations and sticky notes, so since it was cheap and had the annotations, I figured it would at least be an interesting reading experience. It was nice to try something I wouldn’t have read otherwise, but I didn’t really like the story that much.

The big thing throughout the entire book is “show, don’t tell”. Everything is told to the reader as exposition directly, which just makes it less compelling and harder to get invested in anything. I think the idea of the story is something that has some really interesting aspects to it, especially around repatriation and identity. But I didn’t really feel like it was executed that well. The presence of Native Hawaiian spirituality and ancestors was cool to see woven into the story, but I just couldn’t really care for the characters. The dialogue wasn’t very engaging, and every character’s motivations were described upfront for the reader, so there was no real tension there. The most I felt invested was the the main character realizing how much she didn’t know about her dad, and being jealous of her cousin’s stronger relationship with him. But with the writing style, it was still hard to care. I also really disliked that the main character, who is half white, half Native Hawaiian, has to choose between a white love interest and a Native Hawaiian love interest. It feels really reductive to define her identity and connection to her own culture based on who she is dating. And it’s also a choice between her white fiancé she’s already engaged to, and some Native Hawaiian guy she’s literally just met. I did see that this was originally written as a screenplay, and I could see it making for a cool movie though.

[Makeila Ha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting the author not too long ago at a historical site that her family owned at one point. Meeting her and learning the story of her family brings insight to this novel that other readers may have trouble grasping.

To start out, this book was originally a screenplay. Aunty Lurline was offered a movie deal but one of the clauses was that after selling the rights, she would have no say in the filming, casting, etc. Instead of agreeing to sell the rights she decided to turn it into a book. This explains why the prose feels short and somewhat awkward. Many of the scenes tell rather than show because the lines were originally stage directions.

That being said, I found this story compelling. While I live in Hawaii, I do not consider myself Kama'āina, nor local but I appreciate local culture and I'm pleased to see it displayed in this book. I like the Pidgin, the Hawaiian, the commentary on country vs. town culture, and the obvious tensions between Moana and the rest of her family and community that arise due her father's cultural and physical distance from his culture that, in turn, leaves Moana feeling lost in a place she feels she should know well.

I honestly feel Moana's death at the end would have been meaningful. Her father tells her he brought her in from the sea as a little fish because he took pity on her for being so small in such a large ocean. It would have been fitting if she returned to the sea as a full grown adult, ready to face the ocean on her own. However, Moana has an important kuleana to fulfill to mālama her family's ' āina and oli for her aumākua.

[Musogato · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover art is beautiful, and I'm always excited to read books based in Hawaii and from local authors. Subject-wise, I liked the story and characters, and I liked the commentary on indigenous artifacts in museums and cruise ship pollution. I also really liked the inclusion of Hawaiian sentences and chants and Pidgin.

But writing/storytelling-wise, this was a very frustrating read. Much of the story suffers from 'telling' rather than 'showing,' which made the experience irritating; the dialogue often felt stilted; and the POV constantly switched from the main character's to other characters' without any warning before randomly switching back. Sometimes even mid-paragraph.
Normally I like multiple POVs, especially as it can give insight to how the characters view things differently, but that exposition could have been incorporated better.

Mid-way through the book I learned from another review here that this was originally a screenplay. I wish I had known that from the beginning, because it explains everything. Knowing this altered my expectations of the text, and the rest of the story became far more enjoyable. Whenever there was a sudden POV switch, I could see it for what it was: stage direction.

Overall I thought this was a wonderful story and I liked the ending, but as a novel, I can't ignore my original reading experience. But I hope this author continues to write, and I look forward to their future work.

[Jon Thysell · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and moving book, though it suffered a bit in thinness of characters around the edges. I'm Hawaiian, and I do appreciate the difficulty in trying to balance and integrate modern life with one's heritage - but the whole "the prevous generation messed up, leave it to the kids to fix it" message gets old.

Moana's dad "secretly helping people" yet also leaving this big problem for her to fix, and everyone telling her, yeah you have to fix it. There's no real acknowledgement that her father was this drunk asshole who literally treated her completely differently than everyone else, and it's reflected in her poor choice in Charlie (who literally decides their relationship and marriage is over because she isn't done mourning her father in literally 10 days). I get that these kinds of relationships exist, and one's relationship with one's parents and heritage can be complicated, I'm not knocking that - those parts rang true and made the story worth reading.

But there were elements in the story, like the side "potential romance" with Ikaika and the comically thin relationship with Charlie that felt very "Hallmark movie", bland rom-com.

As a final note, ss someone working on my ʻōlelo, I actually appreciated the inclusion and use of Hawaiian without translation. It elevated the story by not making the language a novelty that is immediately "explained away". Either you get it or you don't - it's fir the people who *can* understand it.

[Melissa Fondakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - a suspenseful read for anyone interested in the journey each one of us makes toward both understanding, and fully becoming, ourselves. It is the kind of journey that isn't so much about a thousand plot points, but rather about the choices we make when presented with splits in the path of our life. It is a story about the ways that knowledge--both known and lost--about those who came before us and they choices they made is essential to guiding us in making those choices. And it is a story about the way colonization has, for so many people, especially Native and indigenous communities, created barriers to connecting with these histories. It's the kind of story that demands a reader's self reflection, and understands that the change we hope to see in the world always begins with ourselves.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moana thinks she is ready to marry Charlie and embrace her dream job in Santa Monica. But when her father’s unexpected death brings her back to O’aho, Moana finds herself torn between the life she has made for herself and the one she seems destined to live. This riveting tale offers a taste of the naturally and spiritually-connected traditions of the Hawaiian culture. Although no glossary is provided, the meaning of most of the Hawaiian words woven into the story can be gleaned from the narrative surrounding them. Readers learn of the conflicts arising in Hawaii between commercialism and the traditional ways and can almost feel the tug of the spirits guiding Moana to do what is right to restore balance. The story portrays the universal theme of discovering your true self. A wonderful journey of self-discovery steeped in Hawaiian tradition that will appeal to middle grades

[Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great for Hawaii cultural references and fun/quick to read, but predictable, too short (could have been better fleshed out) and didn't really address the consequences of the main characters' choices.

[becky binge reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice story about family and life's meanings, and I loved that elements of real issues Hawaiians currently face are themes throughout. However, it did feel slightly disorganized and limited in what the audience could understand.

[Drea Sebastiano-Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept waiting for the plotline to lead to the unfolding of the family magic and legacy, but it just never came, which was deeply disappointing. That being said, it was a great introduction to a Hawaiian author. I would love to read more. Please reply to this review if you have some suggestions!

[Annalisa Ely · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the point of the story was a good one about the value of family history and culture and there being consequences for ignoring spirituality, but the characters were just boring and unlikable so I didn't enjoy my time very much.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is a lyrical tale of acceptance, culture, and family. Used Google Translate and an online dictionary throughout the reading to better understand the content and context of the story.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it. It was a nice look at a different culture.

[Lolaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why is there no translation of long passages in Hawaiian language?

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting even though it was confusing at times and I am not sure it is really a YA. It seems like an adult book to me. I enjoyed learning more about Hawaiian culture and history, though!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was captivating, heartbreaking, surprising, magical and lyrical.

[Jennifer Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really needs a glossary for the haole.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story. Simple writing.

[Becky R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moana's struggle with her life in California, separated from her Hawaiian heritage, land, and culture, bring her to a critical juncture in her life where she must decide what she most wants. In this short novel, we get the sense that cultural identity is critical to one's happiness. As with most native stories in literature, Moana has found that her denial of her land and people has brought about a disruption in her world; her ancestors are unhappy, can't be at rest, and Moana herself is unable to move forward without putting things right with the land.

I have to say that I really loved this short little book. There was such a sense of "ohana" or family, and "aina" or land, that I grabbed my book and headed down to the beach. In that place, it felt natural to read Moana's story about the spiritual connection she had to this land. There are many spoken scenes in Hawaiian, as well as prayers all written in the language, that I had no clue what was being spoken. I know enough phrases to understand greetings, apologies, and foods, but struggled with conversations and prayers (as mentioned). Even without knowing what they said (and I did have a Hawaiian language dictionary I used in some scenes), it was easy enough to get the gist of what was being expressed. Also, the use of the language was a nice technique to show how cut off Moana felt without having ever learned it herself, before she took off to be educated on the mainland. We, like Moana, can then feel like outsiders, and long to reconnect with the culture that is in the islands.

I loved the single thread of discovery that ran throughout the entire novel. There are not the traditional chapters you find in most books, but sections and dividers that forward the story either with a look back at Moana's father or to something mythical that was explained to both Moana and the reader. Also, as with many native stories, we find references to the experience of the colonized, and their feeling of being overrun and used by the colonizer (generally the white man). With this also comes the environmental concerns that all native cultures feel, as they cherish their lands and the sacredness of its beauty and power. These themes are definitely seen throughout McGregor's story, and are made easier to understand as we watch Moana's struggle with her own identity.

Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is actually not a young adult novel that is told to relate to teens, but Moana's adult struggle and the method of the storytelling here are readily accessible to teen readers on up. I really loved the beauty of this story, and the Hawaiian culture that is imbued throughout the novel. If I were teaching English here in Hawaii, I think I would definitely put this on my list, and even though I'm not teaching here, will suggest it back home. I highly recommend checking out this small gem of a novel for its more serious look at Hawaii's struggle to protect and preserve their culture and "aina."

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was actually super excited to read this but it came off incredibly cheesy and many of the nuances of the Hawaiian native culture were poorly explained. It started out really great explaining the intracacies of archival and artifacts and the relationships cultural groups have with them being in museums (I actually enjoyed that part) but the narrators relationships were often confused or barely dimensional.

[Martha Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to read while I am here is Kauai...

[Whatthelog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is the story of Moana, a native Hawaiian woman whose promising museum career in LA is just taking off. Near the beginning of the novel, she receives word that her father has died, and flies home for his funeral. Once returned to Hawai’i, Moana’s very idea of what it means to be a Hawaiian woman is challenged, and her relationships are put to the test.

There is a huge focus on protecting the environment due to familial and cultural ties to the land and the ocean.

“When people think about mana today, they think of it as external, as spiritual power that has to be acquired. But mana is already inside us, we’re born with it. Our ancestors used it in their everyday lives. They understood the connection of all things, the trees, the stones, the fish, the sky. Our role as humans was to be the guardians and for that, we had mana to help us carry out our responsibilities.” Buddy turned to look directly at Moana. “You’ve heard of shape-shifting? Today, Western scientists call it quantum physics.”

One of the most interesting characters in the novel, Lei, is an environmental activist and lawyer, who points out the destruction that tourists and cruise ships have done to Hawai’i. As someone who has lived in Bermuda (a very popular tourist destination), I could feel my heart swelling with recognition and joy. Cruise ships are such a major issue in particular to many island communities, and I was very interested in what McGregor had to say about local initiatives. This is not the focus of the novel, but an important aspect, nonetheless.

Closely tied into this focus on protecting the land from pollution is protecting the native culture that is so closely tied to it. One of the main conflicts in the novel involves the discovery of a ki’i – ‘a large basalt rock carved in the shape of a shark but without a dorsal fin’. Moana is of the opinion that this is an artefact that belongs in a museum. Lei, on the other hand, is keen for it to be returned to the family, and the land where it was found.

Much like the other literature Brendon has reviewed this month, McGregor uses a lot of Hawaiian throughout the novel. It is not italicised (yay!) and often no translation is given. However, it is almost always placed within a context that is easily understandable, and it did not often hinder my comprehension of what was going on. I do wish there had been some translation of the songs and prayers that begin the novel, but that was a very minor issue.

I thoroughly enjoyed Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me. Packed full of appreciation of Hawaiian culture and natural environment, I am deeply interested in McGregor’s next project – a prequel called Waking in a Sea of Dreams that will focus on Moana’s father.

[Jacqueline Warden · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars