What do you think?
Rate this book
Silversword
The last time Caroline Kirby saw handsome David Reed, she was only a child, back in the exotic days on Maui, where she lived with her parents before they were killed in a terrible accident. But she has never forgotten his voice, his eyes, or his kindness. Now, an adult, recently divorced, Caroline discovers her life has been built on deception, and to find the truth she must return to Maui -- and to the man she has never gotten out of her mind . . .
From the Paperback edition.
From the Paperback edition.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 1986
222 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis A. Whitney
191 books561 followersPhyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 8, 2017
“Remember where you are, Caroline. This is M a u i. There are mysteries here that men have never touched — good and evil. I don’t want to deny any of the old powers.” — Marla
Phyllis A. Whitney was a wonderful writer who wrote mysteries for young people, and tales of gothic romance and mystery for adults. In some ways, Silversword is atypical of her work because the gothic element and setting is missing, but in another way it is one of her finest, highlighting her deft talent for storytelling, and her uncanny ability to keep the reader involved in the intrigue. In Silversword — a lovely plant which blooms at ten year intervals then dies — the intrigue involves a dysfunctional family guarding a secret, and the recently divorced Caroline, who must find out the truth so that she can move forward with her life, and find her own place in the world:
“My grandmother Elizabeth believes that my father was murdered.” — Caroline
“I’ve always had the feeling that might be so myself. The atmosphere at Manaolana was too strange for the accident theory.” — David
But it will in no way be easy for Caroline to get at the truth, with everyone else involved with the incident wanting it left alone:
“I’ve often wondered what really happened. In a way, it’s convenient that no one could tell the story afterward. Just the same, Caroline, I think you should accept the fact you don’t really know the truth. I wonder if anyone does, or ever will.” — Ailina
Having grown up reading her mysteries for children, I had always been aware of Whitney’s strong connection to Japan, but not her close ties to Hawaii. She expounds on them in the afterword (at least in the Coronet edition). The setting for Silversword is like an additional character in the story, lush and beautiful, full of history and beliefs, and perhaps magic. When reading this one, I could not help but think of Tony Hillerman and M.M. Kaye. Whitney weaves such a rich and lovely tapestry around Hawaii, and especially Maui, that we see its beauty in our mind’s eye while reading, feel it’s amazing history, and are touched by its spiritual side. On a slightly smaller scale, Whitney does for Maui, and Hawaii, what Kaye did for India, and Hillerman for the Southwest. Though it is certainly not on the same scope as Michener’s Hawaii — this is romantic mystery fiction, after all — there is something lush and tangible that the reader takes away from the setting as Whitney describes it, and as the protagonist experiences it.
Silversword begins in San Francisco, however, a city which has had long ties across the Pacific to Hawaii. Caroline Kirby is living in Pacific Heights with her father’s mother, a wealthy and controlling woman who worships a dead son. Elizabeth had given Caroline a home when both her parents were killed in Hawaii during a tragic accident at a crater. But a home is all it was, devoid of real love and affection. Caroline, also referred to as Linny and Cao, has recently divorced and is trying to find her own way in life. She thinks going back to Maui may be the answer, but is in for a shocking discovery, and deception. Though the revelation happens early in the narrative, and is basically the impetus for the entire book, I will attempt to be a bit vague about it. Suffice it to say, it leads to greater questions, as to why Caroline couldn’t remain in Hawaii, rather than have her childhood ruined. But darker questions loom, including what really happened that day at the crater.
The narrative is gentle and involving, and the romance which blooms slowly, like the silversword — it has taken a lifetime for Caroline and David — is realistic. Whitney knew how to weave a tapestry of mystery and romance as well as anyone in this genre, and her gift for storytelling is very much on display here — though I must note, that as previously mentioned, this is an atypical book by the author. We like Caroline, but Maui and the mystery of what happened all those years ago is what drives this novel of romantic intrigue and mystery forward, even if it is at a gentle pace. Along the way, Caroline begins to find sure footing in the most unlikely places, and by the most intangible means:
“Hawaiians say it’s our own spirit we see reflected in the clouds. You’re very lucky — it doesn’t always happen. But I thought you might be — I thought you might be given a sign.” — David
Caroline’s inner thoughts about David’s remark: “Whatever he said I could believe. I could believe that somehow, in some inspired way, that was the reflection of my own soul—spirit—shining out there in that circle of light. No one could behold such a vision without being touched and changed. While I had come to Maui for some small human purposes of my own, now something more was given to me. Something far larger — a destiny? At this moment the word didn’t seem too large for me to accept it. I was here because — something — was meant to be. I didn’t need to understand. In a little while I would go back to my own human perspective, but I wouldn’t forget what had touched me here.”
Whitney gave this enough depth to make it interesting, and enough romance and mystery to keep the reader involved despite the gentle but steady movement. She writes evocatively of Maui’s beauty and its history. And she weaves in its mystic side, which Caroline experiences herself in a vision. It is a tapa beater, and Caroline’s loving persistence to help someone open doors long-shut, however, that will finally bring this terrific read in the genre to a very satisfying close.
There is a wonderfully illustrated and detailed map of Maui on page twenty-six in the Coronet paperback edition, as well as an afterward by Phyllis A. Whitney which is well worth reading. This edition has a beautiful cover depicting Maui, and I urge anyone seeking it out in paperback, to find this one. Though written and published in the 1980s, this one feels sort of timeless, and is a wonderful example of this genre done correctly. If you enjoy this genre of romantic suspense and mystery, Silversword is highly recommended.
Phyllis A. Whitney was a wonderful writer who wrote mysteries for young people, and tales of gothic romance and mystery for adults. In some ways, Silversword is atypical of her work because the gothic element and setting is missing, but in another way it is one of her finest, highlighting her deft talent for storytelling, and her uncanny ability to keep the reader involved in the intrigue. In Silversword — a lovely plant which blooms at ten year intervals then dies — the intrigue involves a dysfunctional family guarding a secret, and the recently divorced Caroline, who must find out the truth so that she can move forward with her life, and find her own place in the world:
“My grandmother Elizabeth believes that my father was murdered.” — Caroline
“I’ve always had the feeling that might be so myself. The atmosphere at Manaolana was too strange for the accident theory.” — David
But it will in no way be easy for Caroline to get at the truth, with everyone else involved with the incident wanting it left alone:
“I’ve often wondered what really happened. In a way, it’s convenient that no one could tell the story afterward. Just the same, Caroline, I think you should accept the fact you don’t really know the truth. I wonder if anyone does, or ever will.” — Ailina
Having grown up reading her mysteries for children, I had always been aware of Whitney’s strong connection to Japan, but not her close ties to Hawaii. She expounds on them in the afterword (at least in the Coronet edition). The setting for Silversword is like an additional character in the story, lush and beautiful, full of history and beliefs, and perhaps magic. When reading this one, I could not help but think of Tony Hillerman and M.M. Kaye. Whitney weaves such a rich and lovely tapestry around Hawaii, and especially Maui, that we see its beauty in our mind’s eye while reading, feel it’s amazing history, and are touched by its spiritual side. On a slightly smaller scale, Whitney does for Maui, and Hawaii, what Kaye did for India, and Hillerman for the Southwest. Though it is certainly not on the same scope as Michener’s Hawaii — this is romantic mystery fiction, after all — there is something lush and tangible that the reader takes away from the setting as Whitney describes it, and as the protagonist experiences it.
Silversword begins in San Francisco, however, a city which has had long ties across the Pacific to Hawaii. Caroline Kirby is living in Pacific Heights with her father’s mother, a wealthy and controlling woman who worships a dead son. Elizabeth had given Caroline a home when both her parents were killed in Hawaii during a tragic accident at a crater. But a home is all it was, devoid of real love and affection. Caroline, also referred to as Linny and Cao, has recently divorced and is trying to find her own way in life. She thinks going back to Maui may be the answer, but is in for a shocking discovery, and deception. Though the revelation happens early in the narrative, and is basically the impetus for the entire book, I will attempt to be a bit vague about it. Suffice it to say, it leads to greater questions, as to why Caroline couldn’t remain in Hawaii, rather than have her childhood ruined. But darker questions loom, including what really happened that day at the crater.
The narrative is gentle and involving, and the romance which blooms slowly, like the silversword — it has taken a lifetime for Caroline and David — is realistic. Whitney knew how to weave a tapestry of mystery and romance as well as anyone in this genre, and her gift for storytelling is very much on display here — though I must note, that as previously mentioned, this is an atypical book by the author. We like Caroline, but Maui and the mystery of what happened all those years ago is what drives this novel of romantic intrigue and mystery forward, even if it is at a gentle pace. Along the way, Caroline begins to find sure footing in the most unlikely places, and by the most intangible means:
“Hawaiians say it’s our own spirit we see reflected in the clouds. You’re very lucky — it doesn’t always happen. But I thought you might be — I thought you might be given a sign.” — David
Caroline’s inner thoughts about David’s remark: “Whatever he said I could believe. I could believe that somehow, in some inspired way, that was the reflection of my own soul—spirit—shining out there in that circle of light. No one could behold such a vision without being touched and changed. While I had come to Maui for some small human purposes of my own, now something more was given to me. Something far larger — a destiny? At this moment the word didn’t seem too large for me to accept it. I was here because — something — was meant to be. I didn’t need to understand. In a little while I would go back to my own human perspective, but I wouldn’t forget what had touched me here.”
Whitney gave this enough depth to make it interesting, and enough romance and mystery to keep the reader involved despite the gentle but steady movement. She writes evocatively of Maui’s beauty and its history. And she weaves in its mystic side, which Caroline experiences herself in a vision. It is a tapa beater, and Caroline’s loving persistence to help someone open doors long-shut, however, that will finally bring this terrific read in the genre to a very satisfying close.
There is a wonderfully illustrated and detailed map of Maui on page twenty-six in the Coronet paperback edition, as well as an afterward by Phyllis A. Whitney which is well worth reading. This edition has a beautiful cover depicting Maui, and I urge anyone seeking it out in paperback, to find this one. Though written and published in the 1980s, this one feels sort of timeless, and is a wonderful example of this genre done correctly. If you enjoy this genre of romantic suspense and mystery, Silversword is highly recommended.
September 13, 2017
Classic romantic mystery-suspense from Phyllis Whitney exotically set in beautiful Maui, Hawaii. First published in 1986, it's been re-released in kindle format to reach a newer generation and give previous readers a chance to find it again.
As in most PW books I've read, family dysfunction plays a major role here with lots of secrets and lies at play. Caroline (aka Caro & Linny) is raised by her paternal grandmother in California while having little to no contact with her maternal grandmother in Hawaii. (A traumatic event in her childhood left her orphaned). She's grown up now, and finally making decisions for herself so decides to visit the island home of her dreams to reconnect. But surprises are in store for her, and not everyone is happy to see her. Can she recover her past, make peace with it and start a new future? It makes be harder to achieve than you'd think. It's a lightweight mystery with a great setting. She does a great job describing Hawaii: it's flowers, plants, landmarks, traditions etc.
-Thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Media Publishers for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book-
As in most PW books I've read, family dysfunction plays a major role here with lots of secrets and lies at play. Caroline (aka Caro & Linny) is raised by her paternal grandmother in California while having little to no contact with her maternal grandmother in Hawaii. (A traumatic event in her childhood left her orphaned). She's grown up now, and finally making decisions for herself so decides to visit the island home of her dreams to reconnect. But surprises are in store for her, and not everyone is happy to see her. Can she recover her past, make peace with it and start a new future? It makes be harder to achieve than you'd think. It's a lightweight mystery with a great setting. She does a great job describing Hawaii: it's flowers, plants, landmarks, traditions etc.
-Thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Media Publishers for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book-
May 12, 2010
A young girl taken away from her family home returns as a young lady to learn how her father died and family secrets that have almost destroyed her family are revealed.
July 31, 2022
Caroline Kirby, fresh off a divorce, returns to her childhood home in Hawaii, to the mother she had thought long dead and the mystery of her father's death in a sacred volcano crater.
I do like a certain flavor of vintage suspense books, with their gentle pace and their deep dark secrets. Here, the author set us up with a long ago mystery to solve, which was also fun because I've always liked a cold case. And the mystery was a chilling one, and the sense of place so strong, that I thought I would quite enjoy this book.
Ultimately I did, but I thought the story lost steam about halfway through. The trouble, I think, was that I was hoping to see Caroline solve the mystery, but while she does, it is done in an almost offhand manner. Instead the author focused more on Caroline's return to her roots and her making for herself a new life, as well as Noelle's cure - things I was not as invested in. I also found myself rather disappointed in the way the romance with David was portrayed.
Also, the aunt Marla was absolutely insufferable.
I do like a certain flavor of vintage suspense books, with their gentle pace and their deep dark secrets. Here, the author set us up with a long ago mystery to solve, which was also fun because I've always liked a cold case. And the mystery was a chilling one, and the sense of place so strong, that I thought I would quite enjoy this book.
Ultimately I did, but I thought the story lost steam about halfway through. The trouble, I think, was that I was hoping to see Caroline solve the mystery, but while she does, it is done in an almost offhand manner. Instead the author focused more on Caroline's return to her roots and her making for herself a new life, as well as Noelle's cure - things I was not as invested in. I also found myself rather disappointed in the way the romance with David was portrayed.
Also, the aunt Marla was absolutely insufferable.
August 12, 2016
A gem of romantic fiction from the master. Caroline Kirby was raised by her grandmother in San Francisco, after her divorce she returns to Hawaii to learn the truth about her father's death. She discovers her mother is alive but suffering from amnesia, unable to cope with the events surrounding her husband's death. Caroline is convinced she can help her mother, but someone doesn't want Noelle to remember? Caroline seeks to help her mother, discover the truth about her past, and come to terms with her own future.
May 12, 2023
Lovely, evocative, and lush descriptions of Hawaii, but there wasn’t anything mysterious plot-wise and I got tired of the protagonist’s repetitive “should I keep harping on about the past to make my mom remember or no?”plight.
June 15, 2011
And...I think I've had my fill of Phyllis Whitney.
December 31, 2015
I liked the story but there was a little too much talk about the mysticism of the Hawaiian mountain.
October 8, 2014
Set on a Hawaiian island.
I found this good for location description and tourist information, not so much for plot or character.
I found this good for location description and tourist information, not so much for plot or character.
April 18, 2022
Set against the lush and beautiful backdrop of Maui, Silversword is a slow-build tension-wrought tale of a woman trying to get at the truth in relation to her father's death and the secrets her family still hide both for her own sake and the mother who has never been the same since her husband's death.
It has been many years since I read this one- or any other Phyllis Whitney story, but I found it lost little as a re-read. As one of my favorite authors, I remember her being described as the queen of American gothic and known for her meticulous on site research for all her novels no matter the exotic location. These factors shown forth in Silversword where the history and culture of Maui and the Hawaiian Islands was brought vividly to life in the backdrop of Caroline Kirby's reunion with the isle of her birth and returning to her family as a recently divorced adult woman.
Caroline has never been able to settle into life in San Francisco whether it be career or relationships. She always feels something is missing. Then she gets an invitation from her grandmother in Hawaii and returns for the first time since she was a young girl after the death of her father.
Caroline goes back and forth about what is best when she finds a situation in a house brimming with secrets. The secrets are holding all the people inside hostage and Caroline knows that the truth is what will free them. Only, someone doesn't want the truth to come out.
Her only escape from the smothering atmosphere is to re-build the friendship she had with David who was a teen boy and Caroline's idol as a kid. The connection is still there and now has become something warmer and much more adult.
I found the suspense to have a good emotional and atmospheric feel to it and I liked the balance of all the story's elements. It built to the moment of reveal and slowly ebbed in a good denouement. I am definitely going to treat myself to more Phyllis Whitney romantic suspenses.
Incidentally, this Open Road publication came with an extended author biography and photographs that was a nice special feature.
It has been many years since I read this one- or any other Phyllis Whitney story, but I found it lost little as a re-read. As one of my favorite authors, I remember her being described as the queen of American gothic and known for her meticulous on site research for all her novels no matter the exotic location. These factors shown forth in Silversword where the history and culture of Maui and the Hawaiian Islands was brought vividly to life in the backdrop of Caroline Kirby's reunion with the isle of her birth and returning to her family as a recently divorced adult woman.
Caroline has never been able to settle into life in San Francisco whether it be career or relationships. She always feels something is missing. Then she gets an invitation from her grandmother in Hawaii and returns for the first time since she was a young girl after the death of her father.
Caroline goes back and forth about what is best when she finds a situation in a house brimming with secrets. The secrets are holding all the people inside hostage and Caroline knows that the truth is what will free them. Only, someone doesn't want the truth to come out.
Her only escape from the smothering atmosphere is to re-build the friendship she had with David who was a teen boy and Caroline's idol as a kid. The connection is still there and now has become something warmer and much more adult.
I found the suspense to have a good emotional and atmospheric feel to it and I liked the balance of all the story's elements. It built to the moment of reveal and slowly ebbed in a good denouement. I am definitely going to treat myself to more Phyllis Whitney romantic suspenses.
Incidentally, this Open Road publication came with an extended author biography and photographs that was a nice special feature.
March 17, 2010
After a terrible accident sweeps away Caroline's parents from her almost idyllic Maui childhood, she is trundled off to San Francisco by her paternal grandmother and is forced to sever all ties to her beloved island past. She grows up in the temperate San Francisco fog, holds several jobs, marries a charming man, but is haunted by the unanswered questions of her past. With her marriage in ruins she confronts her strict grandmother and decides only a trip to Hawaii can help her settle the turmoil inside. So begins a journey that raises many more questions than Caroline could have dreamed of and presents her with the unutterably difficult task of combining past and present to build a future. The author's descriptions of Hawaii are beautiful, and the patches of history she scatters throughout are often enlightening. Unfortunately, her ancillary people seemed more interesting than the main characters, and what could have been a very tense story of mystery and suspense dwindled into a romance. Still, it was a fairly enjoyable read without an overly contrived ending.
August 13, 2010
I got a bunch of Phyllis Whitney books at the local Goodwill - my favorite place to buy books. I bought about 5 of her books and plan to read them all. Reading her books again have made me remember why I haven't really read her books much in the past. She really reminds me too much of Danielle Steele, who's books I also don't read any more. Oh well, only 2 books left...
November 8, 2015
I remember reading this in a Reader's Digest volume I found in my basement when I was in middle school. I remember enough about it to say that I liked it. That's about all I can say; it was an entertaining read to pass the time.
July 27, 2008
The author makes you feel as if you are seeing Maui with your own eyes. It is light easy reading with romance and a little mystery.
September 18, 2012
Frankly, I couldn't finish it. It was just too slow for me. I can remember when I was much, much younger that I enjoyed her books. Sigh... I guess I grew up and away from her writing style.
September 3, 2013
This book tells a bit of the history of Hawaii and uses some common words which is interesting. Caroline's plight and indecision gets old. I feel like it might be good for a young adult.
August 2, 2022
Although her obvious affection for Hawaii and its history shines through her writing, and although her setting vividly informs the novel's central mystery and climax, "Silversword" is a rather slight romantic suspense novel. After the death of her parents when she was a child, Caroline Kirby was brought to the mainland and raised by her stern grandmother. As an adult, after a failed marriage, Caroline returns to Hawaii and discovers what she has left behind--and comes to terms with what she needs to settle in order to move on with her life. Although many readers will figure out the puzzle long before it's solved; and although two characters shaping up to be villains run out of steam by the end--one of them completely offstage--what is redeeming about the novel is something that is a characteristic of all of Whitney's books: her determination that her characters grow and change as a result of their experiences within the story. As was also the case with her immediately preceding 1980s novels, the romantic plot takes up less space. Perhaps the author, by this time well into her 80s, understood that successful relationships take time.
April 8, 2023
Whitney provides an unremarkable feeling and scenery of the beautiful islands of Hawaii. She shares the beautiful and sad history of the last queen. It’s a suspenseful mystery that has you literally on the island and feeling all of the mystical elements of the island itself. Oh and silversword ‘ahinahina’ is a plant that is endangered and is the crown jewel of Mauna Kea. It lives for 90 years but only blooms once in a lifetime.
August 28, 2023
The usual Whitney tropes here. Heroine finds herself reconnecting with a family who doesn't want her there, only to be drawn into a mystery over a close relative (in this case her mother).
Taking place on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands, Whitney uses the landscape as a secondary character, but I found the constant history lesson tedious at times and distracting.
The mystery was weak, as well, and the resolution rather boring.
Taking place on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands, Whitney uses the landscape as a secondary character, but I found the constant history lesson tedious at times and distracting.
The mystery was weak, as well, and the resolution rather boring.
July 2, 2018
I did not like this story at all, aside from the interesting setting. There are too many characters and elements that aren't blended well and add nothing to the story.
In the first several pages of Silversword we are introduced to Caroline: she grew up in Hawaii, until her parents died in an accident on a horseback ride. Six year old Caroline is sent to San Francisco to live with her paternal grandmother, who owns an upscale hotel. Caroline writes letters to her maternal grandmother and aunt in Hawaii, but when they are never returned, she believes they don't want any contact with her and stops writing. As an adult Caroline drifts from job to job, never really deciding on what she wants to do with her life. She marries Scott at a young age because he reminds her of her father, and because her grandmother approves. Unfortunately, Scott is unfaithful, cruel, and only married her for the hotel/money she will inherit. So, Caroline does the smart thing and divorces him, much to the dismay of her grandmother. Scott still wants her back, and he and her grandmother try to persuade Caroline that she's made a mistake. All of this is rather clumsy exposition with superfluous characters to get us to the jumping off point of the story: during the latest attempt at reconciliation, Caroline discovers that her grandmother never mailed Caro's letters to Hawaii, nor did she give Caro the letters she received from Hawaii...and also, Caro's mother is actually still alive and her grandmother believes Caro's father's death was no accident. So, off to Hawaii Caro goes to reunite with her maternal family.
When Caro arrives in Hawaii she discovers that her mother is living in the past - she believes her daughter is still 6 years old and her husband is still alive. Caro is determined to help her mother live in the present, and can only do so by helping her remember what happened the day her father died and come to terms with it. So, that's the big dangerous mystery in a nutshell. It's not very dangerous and it's not very mysterious. Just a family drama involving some memory loss.
The romance is equally weak. When she gets to Hawaii, Caro remembers her childhood friend David, and through hardly any interaction at all decides that she is in love with him and destined to spend her life with him. (David is also a widower with a small son; I have no idea why this detail is included as it has nothing to do with the romance or the story at all.) I think there is supposed to be some kind of romantic tension because Caro still thinks Scott might have some kind of hold on her, but I frankly have no idea why he was included in the narrative at all - his character adds nothing to the plot and does not serve to create any kind of tension.
Finally, David has a friend, Koma, who is unhappy about the colonization of Hawaii and its aftermath, and is politically active about his beliefs. At first I had no idea why this character was included (again, he does nothing to serve the story). Then I realized that his purpose is to give Whitney a platform to give long monologues about the political and cultural history of Hawaii and said colonization. While the history of Hawaii is interesting, the way it was incorporated into the story was very clumsy - Caro would say "Tell me about the history of how while colonizers mistreated native Hawaiians" and then Komo or his mother would give a history lesson.
In the first several pages of Silversword we are introduced to Caroline: she grew up in Hawaii, until her parents died in an accident on a horseback ride. Six year old Caroline is sent to San Francisco to live with her paternal grandmother, who owns an upscale hotel. Caroline writes letters to her maternal grandmother and aunt in Hawaii, but when they are never returned, she believes they don't want any contact with her and stops writing. As an adult Caroline drifts from job to job, never really deciding on what she wants to do with her life. She marries Scott at a young age because he reminds her of her father, and because her grandmother approves. Unfortunately, Scott is unfaithful, cruel, and only married her for the hotel/money she will inherit. So, Caroline does the smart thing and divorces him, much to the dismay of her grandmother. Scott still wants her back, and he and her grandmother try to persuade Caroline that she's made a mistake. All of this is rather clumsy exposition with superfluous characters to get us to the jumping off point of the story: during the latest attempt at reconciliation, Caroline discovers that her grandmother never mailed Caro's letters to Hawaii, nor did she give Caro the letters she received from Hawaii...and also, Caro's mother is actually still alive and her grandmother believes Caro's father's death was no accident. So, off to Hawaii Caro goes to reunite with her maternal family.
When Caro arrives in Hawaii she discovers that her mother is living in the past - she believes her daughter is still 6 years old and her husband is still alive. Caro is determined to help her mother live in the present, and can only do so by helping her remember what happened the day her father died and come to terms with it. So, that's the big dangerous mystery in a nutshell. It's not very dangerous and it's not very mysterious. Just a family drama involving some memory loss.
The romance is equally weak. When she gets to Hawaii, Caro remembers her childhood friend David, and through hardly any interaction at all decides that she is in love with him and destined to spend her life with him. (David is also a widower with a small son; I have no idea why this detail is included as it has nothing to do with the romance or the story at all.) I think there is supposed to be some kind of romantic tension because Caro still thinks Scott might have some kind of hold on her, but I frankly have no idea why he was included in the narrative at all - his character adds nothing to the plot and does not serve to create any kind of tension.
Finally, David has a friend, Koma, who is unhappy about the colonization of Hawaii and its aftermath, and is politically active about his beliefs. At first I had no idea why this character was included (again, he does nothing to serve the story). Then I realized that his purpose is to give Whitney a platform to give long monologues about the political and cultural history of Hawaii and said colonization. While the history of Hawaii is interesting, the way it was incorporated into the story was very clumsy - Caro would say "Tell me about the history of how while colonizers mistreated native Hawaiians" and then Komo or his mother would give a history lesson.
June 2, 2022
Most of Phyllis A. Whitney’s books have a sense of place, but Silversword swept me away at once, and now I need to visit Hawaii. Being a travel addict myself, I’m always drawn to stories which feature real places and events as backdrop for the fictional story being told. I can’t count how many times I’d stop to Google a place or event mentioned in this book—real places, real events—to get an even better image in my mind of where the characters of this story were, and what they were experiencing on their adventure. But, I didn’t even really need to do that, because Ms. Whitney brought it all to life in vivid colour, without any need of my 21st century Googling.
The dynamic between Caroline’s two grandmothers was of special interest to me, since I was close with my own grandmothers and they were different in many ways, yet also subtly similar in a few important ones, just like Grandma Joanna and Grandmother Elizabeth. The entire cast of characters seemed real to me, like people I knew. I was immediately invested in their stories, and emotionally attached to what happened to them.
Mystery, intrigue, amazing locations, a depth of emotion, and several plot twists, right up until the very end (that last one, I wasn’t expecting.) This is perhaps the most favourite of Ms. Whitney’s books I’ve read so far, one I will treasure and reread.
The dynamic between Caroline’s two grandmothers was of special interest to me, since I was close with my own grandmothers and they were different in many ways, yet also subtly similar in a few important ones, just like Grandma Joanna and Grandmother Elizabeth. The entire cast of characters seemed real to me, like people I knew. I was immediately invested in their stories, and emotionally attached to what happened to them.
Mystery, intrigue, amazing locations, a depth of emotion, and several plot twists, right up until the very end (that last one, I wasn’t expecting.) This is perhaps the most favourite of Ms. Whitney’s books I’ve read so far, one I will treasure and reread.
April 20, 2019
One of the better fictional novels set on Maui.
A recurrent theme in this book involves the protests against the US military practice bombings on the unpopulated island of Kahoolawe, just off the coast of south Maui, and one of the main islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. This book was written in the mid-‘80s. I moved to south Maui in 2003 and the bombings were still happening! We could hear the dull booms at night. It took until year 2005 for the US military to stop and leave the island. They did not fully clean it up either. Volunteer work on the clean-up continues to this day, in the year 2019!
A recurrent theme in this book involves the protests against the US military practice bombings on the unpopulated island of Kahoolawe, just off the coast of south Maui, and one of the main islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. This book was written in the mid-‘80s. I moved to south Maui in 2003 and the bombings were still happening! We could hear the dull booms at night. It took until year 2005 for the US military to stop and leave the island. They did not fully clean it up either. Volunteer work on the clean-up continues to this day, in the year 2019!
February 25, 2021
Another free book .....I liked the descriptions of the island, the characters not so much.... was Caroline even there for a week? Alot seemed to happen in just a week and I did not understand Grandmother Joanne having hot and cold reactions to her granddaughter who she had not seen or heard from in decades. I hated the ending.... What happened to Marla.. I wanted more.. what about Tom and the grandmother's? what about her half brother? Are we to assume as long as she volunteers .. he will then like her?
June 17, 2010
Typical Phyllis Whitney. I haven't read Phyllis Whitney in many years, and it was interesting to see the old-fashioned way she wrote. For example, she refers to her characters constantly by their first and last names even though when one is three-quarters of the way through the book it is not hard to understand that the only character named "John" must be the "John Smith" to whom she is referring.
January 14, 2019
Pretty typical Whitney fare, this time set in Maui, with lots of history about the island and its inhabitants. It's not Shakespeare, but it beats Nicholas Sparks. :)
One thing, though: Noelle's "recovery" was really pretty silly and simplistic. But I guess no one reads Whitney for advice regarding psychiatric methods.
One thing, though: Noelle's "recovery" was really pretty silly and simplistic. But I guess no one reads Whitney for advice regarding psychiatric methods.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2021
not her best
Book is very slow, predictable, and
unrealistic; tedious and silly plot. Mostly a shallow retelling of the history of Hawaii equal to reading a Lonely Planet guide though less interesting
Book is very slow, predictable, and
unrealistic; tedious and silly plot. Mostly a shallow retelling of the history of Hawaii equal to reading a Lonely Planet guide though less interesting
Read
September 25, 2008F Whi
November 2, 2008
I read this years ago. I also enjoyed other stories by this author...though this is the only one I remember by name.
January 3, 2010
Haven't read one of her books since high school. Kind of took me back.
October 6, 2010
What a delight to read a book that takes place in an area that you have visited. Every description reminded me the beauty of Maui. I did enjoy the characters and plot too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews