Makai

by Kathleen Tyau

The author's second richly imagined novel follows the lives of two Chinese-Hawaiian women who grow up in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and go on to weather the anxieties of marriage, motherhood, and life on the mainland U.S. By the author of A Little Too Much Is Enough.

Genres: Fiction, Literature, Asian American, Historical Fiction

289 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1999

Reviews

[T.K. Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very engaging book. It might have been the most engaging story I've read, but the one thing that took me out of it was the blatant anti-blackness from a main character going unquestioned. I do understand that those kinds of things did and still do happen, but it's pretty disappointing to be asked to empathize with someone who uses the n-word with a hard r.

Aside from that one thing, this book has been on my mind since the day I picked it up. The cover was what mesmerized me at first, the one of the palm trees with a family photo in front of it, not the other one. I wish she would write more, and I definitely need to read her other book as soon as I get the chance.

I would recommend that anyone who enjoys realistic and sometimes very difficult and honest slice-of-life stories should read this. It will not disappoint (except when you have to read the n-word). I would also recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in life in Hawaii, especially after WWII, especially for Asian-Americans.

[Thea Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for Christmas (maybe it was 2003, maybe it was my birthday, but anyway) and also The Strokes Is This It. In my mind the two are irrevocably linked. But besides that, this book is amazing- the main character is ordinary, but the tragedies of her life are given weight, so that it feels more like an epic than anything else.

[Kara Hisatake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is told from the first-person perspective of Alice Lum, and is all about her relationship with her best friend, the Hawaiian-Chinese Annabel Lee. Alice seems to both revere and be jealous of Annabel, and is practically obsessed with her--the entire book revolves around their relationship while they went to Andrews Priory during the lead up and then during World War II in Hawai'i--and then goes to Alice's present-day life, where she is preparing for her best friend to visit her, as Annabel Lee now has a life in the mainland (this is around the 197os-80s).

Alice just seems to not be able to let go of this fascination with Annabel, as she sees Annabel as prettier, with a goal in life, and someone who seems to gain all the attention from boys that Alice wants. Alice ends up with the boy that Annabel rejected, and never leaves Hawai'i.

I believe the novel is about how Alice is able to get over this aspect of their relationship, and then just be able to be friends--by the end, they laugh and enjoy each other's company, and Alice seems much more sure of herself, although it takes her 50 years to do so (she just had her birthday). Alice is dealing with a lot--a daughter who is mentally disabled that she has to care for the rest of her adult life, her other daughter who just had a child and a divorce, and who is going out with Annabel Lee's son, and her relationship with her husband, Sammy, who has a chip on his shoulder because he was an orphan, only to realize recently that he was an adopted child from a Japanese family, when this whole time he thought he was Chinese and hated everything Japanese.

What I thought was fascinating about this novel is that it takes us to a time and perspective that is not shown very often; a Chinese teenager's perspective in the lead up and then during World War II. We get to see her childhood in Kapahulu and downtown during the 1930s--this perspective I have almost never seen in a novel, and it was a time when Kapahulu or Kaimuki was not part of Honolulu or anywhere near a city-type place.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE STORY: Alice Lum tells her life and love through three pivotal moments - as a young woman in Honolulu during World War II and Pearl Harbor, a young mother nearly dying during a flash flood, and an older woman weaving and unraveling all these relationships in search of where she stands. The main thread of the story is the friendship between Alice and Annabel and how each of these epochs in their lives put their friendship to the test.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "All of Honolulu was black. All of Oahu, all of the islands. No lights shining, everything shut down, everything quiet...Days like mountains, and you can't see behind them, just one mountain after another. All the questions in our heads, all the things we had to do without knowing why. Nights like water, like in a dream where you move too slowly to get anywhere and you try to wake up so it will be over...If I should die before I wake. If I should live, what will I see?" pg 107

WHY 4 STARS: This was a beautiful woven story. All the characters had so much life. I loved the mixing between the three periods of Alice's life and how they marked her friendship with Annabel, her relationship with her husband, and how all the other people fit together. It's a poignant commentary on race and identity with several of the characters trying to find where they fit during a time of uncertainty and a place of ambiguity. I loved her accurate capture of Oahu geography, food, family culture, and history.

READ IF YOU:
- Like a stream of consciousness writing style
- Atmospheric books with fully developed characters, kind of like Ian McEwan's "Atonement"
- Liked Alan Brennert's"Honolulu" and want to read what I consider the far superior book
- Like Hawaiian literature, not just pop Waikiki fiction
- Are a fan of Ian MacMillan's Hawaii novels

NOTES: Language, adult themes, homosexual character (treated with respect and empathy), sexual references although not graphically explicit.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

rather homoerotic... but not intentionally... would've made for an awesome lesbian period piece... but alas I think the author's intentions were otherwise... didn't care for most of it but the ending was very beautiful... hence the 3 stars...

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got used to the somewhat stream of consciousness format and found the story engrossing.
Alice was likable and relatable. Annabel Lee alternated between unpleasant and lovely, yet always Alice's best friend.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful historical fiction that reads like a memoir.

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written story that weaves between the present and the past. Would love to read more by this author. Descriptive

[Kyle Hutchins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Feeling a lil bad about this rating but I’m here to keep it real with you. Extremely dull prose

[Bookfanatic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about Hawaii set in the not so long ago past. I am very familiar with Hawaii so I can vouch for the authenticity of the descriptions. The author, Tyau, does a great job setting up the story of Alice Lum, the Chinese-Hawaiian woman, whose friendship with a bold and beautiful woman is full of drama and tragedy. Someone should make this book into a film. It has the ingredients for an intriguing movie. The style of writing is a bit stream of consciousness so it takes some getting used to, but I enjoyed the book. It's highly recommended by me if you want to get a true sense of Hawaii and not just what you see in glossy travel brochures.

[Bonnie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved knowing all the places the characters inhabited in this book. It takes place on both Maui and Oahu, the only two islands I have visited, both with fond memories. I also liked the story of two girlfriends who had ups and downs in their friendship, but always a deep connection. The male characters were varied and sometimes mysterious, which made them more interesting. The storyline moved erratically across time, but was very clear. I would definitely read more by this author.

[Mirah W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since I lived in Hawaii several years ago I find myself searching out books about Hawaii, Hawaiian culture and people. This book was full of interesting characters but I didn't like the almost stream of consciousness writing style.

[Doranne Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book carefully. It's exceptionally well-written as the author wanders from the past, to the present, her dreams and life. She shares history from the 1940's and forward, while living in Hawaii. Her writing captures the voices of the various cultures of the Islands. Mahalo

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much that I've given it to friends, sometimes twice to the same friend. Sorry Alexia!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed a reading excursion to Hawaii, and as usual, I was reminded that the stories of the islands are much more interesting than the myths of paradise.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it but it confused me at times.

[Zuzka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! Someone should make it into a movie! Amazing!

[karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing