Customer Reviews

Hula

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought hula off a table without thinking anything else about it but a simple summer read to pass time. It is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I think Lisa Shea's imagery of childhood is wonderful and almost disturbing. It makes one remember long since forgotten incidents and occurences of childhood. Brilliant.

Lisa Shea's novel explores further many of the themes she established with her brilliant earlier short fiction. There is something in reading her work which is akin to seeing the beauty of a hurricane destroying everything in its path.

I read Hula a few years ago, and I was looking around on Amazon to see if Shea had written anything else. Hula was such a great read that I want more from this twisted, talented author. Shea captures the story in small moments rather than lengthy, descriptive prose. The characters, especially the father (an incredibly disturbed man suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) are sometimes difficult to understand, because Shea leaves enough to the imagination to make you wonder...this is a great book for people who do not need their literature spoon-fed to them.

This is a book I constantly buy and give to others, starting with my sisters. Sensitive and spot on, this is a tale of the modern family gone awry as seen through the eyes of two sister trying to grow up in spite of their circumstance. Their story unfolds as if accidentally. A truly brilliant book. Those of us from less than perfect childhoods will see our experiences here and will cringe with the recognition.

I read this book in one sitting. She captures the smells, feeling, fears of young girls in the hot summer. Read it

I am a novelist and lover of literary fiction who has never written a book review before. I was inspired to do so by Hula. Shea's lyrical, unsentimental prose gives immense punch to this tale. I was just blown away!

I read most of the reviews and also the first few pages of the book. It sounded like something that I would enjoy as the narrator, the younger sister, was believable and the tone rang familiar. I dove into the book one night and read and waited until it hit a climax or an interesting point. It never got there!

The book was not particularly well written: no distinctive imagery, no expected childhood roles or symbols, not even a bad metaphor, nothing. It was just one long, argument between sisters with occasional moments of them almost needing each other. The character development was sorely lacking. It was impossible understand the depth or breadth of the father's mental illness or anything related to why the mother stayed. The children seemed to have material goods (and tap lessons) but it was not evident where they made their money if the father was mentally ill. If it was the mother, working for the theater, then were the kids left alone with the father? Is that why it seems the majority of the book they seem to be in hiding?

At times, there were scenes added that didn't seem to add to the quality of the story or tell anything about the relationship between the sisters. What is up with the guy who stuttered? Why the "mother cat" who fell into the basement?

The book was a big disappointment. I wish I could ask for my money back. Don't waste your time on this purchase.

I read Hula a few years ago and it has haunted me so much that every so often I have searched it out on my bookshelf and re-read it from beginning to end. It has a mesmerizing lyrical minimalism that yet packs emotional insight into the twilight limbo of puberty. Like a punch to the gut, you don't always see it coming. This is an amazing little novel.

just get it
it's short- goes by quickly so it's easy to read again and again

In general, it had too many details ,that had nothing to do with the story and it dragged sometimes.I agree about the beautiful prose,but I often wondered what point the author was trying to make.
I found the ending to be a letdown.