Customer Reviews

The Red Wind

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Now that I've finished the book, I truly miss the characters. This is a "don't miss" for anyone interested in novels based in Hawaii. I have rarely read a book that is put together as well as this one.

Being a "haole" outrigger canoe paddler, I'm fascinated with the Hawaiian culture, especially that surrounding the spiritual meaning of the canoe. Ian Mac Millian paints an extraordinarily vivid and touching picture of five generations of a "mixed breed" Hawaiian family from the 1950's through the 1990's. I'll warn you that you will laugh and cry and will hate for this book to end! The "canoe" and it's spirit are weaved throughout the story. It touched me so deeply that I named my solo outrigger canoe "Makani Ula" which is the Hawaiian translation.

This is absolutely my favorite book. It setting just happens to be where I live, the Windward side of Oahu. It is kind of weird at first how several story lines are interwoven, but in the end it all came together perfectly. It seems so real to me that when I'm going through Kailua I want to say, "Hey there is Angelia's flower shop." I can even imagine the first increment of Keolu Hills. I think I even had the same room as Robert when I was in Castle Hospital. It is a little on the long side, but I was so disappointed when it was pau. The story rings so true to Hawaii. For anybody who has spent any amount of time on the Windward side of Oahu you'll love this book. This same author also has some other short stories which I enjoyed.