Customer Reviews

The Parrot Talks in Chocolate: The Life and Times of a Hawaiian TIKI Bar

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a wonder. From the moment I started I was caught in the salt spray of the Hawaiian air, the smell of pineapples and the feel of the sun pulsing against my skin. This is one of those few books where I feel that I want to be inside its pages.
The characters are what make the book what it is, even more than the setting. From the narrator, who is honest and lighthearted, to Tiwaka, the charming, loveable parrot who rules over the Tiki bar, to a waitress who might be more than she looks, the pages are crowded with fabulous personalities.
There is no plot, per se, the book is made of a collection of connected experiences in a paradisiacal island that ripples with Tiki music. It is the perfect story to pick up when feeling down, or stressed. The writing style is so soothing that it lulls you into a sense of well being that mimics the feelings of the many patrons of Tiwaka's.
There's really not enough I can say about how wonderful this book is. All I can tell you is that as soon as I finished it, I began to read the sequel, attempting to remain a little longer amid the wonders of the beautiful Tiki atmosphere.
Highly, highly, recommend it.

You know, sometimes a book comes along which is so profound, so overwhelmingly enjoyable, that to have it end leaves you mind-boggled yet euphoric. For lack of a better analogy...think of really, reeeaaalllllyyyy good sex...catch my drift? Well, this is one of those books. I loved everything about it, the parrot, the protagonist, the setting, the writing and most of all the masterful storytelling by the author. God, it was so perfect...you were right there, experiencing everything, delighting in each moment with a cast of characters who were like your best imaginary friends. This isn't just a surfer story, or one about a Tiki bar, or a parrot, or Hawaii, or friends or...any of the other myriad things which are carefully blended together in this tale; no, it's a story of love and life, joy and heartbreak, and most of all...discovery. You'll find yourself laughing, crying, smitten, delighted, confused, and then completely clear about the meaning of the tale. The author is a genius at the art of creating visual pictures with words, and his skillful development of his characters leaves you feeling you have known them all your life. I could go on and on, espousing the virtues of this book, but I won't. I'll just say in closing that missing your opportunity to read it, regardless of cost, is like missing your child's first words or steps, missing out on the real love of your life, or missing out on the joy that IS life. Don't miss out!

This book was amazing. It was relatively short but a sweet, light read. You can't help but fall in love with all the characters, both human and animal. It puts into perspective the connection between humans, animals and nature and leaves you feeling happy and appreciative for the little things.

This copy was received free for review. I try to avoid any other reviews before reading so any comments are my own views.

----

I want to visit :o(

Oddly enough I started this book while travelling and it didn't grab my attention as much as it did when I picked it up a few weeks later upon my return home. Maybe during my travels I was finding my own slice of heaven and didn't need the far-off dream (at least while I'm at home) that the book portrays.

It took me a while to get into almost the same as adjusting to a slower pace of life and meeting new friends does. The narrative flows nicely and the characters are beautifully conveyed. As a book end to end in terms of plot not a lot happens but in terms of people and experiences so much goes on that it not apparent until you slow down to enjoy the smaller (but oh so important) things in life that you can revel in each experience and each person as an individual.

There is so much I want to write about this book but don't quite know how to put it in words, some parts of the book are so vivid that I'm almost experiencing it myself. To call it a good book seems insufficient and yes as usual with my reviews I want half stars. 4 and a half stars.

Set in beautiful Hawaii, Tiwaka's is a certified authentic tiki bar. The bar's main attraction is Tiwaka himself, an old parrot with an extensive vocabulary who will answer patrons' questions in exchange for chocolate.

This was a quick and easy read for me. I fell in love with the book's cast of characters, especially Ococ, a dog who does everything backwards. Tiwaka, of course, adds flair to the story with his uncanny ability to read the mood of the bar and utter phrases accordingly.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

I loved it!!!It reminded me of Hawaii in the 70's. Kui Lee, Don Ho, the "Coconut Wireless" on the morning radio. Beautiful memories. This book is a fairy tale for adults, where there is a full moon every night and blue skies every day.

This anecdotal antidote to spiritual malaise and mental gridlock is the literary equivalent of swinging in a hammock between two gently swaying palms on a serene island beach, softly caressed by trade winds, being served exotic cocktails by a gorgeous, gregarious goddess (or god)while you soak in the soothing rays of a benevolent sun. Clouds may briefly obscure its therapeutic rays, but they always break and reveal seemingly minor but significant insights into the mundane daily magic of existence - and more pointedly, co-existence - so many of us take for granted while immersed in the distracting travails of the workaday world. Everett Peacock knows the paradise he calls home well, and he shares the sights, smells, and sounds of his stunning surroundings graciously yet delicately, relaying simple yet resonant moments with poetic prose. I felt sad to bid aloha to Tiwaka - the place and the parrot - but like any favorite vacation spot, you take solace in the fact that you can visit it again and again whenever you need a respite from "the real world," which this book reflects like the surface of a shimmering pool.

I picked this book up based on reader recommendations, and am glad I did. It was, as others said, a quick, light read, and lots of fun. The writing conjured up images of island paradises with blue skies, green waters, palm trees and flowers - and me on the beach with a tall tropical drink (paper umbrella included!) in one hand and my Kindle in the other. Nowhere to go and nothing to do but lounge around and enjoy life.

The characters were likeable and genuine. The narrator (this is told in 1st person POV) seemed like a nice guy and epitomized the lifestyle of the islands. The writing was lively, and the pace was good as well - you just got snapshots of the narrator's day-to-day life which made you feel like you were 'there' too. I've put the 2nd book on my wishlist for when I need a quick trip to a tropical paradise.

Note on Kindle formatting: Excellent. No issues noted.

I might read a dozen books a year, but this one....this one made me sad, to the point of almost wishing I had never read it.
Why? Because it took me to such a magical place that I fell in total love with the characters and their home in the tropics. When I felt the pages getting thinner and thinner as I approached the end of the paperback I could feel my apprehension building...it was indeed going to end!

This fiction novel, set in a family run Tiki bar in a Hawaiian jungle, has had similar effects on others, sometimes dramatic. Some people have actually gotten angry when they discover Tiwaka's Tiki Bar & Grill is not a REAL place! I can't blame them.

Fortunately, the author has a follow up book, "In the Middle of the Third Planet's Most Wonderful of Oceans". This continues the story in the same entrancing way and thank God it is longer!

Enjoy, but be warned: it will change you forever.

The Parrot Talks in Chocolate is like the fairytales I loved as a child, but this novel is for the grownups. Told in the first person, I suspect the author put much of his own history into the book and had the wisdom to know that he lived in a magical place. The images flow like discriptions in beautiful poetry and I was nostalgic for the years I lived in Hawaii. I laughed at the humerous antics of Tiwaka and cried over Ococ. This is a beautiful novel. A Tiki culture is represented that I wished to live in. It was a magical experience in reading where unexpected events occur and the wonderful power and wisdom of animals and of nature is explored. I'm looking forward to reading more novels by Everett Peacock.