Book Review of
Red Sky Over Hawaii
Inspired by real places and events of WWII, Red Sky Over Hawaii immerses the reader in a time of American history full of suspicion and peril in this lush and poignant tale about the indisputable power of doing the right thing against all odds.
The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbors as suspected sympathizers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding—only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected.
When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times.
Lynn's Review
Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackeman is a book I picked up after reading No Ordinary Time.
No Ordinary Time covers a little bit about President Roosevelt’s order that led to Japanese Internment Camps. I knew some about this but not a lot. I researched a few books on the topic and ended up finding the historical fiction book Red Sky Over Hawaii.
I really enjoyed this book. The main part of the book takes place in Hawaii during and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I didn’t realize that, or actually never really thought about, what Hawaii was like during that time.
Not only were Japanese people sent to internment camps, but in some cases, so were those that had come from Germany.
The characters in Red Sky Over Hawaii drew me in. I couldn’t put this book down. It was a PG-13 in some spots and contained some native mysticism, but overall I really loved it.