Representing their people: Book recommendations

By Samantha Pak
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Hula

By Jasmin Iolani Hakes
HarperVia, 2023

Hi’i is a proud member of the Naupaka family—one of the oldest and most influential in Hilo, on Hawai’i’s Big Island. But there are a lot of things she doesn’t understand. For example, she’s never met her legendary grandmother, and her mother has never told her the identity of her father. In addition, there’s a growing unspoken divide within her tight-knit community, and her family seems to be right in the thick of it.

When she starts hula lessons, Hi’i sees it as a chance to enter and win the Miss Aloha Hula competition, and live up to her name and solidify her place within her family. But that just seems to widen the divide between her and her mother—to the point that she might just lose everything.

Told from various points of view—Hi’i, her mother, and grandmother, as well as through a collective voice of the community—and over the course of several decades, “Hula” is the story of a broken family, trying to put itself back together. As a reader, you can’t help but want to yell at the characters to just talk to each other and have a conversation or two. But as many of us know, this is easier said than done, and Hakes does a great job portraying the complexities of family dynamics. Just because you want your loved ones there with you, it can be very difficult to take that first step to reach out to them. So as frustrating as the Naupaka family can be, they’re also very relatable.

In addition to the family drama, “Hula” is set against the backdrop of Hawai’i becoming a state. While I knew a bit about Hawai’i’s road to statehood, it’s very different to learn about it through the eyes of the community—native Hawaiians—directly affected. Reading how the Kingdom of Hawai’i was illegally stolen, and how the final monarch, Queen Lili`uokalani, was arrested at gunpoint, as well as how native Hawaiians were treated, will make you think twice about planning a vacation to the islands.

This Woven Kingdom

By Tahereh Mafi
HarperCollins, 2022

As a servant, Alizeh is seen and treated as a second-class citizen—disposable. But what nobody knows is that she’s the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, hiding in plain sight and waiting until the time is right to rise up and unite her people.

Meanwhile, Ardunia’s crown prince, Kamran, has heard of the prophecies that foretell the death of his king, his grandfather. But what he never could’ve imagined is that the servant with the strange eyes—the girl he meets by chance and now can’t get out of his mind—would be at the center of it all. She could possibly uproot his kingdom, as well as the world.

Inspired by Persian mythology, Mafi’s “Woven Kingdom” follows two people from very different worlds, but whose destinies are woven together, whether they like it or not. As a reader, the juxtaposition of these two characters was interesting. You’ve got Kamran, who was born to privilege and being told he was born to lead, and Alizeh, who has spent her life hiding not just who she is, but also what she is as her Jinn and Clay (as humans are often referred to) have only recently learned how to live side by side. Because of this, I’ll admit that this gave me mixed feelings about Kamran as his attitude and demeanor come off as arrogant—but I guess that just comes with the territory when you’re born and raised as a prince.

I really enjoyed the world building and the universe Mafi has created. In addition to Alizeh and Kamran, there are a cast of characters who are complex and complicated and have more to them than meets the eye. You can’t help but want to learn more about them. And as this is the first in a series, I can’t wait to see what happens to everyone.

The Last Bloodcarver

By Vanessa Le
Roaring Brook Press, 2024

As someone who can alter others’ biology with just a touch, Nhika is known in the industrial city of Theumas as a bloodcarver, coldhearted and ruthless.

But that was not how she was raised. Nhika was raised as a healer, a heart soothe. But she’s forced to hide her abilities as she’s seen as a monster. So when she’s caught by the city’s infamous Butchers, who capture and sell rare specimens—mostly animals, but sometimes humans—she just knows that’s it for her. But then she’s bought by the city’s richest family and forced to heal the only witness to a possible high-profile murder.

As Nhika further investigates the situation, all signs point to Ven Kochin, aide to the physician treating the patient in question. And when she learns that Kochin is not who he claims he is, Nhika realizes he’s not the only one with secrets.

In “The Last Bloodcarver,” Le introduces readers to a new and unique medical magic system, unlike anything I’ve ever read about. Inspired by Le’s background as a medical student, as well as her Vietnamese culture, the story weaves medicine and magic together in a way that will keep lovers of science and fantasy alike intrigued until the very end.

I also really enjoyed seeing Nhika come out of her shell as she gets to know some of the other characters better. As someone who has lost her family, and with a gift some would literally kill for, she’s used to being on her own. So it’s great to see her slowly learn to trust others and let them into her life. It’s a reminder to readers that while it is important to protect ourselves, it’s also important that we don’t completely close ourselves off from others. We all need a little help every now and then.