I really enjoyed this book. Written with vivid description, it takes the reader to Japan and Hawaii at the end of the 19th Century. The main character is a young woman whose life is determined by forces beyond her control. However, because of her strength, faith, and determination, she is able not simply to survive but to thrive.”
-RM
“Having lived in Hawaii and becoming friends with many Japanese residents, learning about their ways and culture, Under the Moon was a must-read for me. The author beautifully and thoughtfully tells the story of Ueme, the daughter of a silk merchant, who faces the constraints of her culture and times. When Ueme’s arranged marriage fails due to family dishonor, her family sends her 4000 miles away to a strange land to work on a sugarcane plantation. The story is of hardship, longing, remembrance, and love. The author captures the emotions masterfully as you follow Ueme’s journey from a naïve girl to a strong and independent woman. I highly recommend this beautifully written story.”
-T.V.H.
“I've been interested in Japan since I was 8 years old and saw some post-war slides of Japan that a friend of my parent's took on holiday. So I was eager to read a piece of historical fiction about a crucial time in that country's history - the huge push to modernize the culture and economy, including women. This story of Ueme, a smart, spunky, modern woman of the Meiji era must confront the changes - rapid, uneven, and sometimes cruel - that result from this push. Her story helped me better understand not only a little bit of Japan's history but also Hawaii's - and the pushback women are subjected to today.”
- ESB
“This beautifully paced story brings to life the story of a young Japanese girl's emergence into womanhood at the turn of the last century. The heroine's comfortable existence is destroyed by cultural patterns she has no control over and she is condemned to a loveless marriage and brutal working conditions in the sugar cane fields of Hawaii. The surprise life-affirming ending was a final tribute to human dignity. I enjoyed every minute!”
- K M.
“I like this book very much, it is one of my favorites. Though much of Under the Moon deals with hardship, and at times near tragedy, the author handles them both with tenderness. The gentle bright presence of the protagonist Ueme, even in times of sadness, is so endearing that we can’t help but become attached to her. Though at first we may judge in her an overly formal manner, we quickly see that she is trying to navigate what it means to be born into two different classes: the pragmatic merchant and the honorable samurai. We watch as she searches for the value in each while trying to remain true to herself in the process. And we are able to learn about a part of history that I knew nothing about, the Japanese immigration to Hawaii in the late 1800s. I would recommend this book to anyone. Enjoy!”
- R.M.
