books:

	• Blu's Hanging Lois-ann Yamanaka Harper Perennial, 1998 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 30 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

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BLU'S HANGING by Lois-Ann Yamanaka is my introduction to the books by this Hawaiian native of Japanese descent. In this novel, Yamanaka takes us into the world of Ivah Ogata, the oldest child of a family that has just lost their mother, and a father who can barely feed and clothe them, let alone give them the love and attention that was given to them by their mother.

Ivah is the narrator of this heartwarming story. She looks after her brother Blu, a lost soul who is at a turning point in his life. He could go down the wrong path, or find the right one, and is getting involved with the wrong crowd. Maisie is the baby and for some reason has lost the ability to speak. Because of this, there are many misunderstandings about her at school, including by teachers that punish her for wetting her pants. She's scared, and trusts only her brother and older sister. On the peripheral of all this is their father, a custodian that lives in a fog since his wife passed away, and as he ages, Ivah worries about him, knowing that Poppy yearns to be with his beloved Eleanor.

The reader is given a glimpse of life on the islands, in particular the working class locals that are barely making ends meet. Life is rough, filled with hunger, pain and violence. A lot of Hawaiian flavor is mixed into the story, as not only are we told the story in the local pidgin, but we can also smell and taste the foods that are part of this unique Hawaiian American society. We also feel the pain that is Ivah, who does not want to be stuck on this island, who wants more to her life than having to raise her brother and sister who need her desperately. It is a sad tale, but told with a voice filled with hope for a promising future. The characters are endearing, and you will want to know more about them and how they fare once you are done with this book. BLU'S HANGING is highly recommended.

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This Hawaii is not for the faint hearted

This book is about a human tragedy in one of the most beatiful settings of the world. The Ogata is a Japanese American family coming to terms with the death of their mother. Ivah, the oldest daughter, takes on the role of mother and caretaker to her younger siblings, Blu, a fat boy who grieves by eating too much, and Maisie,a sweet little girl who stops talking. Their father, Poppy, is too busy grieving the death of his wife to pay attention to the kids. Alone in the world, they must fend for themselves against the harsh realities of life, from sexual molesters to people who have nothing for them but contempt. The use of Pidging English gives authenticity to the main characters, especially Blu, with all his wordly wisdom. I can almost feel he is sitting next to me, and not Maisie, giving his opinion about many things that happen to him and others. With no adult to guide his life, he makes his own conclusions about everything he sees, from sex to religion. The book is full of bad language and very graphic descriptions of, for instance, sex and animal abuse. I had to stop reading many times because it was too painful to go on, and yes, I cried a lot, Sad to say, the author received a lot of criticism after the publication of this book, especially because of the depiction she does of the Filipino American community as sexual deviants. However, the Japanese and Caucasian characters of her book do not fare very well neither, and rather than criticise the author, one should applaud her courage for bringing up topics that are too convinient to ignore, but difficult to hide, such as the poverty many people still live under, not only in America, but basically everywhere else in the world.
I give Blu's Hanging a four out of five, because sometimes the book has a "soap opera" feeling to it, with cheesy bits here and there. Otherwise, kudos to the author, who dares describe the not very nice side of life in Hawaii.

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On the Hawaiian island of Molokai, life goes on for the three young Ogata children after the death of their mother and subsequent emotional withdrawal of their grief and guilt-stricken "Poppy." The eldest at 13, Ivah is now responsible for the safety and well-being of tiny Maisie, vulnerable and mute since their mother's passing; and for Blu, her uncontainable brother whose desperate need for love has made him vulnerable to the most insidious of relationships.

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