Lush culture and prose. I especially loved the chapters in Nanakuli. As a Hawaiian of blood and upbringing, I found Kiana Davenport's portrayal of our culture and recent issues to be poignant and relevant. The Russian stories were equally emotional. The POVs waver a bit with what felt to me a careless use of pronouns, but that was a small annoyance for such profound reward.

Excellent book comparing the cultures and environmental politics of Hawaii and Russia with dramatic romantic overtones.

Kiana Davenport is one of my favorite authors. She writes with gritty truth. She helps me to understand life is not easy for many and there are many layers to our lives, some of them not pretty but they form us to be who we are. I have more respect for others' lives and cultures; it is not my place to stomp all over someone's life, culture, or land!

LOVED this book and I highly recommend it, whether yoga re a lover of all things Hawaiian or not. It is a well-crafted tale of two cultures, Hawaiian and Russian - fairly odd bed-fellows but with more in common than one might think. Loved all of the ancient Hawaiian customs and language, and the huge family dynamic. Highly recommend this.