Synopsis
A child is dying. Her life depends on an explosive secret her grandmother has kept from their Ohana (family). As Mary Han wrestles with the toxic revelations, she must finally face the past she fought so hard to forget. The Ohana is a riveting retrospective of the social, political, and economic history of Hawaii told through a historical family saga spanning three unforgettable generations. From the young Korean, Han Chaul Roong, who murders the hated Japanese invaders who kidnap his sister and force her into prostitution, to the Japanese aristocrat Kazuko who abandons her life of wealth and privilege to live in poverty with the servant she loves, the Asians came to work the brutal cane fields of Hawaii under Patrick O'Malley, a refugee from the Irish famine who sailed on a coffin ship to the gang-infested streets of Boston and ended up in Hawaii after the bloody Civil War. The immigrants meet in the sugar cane fields of Kohala, Hawaii where a savage, unthinkable crime and a failed strike draw the three families together in an uneasy alliance. Sean Duffy, Patrick's nephew, climbs out of Boston's slums to the top of Hawaiian society by way of a loveless marriage to the sister of the woman he loves. Kazuko's beautiful daughter Mariko lives as a social outcaste in the whorehouses of Honolulu. Chaul Roong's son, George Han, the ruthless mob boss of the first Korean syndicate, builds an empire while hiding his love for his brother's wife. The colliding worlds of the immigrants and their American-born children and grandchildren come to a head when an entire generation protests the Vietnam war and revolt against traditional values. Now the families must put aside their lifetime prejudices and grudges to save a young girl. Will their Ohanas survive the startling truth behind the lies? "A telling saga involving Hawaii's multi-ethnic, Asian families. Intimate look at the people of the islands imbued with authentic insights of events and stories that need to be told." Dr. Dennis Ogawa American Studies Professor, University of Hawaii, Author Pres. & CEO of Nippon Golden Network
About the Author
Originally from Hawaii, I grew up listening to my mother's fascinating stories about my family and old Hawaii. The Ohana grew out of those stories told to me as a child. As far back as I can remember, books were my passion. I preferred reading books to playing with toys. It took me around the world to places I yearned to go to and places I wanted to see. I could be anyone and do the impossible. As an author and a woman who has lived a roller coaster life, my desire is to create a magical world where everything is possible to anyone who dreams. I want you to fall in love with my characters, get mad at them, cry with them, laugh with them, and become a part of their lives. Let me take you on an unforgettable journey to old Hawaii. I hope to captivate you with stories you've never heard before and introduce you to different cultures and mind-sets. Native Americans say, "Walk a mile in my moccasins and you will see why I do what I do." When you finally put down "The Ohana," I hope you will understand more about the diverse cultures that make up our 50th state. As for the descendants of immigrants, perhaps you will understand the challenges your ancestors faced and why they did what they did. Knowing their struggles will make you more compassionate and understanding. Most of all, I want my stories to resonate in the hearts of everyone who reads my books. And, of course, I wish to entertain. Mahalo, (Thank you) and Aloha for reading my stories.
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