The writer transported me back to Hilo, Hawaii during the early 20th century. I was blown away by the vivid imagery. I felt like I could feel Hawaii’s humid climate and smell the island’s sweet fruits

The story goes back and forth from 1918 to 1935. The chapters switch to different characters experiencing the same events, but from another person’s point of view.

The book gave me insight to what life was like for Japanese immigrants working on a sugar cane plantation.

The main troupe was the idea that family (not always through blood) and community can help us through troubled times.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This excellent work of historical fiction focuses on two time periods - 1935 and two decades earlier. The center of action is Hilo, Hawai'i - the Big Island - where sugar cane plantations rule the area. The population is divided into the haves (the plantation owners) and have-nots (the workers from varied ethnicities). By controlling the living quarters and the fields, the owners keep the Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, etc. separated from each other. This separation prevents the growing union movement from gaining in strength.

In 1935, Moana Loa is erupting and threatening the very existence of Hilo and its population. People are wearing bandanas as face masks because the air has become thick with dark ash. The locals believe that Pele, the goddess of the volcano, controls everyone's destiny.

Into the midst of these problems, Daniel Abe, who is Japanese, returns from Chicago where he studied and practiced medicine.

The story involves several families and their relationships over 20 years. The descriptions of the island and its economics provided an excellent backdrop to the novel. The characters were real and believable.

"The Color of Air," by Gail Tsukiyama, HarperVia, 320 pages, July 7, 2020.

Daniel Abe, a young doctor in Chicago, is coming back to Hawai'i. He is the first from his town to become a doctor. It is 1935.

Koji Sanada, who Daniel calls uncle, regrets not doing more for Daniel’s mother, Mariko, the love of his life who died two years ago. He's always thought of Daniel as a son. Franklin, Daniel's father, left when Daniel was only 6.

Nori Okawa was Mariko's best friend. She is getting things ready for Daniel's return. Her sons, Wilson and Mano, are Daniel's best friends. Her husband, Samuel, and their sons are fishermen. The Okawas own a fish market.

But Daniel’s arrival coincides with the Mauna Loa volcano eruption. It is an eerie homecoming because he was born early the morning of a 1907 volcano eruption.

Daniel is returning because he made a misdiagnosis of a child. His high school girlfriend, Maile, has also returned from Honolulu. She recently broke off her engagement to an abusive man.

The story alternates between that time and when Mariko, Nori and Koji were young. Koji has a secret about Franklin that he has to finally tell Daniel.

This is a good historical novel. The characters are good, but one drawback is that there are so many characters that the author can't go into detail about many of them. People who like authors Lisa See and Isabel Allende will like this one.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The Color of Air by Gail Tsukiyama, 320 pages

In 1935, after 10 years in Chicago starting his medical career, Daniel Abe is returning home to Hilo Town, on Hawaii's big island. The town is largely made up of Japanese immigrants who were conned into working on a sugar plantation and their descendants. Daniel is the one kid who left...and then came back. However, just as he arrives, Mauna Loa begins erupting, and the close-knit community must decide whether to stay or go, while Daniel and his close family friend Koji sort through their respective pasts.

As a historical fiction, this book definitely succeeds in taking the reader back in time and to a specific place--I could almost taste the mangoes as I read this book. And it's an intriguing story that needs to be told. That said, so many characters are created in this book that some of their stories are condensed much more than they should've been (I'd argue that two characters in particular deserve their own novels) and it can sometimes be difficult to tell what's going on when. But if you want to take a quick, authentic mental trip to Hawaii's past, this is the book for you.

I own several of Tsukiyama’s novels, but this is the first one I’ve read, and I’m somewhat disappointed. On the positive side, the geographic and geological setting draw a reader in easily. Also, the characters are well-rounded and genuinely sympathetic. There are, however, too many of them, and too many storylines for such a short book. Moving from time to time and character to character has become so popular in recent publications that it has become stale and artificial. There ends up being way too much “telling,” and not nearly enough “showing.” The novel as a whole finishes as decidedly mediocre for me. It is a quick read and will certainly have a good number of fans. I prefer more depth and focus in historical fiction offerings.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this novel about a close knit group of Hawaiians of Japanese descent. Lovely relationships and a sweet story line.

The Color of Air is a beautiful book about Daniel, a doctor who was raised in Hiro but was now working in Chicago as a doctor. Daniel comes home after the death of his mother, Mariko, and we are transported through space and time as we are immersed in the stories of Daniel, Nori, Koji, and Mariko. Gail Tsukiyama manages to evoke a vivid sense of place, as we explore Daniel and his family's relationships to land - sugar planations, mango trees, and many of the other elements of the Hawaiian backdrop in Tsukiyama's latest novel. Daniel and his family are originally from Japan, so there is also an implicit exploration of layered identities and cultures. This perhaps isn't explored as much as I was anticipating - Japanese families in Hawaii and what their lived experiences are - but The Color of Air is so rich as it is that it really didn't need to dig deeper than it already did, perhaps.

I also loved the magical shifting between past and present, the physical world and a world where our ancestors are alive and with us. I found the transitions between past and present, ghost and living person to be quite seamless and thought they added the perfect amount of nostalgia while also providing crucial insights into our characters' lives and histories. Tsukiyama utilized a really interesting tool by jumping back and forth between the two.

The characters experience traumatic challenges - Mauna Loa erupting, the realities of sugarcane plantations, family secrets - and Tsukiyama manages to tell these stories in a way that is not exhausting but pulls you in and keeps you invested. I have not read any of her other works before, but now I know I need to! The Color of Air is a poignant tale of family, identity, and place, and the almost poetic narrative and the literary tools that Tsukiyama utilized are unique and effective. I'm looking forward to adding this to my collection!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Set in pre-war Hawaii and the explosion of Mauna Loa, is the story of a group of old friends and their families touched by one member who affects them all. Interwoven stories of each move the plot toward a poignant and satisfying end that defines the meaning of love.

I liked a lot of aspects of this novel. The setting and the characters brought back my personal memories of visiting my grandmother in Hawaii. The manner in which the characters speak and the expressions used, reminded me of my grandmother and others in Hawaii. I could almost smell the place and was reminded of my own past. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters which left me feeling a little unsatisfied. I would have liked more character development in order to be fully engrossed in their world.

This is stunning historical fiction. So beautifully written and evocative. It’s set in Hawaii and has a dual timeline. So good!!

Such a beautifully written story of family and community that reflects the strength of bonds when challenged by natural disaster (volcano eruption), the great depression (set in the 1930s), unfair labor practices (sugar cane plantations in Hawai'i worked by Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos brought to Hawai'i with false promises), and, of course, personal relationships. The sense of place is amazing and I wished I could actually smell the fruit and flowers she beautifully describes. It was impossible to not fall in love with the characters. Just a lovely, low-key novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Gail Tsukiyama never disappoints. This was a beautiful story of love and friendship. Her writing of Hawaii made me feel like I was there. The novel transitioned from past to present without being confusing and I felt an affection towards the characters from the very beginning. The ending made me smile without being to picture perfect.

I've long been a fan of Tsukiyama,especially her earlier stuff. I loved the characters in this book, and i loved her descriptions and the cultural content. But the shifts between past and present became tedious and hard to follow.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book-- it turned out to be a beautiful heart-felt story. The characters were well developed and I felt like I knew each of them. The story portrays several relationships in a small Hawaiian village of Hilo. A volcano is rumbling and threatening the town and seems to set the pace of the story. The characters in the story are all tied together by their history, families, sugar and pineapple plantations, and the volcano they refer to as Pele. The story begins with Koji and Nori preparing the home of their deceased friend Mariko for the return of her only son, David. David returns to Hilo with secrets of his own and learns that everyone has secrets that burden them. A little guidance from a beloved elder woman in the village helps her friends discover that secrets shared can help heal the hurt.

It has been so long since I read a book by Gail Tsukiyama. I was beyond excited when I was given the opportunity to read the ARC of her newest book The Color of Air. Samurai’s Garden was the first book by Tsukiyama that I read and to this day it is still one of my favorites.

The entire time I was reading The Color of Air I had a tug of war going on in my brain, trying to figure out how my review would go. I so wanted to love this book. While i did like it I did not love it. I loved the characters. I loved Koji, he has a heart of gold and kept the community together. I loved Mariko and the love she had for her son Daniel and her friends. I loved how everyone in their Japanese-American community looked out for each other. I loved their loyalty to each other and their protectiveness of each other and how they loved each other like family.

The story takes place in Hawaii on a sugar plantation. Koji immigrated from Japan to Hawaii with his family when he was eight years old, so that his parents would have work. The story is beautifully written, but lacks suspense and excitement. It does not go into a lot of detail about the plantations, the unions or the volcanoes but does touch on these things. If your looking for a beautifully written story about community, friendship, loyalty and love you will enjoy this read.

I finished this book feeling sad that I did not love it more

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Color of Air is a lyrical novel that delves into a family's dynamic and secrets - all set against the backdrop of an erupting volcano in 1930s Hilo, Hawaii. This is my first book by Gail Tsukiyama, but it will not be my last.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

What is the color of air? Is it colored by Mauna Loa erupting? Is it colored by breathe? Do we see clearly? Or, is there something clouding our view? The author presents us with a fairly simple story told in a wonderfully authentic sounding cadence. The characters are endearing and we care about them. They hold their untold stories for too long. But as the story weaves its way to the end, we learn about their experiences, their motivations, and their secrets. I appreciated learning about a society and culture that helped form the Hawaii of today. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest rev

After years spent in Chicago working as a doctor, Daniel is coming back home. He lives in the home of his deceased mother Mariko. Uncle Koji, Mariko's lover, is excited to see Daniel again. As Daniel arrives, a local volcano begins spewing, threatening their village.

This book was extremely slow moving. It had a nostalgic feel, which was a bit off putting. Characters were constantly reliving the past, slowing the book down even further. Although the setting of the book was interesting, the story itself was a bit bland. Overall, a bust.

Gail Tsukiyama brings us to a small town in Hawaii called Hilo. This is where Cane Sugar Plantations are the villagers main livelihood. We are shown ever changing life via points of view of the 3 main characters Daniel Abe, Uncle Koji and Mariko. Gail Tsukiyama was astounding in her ability to present each characters point of view from various periods of their lives. Mauna Loa played a major character in this book as well due to its threat of destroying the village and all it’s inhabitants with its dangerously close lava flow. In conclusion this is a story of love, acceptance and change. At times parts of the story were drawn out and therefore the reason I gave this 4 stars. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love historical fictio Gail Tsukiyama brings us to a small town in Hawaii called Hilo. This is where Cane Sugar Plantations are the villagers main livelihood. We are shown ever changing life via points of view of the 3 main characters Daniel Abe, Uncle Koji and Mariko. Gail Tsukiyama was astounding in her ability to present each characters point of view from various periods of their lives. Mauna Loa played a character in this book as well and the threat of losing everything all of the villagers This is a story intertwined with love, acceptance and change. At times parts of the story were drawn out and therefore the reason I gave this 4 stars. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love historical fiction..

How pleased I was to discover that Gail Tsukiyama is still writing. She used to be a go to author for me when I was leading book discussions at the library. "The Language of Threads" and "The Samurai's Garden" particularly come to mind. But she has been busy, teaching and reviewing in her hometown of San Francisco, not to mention serving as Executive Director of a non-profit that addresses such diverse needs as literacy and clean water. http://www.gailtsukiyama.com/

In July a fresh cadre of readers will be able to enjoy Tsukiyama's lovely, lyrical prose in a new historical novel set in early 1900's Hawaii where the Mauna Loa volcano is threatening the bustling port town of Hilo. As the townspeople pray

for the lava flow to turn away from their homes and businesses they reminisce about the passage of time and the memories they've nurtured over the decades, the secrets they've kept, the relationships they've formed, and the loved ones they've lost. In fact, the ancestors are never far away, offering gentle advice and admonishment.

Daniel Abe and his high school girlfriend Maile had once been inseparable, but smart and ambitious, each left the island for college, Daniel all the way to medical school in Chicago. Neither thought they would see each other again yet suddenly here they are back in Hilo, Maile escaping an abusive relationship and Daniel a tragic episode in the emergency room that shook his confidence to its core.

Living back home in the cottage his mother Mariko left to him when she died, Daniel reconnects with the land, with the myriad aunties in the village, and especially with his Uncle Koji, the man who loved and helped raise him after his own father abandoned him and his mother. Daniel has questions for Koji and Koji, compelled now by the threatening lava, has confessions he wants to make to Daniel, hoping he's mature enough to hear them with an open heart.

Tsukiyama, of Japanese and Chinese extraction herself, writes atmospheric fiction that reflects her fascination with the period before and after World War II. In "The Color of Air" she deftly mines the history of the Hawaiian sugar trade which built its success on the backs of Japanese immigrants who came to Hawaii by the thousands as contract laborers, promised housing, transportation, and a chance to become Americans. Finding their living situations little better than enslavement, second generation Japanese-Americans like Koji risked their lives to foment support for unionization.

Now, marry these detailed historical facts with Tsukiyama's disparate cast of compelling characters imbued with grace, humor, pride, and resilience and you've got a reading experience to really look forward to!



Posted by Sallyb at 3:50 PM