Daughter of Moloka'i

Brennert continues the story of some of the characters from 2003's Moloka'i. Protagonist Ruth is removed from the leprosy settlement at birth and sent to an orphanage in Honolulu until she is adopted by Japanese immigrants. In 1922, the family moves to California to help manage a strawberry farm. They encounter anti-Japanese attitudes that crescendo into fury after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Stripped of property and possessions, the Japanese are sent to Manzanar internment camp, where Ruth's extended family adapt to harsh conditions. After the war, Ruth receives an unexpected message from her birth mother, Rachel, whose leprosy has been cured and who hopes to meet Ruth. As Ruth learns more about her Hawaiian heritage, she draws Rachel into her family circle. Although Brennert provides enough background for this novel to stand alone, readers familiar with Rachel's story will be glad to learn what happens after she leaves Moloka'i. The most compelling sections involve life within the internment camps, conflicts within families and among detainees, and the harsh treatment by government officials.