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Tulagi Hotel

by Heikki Hietala (Goodreads Author)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 25 ratings · 16 reviews

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World War II has given Jack McGuire the chance to escape the confines of the Midwest and the family farm. An ace U.S. Marine fighter pilot, he risks his life each day with his squadron in the South Pacific theatre. For him, there's calm and camaraderie up there in the cockpit. But when the war ends, Jack struggles to find his place in civilian society. T...more

Kindle Edition, 3rd Edition, 366 pages

Published September 28th 2012 by Fingerpress (first published January 1st 2010)

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Aug 02, 2010 Stephen Gallup rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'll start with the bad news and get that out of the way. In this first novel set in the South Pacific during and just after WWII, there are some passages in which the prose could have been streamlined. The dialog does not always sound entirely natural. And there are a few minor narrative hiccups, e.g., points at which I felt something had been skipped, with the result that this reader felt he had stumbled over something. The most noticeable example of the latter is the lack of a transition betw...more

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May 20, 2013 Eero rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook

This novel is evidently the result of diligent work and research, and well worth reading for the descriptions of air warfare in the Pacific. For purely stylistic reasons, I liked the short stories in Filtered Light better: they seemed to echo a kind of English tradition of understated ghost stories. When I began reading this novel, I had an impression that the dialogue was a little bit too correct and polite to be real, although it did not bother me later (and I cannot swear that this perception...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Tiina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, historical

I found Tulagi Hotel to be a slightly difficult book to categorize. It combines a love story, a war memoir, and the story of one Jack McGuire in a way that can only be described as captivating without raising one above the other. Heikki Hietala, the author, shows he is clearly well acquainted with the WW2 era as well as the years that followed it, as the details of the peacefully progressing story prove.

Tulagi Hotel is written in fluent English – something you should not take for granted these d...more I found Tulagi Hotel to be a slightly difficult book to categorize. It combines a love story, a war memoir, and the story of one Jack McGuire in a way that can only be described as captivating without raising one above the other. Heikki Hietala, the author, shows he is clearly well acquainted with the WW2 era as well as the years that followed it, as the details of the peacefully progressing story prove.

Tulagi Hotel is written in fluent English – something you should not take for granted these days. Despite the fact that one can hardly point out a single grammatical error in the book, there was something in the style, especially when it comes to the dialogue, that somewhat bugged me. This, however, should not be taken as a sign of something being wrong with the book. It is simply that I would not have chosen such ways to get the message through. There is some repetition in the book, and I personally found the vast amount of trademarks and manufacturers mentioned somewhat amusing if not even annoying, even if it does further point out the expertise of the author.

The biggest problem I had with the book was its main character. Jack McGuire did annoy me a lot for a reason I cannot quite name. Usually, I have no trouble sympathizing with the main character of any given book, but Jack's mind was unbreachable for me. This, too, may simply be caused by the twisted mind of the reader herself. I found myself being annoyed by Jack being apparently perfect, then by him being a whiny brat in the next chapter.

After finishing the book, I am ready to admit I might not have been the best reader for Tulagi Hotel. Even though I am really interested in WW2, the aerial aspects of war do not interest me as much – and the Pacific front quite frankly bores me. The book has received much better ratings in both Goodreads and Amazon, which would also point towards yours truly being not the best possible indicator of the true aspects of the book which, after all, is not a bad book at all. It just didn't strike me as such a good book either.(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, read-2012

Tulagi Hotel is a book with something for readers of many different tastes. For those interested in military and aviation history, there is plenty, with tales of fighter planes in dogfights over the South Pacific. It is a coming of age story, which could prompt thoughts of how family expectations and desires can get in the way of living life on your own terms. It has romance, injecting all the emotions involved in that rollercoaster ride. Most important of all, it is a good story.

Although the au...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Simon Forward rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the interests of transparency, I have to declare that I know the author of this book, from the old days of authonomy. Ordinarily this might brace you for a glowing review, but I have to be honest, that's not going to be forthcoming here.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination and it has much of the quality that first impressed me when reading the opening sample chapters on the authonomy site. But among the problems preventing this full 'extended cut' novel fr...more In the interests of transparency, I have to declare that I know the author of this book, from the old days of authonomy. Ordinarily this might brace you for a glowing review, but I have to be honest, that's not going to be forthcoming here.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination and it has much of the quality that first impressed me when reading the opening sample chapters on the authonomy site. But among the problems preventing this full 'extended cut' novel from soaring to the heights the author is capable of is the fact that it scarcely stretches the imagination at all. There are splashes of brilliance but what you mostly end up with is an uneven flight over a broad and featureless expanse of blue.

The blue - i.e. mood - is where the book scores best and there are a number of potent moments in what is almost an anthology of wartime and post-war tales, centring around Marine pilot, Jack MacGuire, and his eponymous hotel. The author also demonstrates a masterful level of research, seasoning the mix with liberal helpings of factual authenticity. I have a very firm and comprehensive grasp of how a pilot might have gone about purchasing auctioned off surplus planes, post-WWII. But that research is then let down by some very dry delivery, which - during the scattered pieces of action - singularly fails to immerse. There's a sense of events being reported rather than lived by the characters.

It left me reading much of the novel at a safe remove and that detachment is reinforced by patches of dialogue that seem lifted from old fashioned war movies. It's tough, because there's precious little new comment that anyone can offer on war and when the author has some characters attempt it, the words emerge as rather trite and hackneyed.

Ultimately, it adds up to a not very fresh or compelling story in the hands of a skilled writer with evident enthusiasm for his subject. It's impossible not to be moved by some of the tales herein and, for example, a simple tale from Jack's childhood concerning a model plane is nicely observed and rings with enduring truth.

Some of the views are captivating, but lack that extra immersive quality to leave a lasting impression. Ultimately, the Tulagi Hotel gets three stars.(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Stefan Sahlander rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have never been interested in aircraft spotting and neither do I usually read books or watch movies about war history. So when I first started to read this book I feared it would not be for me. But I was wrong. Even though there are many parts about World War II aircraft and how to fly them, this book includes lots of other fascinating stories pre-WW2, during WW2 and post-WW2 about human relationships and even some philosophical ideas how to best live your life. Jack also has his very unique w...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Heikki added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: my-own-books

This book is now available again, and you can get it on Amazon as Kindle for now, soon also in paperback.

I wrote this book, so I will not add stars, but I have reviews on Amazon and all are four or five stars. New ones would be very much appreciated, and I will send out review copies for a limited time - contact me for one.

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Sep 11, 2011 Holly Grant rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tulagi Hotel is a beautifully written book with compelling characters. When I began the story, I felt as if I had stepped into a classic, epic, post-WWII film. We follow the main character, shy Jack McGuire, from his childhood in rural Nebraska, through school and the war to Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, where he runs a hotel and loses his heart to the widow of a war buddy. The author shows the hand of a master storyteller as he takes us back and forth in time and paints a realistic picture of...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, military

I don’t really know what to say about this book. It is profoundly insightful and surprising, with lyricism that pops up unexpectedly, and scenes of boyish adventure. I gained a look into World War II in a way I never have before, even though my father fought in WWII and was a pilot who flew over China. The characters are so well drawn, I grew quite attached: to Jack and Don and Kay, Martin, Bunny, Doc and Bill, among others.

I noticed comments about the formal dialogue in other reviews. For me, t...more I don’t really know what to say about this book. It is profoundly insightful and surprising, with lyricism that pops up unexpectedly, and scenes of boyish adventure. I gained a look into World War II in a way I never have before, even though my father fought in WWII and was a pilot who flew over China. The characters are so well drawn, I grew quite attached: to Jack and Don and Kay, Martin, Bunny, Doc and Bill, among others.

I noticed comments about the formal dialogue in other reviews. For me, the dialogue worked perfectly. I’ve read many books written during the thirties, forties, and fifties, from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to other, more adult books, and if memory serves, authors routinely used dialogue very much as this author does. I remember thinking how well it worked, because it was one more layer that took me back to that era, made it more authentic. It’s casual, yes, it flows well, yet somehow it is a little different from the way dialogue is written these days. For instance, there are more “sirs” than readers see now.

Another thing I really liked was how the author so effortlessly takes us back and forth in time. We go from after the war, into the war proper, to before the war, and back and forth throughout the book. This isn’t easy to do well but I never got lost in Tulagi Hotel.

There are lines of pure visual descriptive beauty, such as “His voice had become monochrome and hard, like lacquer on wood.” I also loved how Kay’s voice made him certain he’d found the answer to a long-gone question: “What do fairies sound like?” And the simple yet evocative “War devours life like a bush fire feasts on dry undergrowth.” And yet another: “…by the time the backbone of the Milky Way was supporting all the brilliant stars…” Then also there are such crystalline descriptions that leave one in visual horror, such as “Jack watched as the boy was first hit in the neck with a large piece of shrapnel and then thrown into the air like a scarecrow in a twister. In horror, he watched the kid’s head with the helmet still strapped on it fly across the crater, spinning in slow motion…”

The character of Don has many profound insights about life and death: I would imagine anyone who has gone to war would have given such ideas much thought. His theories have really given me pause, especially where he talks about skipping pebbles across the surface of water, and how this correlates to human life and death, memories and holding onto things that cannot be possessed.

The ending is not what I expected at all, not the ending anyone, I think, would expect. I highly recommend this book.
(less)

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Jul 15, 2010 Malcolm rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

I first encountered this book on HarperCollins' website, Authonomy. At that time it was 'raw' but as it dealt with military aviation I had to dip into it; I was not disappointed. Heikki Hietala's sense of time and ability to create authentic action wefted with an intriguing and enjoyable 'love story' makes for a compelling read. Now refined and recently published by Diiarts, it is a rewarding read for anyone interested in WWII, The Pacific Islands, military aviation, quirky hotels and quirky pil...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Eline rated it 4 of 5 stars

The reasons why I gave 4 stars to this book (I wanted to give 3 and a half, but that's not possible :p)are very simple. First of all I think this story is very well written! Heikki Hietala painted a scenery in this book that you can imagine perfectly. A place you'd certainly visit if you had the chance to. Secondly I love the fact that this is a story with several "genres" woven into it. I believe this book can be appreciated by lots of readers, even though they normally don't read the same kind...more The reasons why I gave 4 stars to this book (I wanted to give 3 and a half, but that's not possible :p)are very simple. First of all I think this story is very well written! Heikki Hietala painted a scenery in this book that you can imagine perfectly. A place you'd certainly visit if you had the chance to. Secondly I love the fact that this is a story with several "genres" woven into it. I believe this book can be appreciated by lots of readers, even though they normally don't read the same kind of books.
I can hear you think "why don't you give 5 stars if you liked this book that much?". Hmmm, maybe I'm difficult, but I believe a reader has the right to be difficult in some cases ;). Sometimes I found the book a little too long. I don't think it's possible to read this book in one sitting, but that's not necessary of course. Another reason why I couldn't give 5 stars, is the (in my opinion) hasty end. All of a sudden there are unsolvable problems solved and our main character feels happy again... Maybe that's possible... Jack (our main character) is a lucky man ;)

Despite this one lost star, I loved the story from the beginning on. Our main character, Jack McGuire, is an "easy" character to understand and sympathize with. Sometimes the other characters are important too (they make Jack the man he is) and the author spends just enough time on each of them. You understand them, they're 'touchable' and engaging. There's only one character I don't understand completely even though she turns out to be very important in Jack's life. Kay, the woman he falls in love with, is kind of a strange person and because of the things she said/did I couldn't connect with her.

Besides the characters, Heikki Hietala also described some beautiful moments and places in this book. It's not difficult at all to imagine these little pieces of paradise (and hell -> everything in this book begins with a world war). Sometimes it feels like you are a guest in Tulagi Hotel yourself and I loved this feeling.
One thing about these descriptions was a bit annoying sometimes... : they could be veeeery long from time to time. I think the author can delete quite a few sentences without losing the beautiful spirit of this book. Have to say that all my criticism doesn't mean much. After all this is a book I enjoyed reading and I recommend it to all kinds of readers! The language is very accessible and the book certainly reads smoothly :)(less)

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Jun 12, 2011 Martin Cooper rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an oddly old fashioned book. If it were a film, it would be in Technicolor, or even black and white, with James Stewart in the lead role.

It’s none the worse for that – in fact the pitch of the story is perfect for the subject: the experiences of a group of American fliers in the Far East during the Second World War. The narrative loops back to visit the hero’s mid-western childhood and zooms forward to describe his return to the Solomon Islands in the late 1940s, but its heart is in the...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first discovered Tulagi Hotel a couple of years ago when I was on the Authonomy.com website, and I befriended the author - Heikki Hietala - in the process of reading the original draft there. I remember that manuscript with fondness, and reading the revised/re-edited version was a pleasure even on the second time around.

However, having become accustomed to a more modern style of writing - the "hook 'em quick and keep 'em turning pages!" school of thought - Tulagi Hotel may take some mental rea...more I first discovered Tulagi Hotel a couple of years ago when I was on the Authonomy.com website, and I befriended the author - Heikki Hietala - in the process of reading the original draft there. I remember that manuscript with fondness, and reading the revised/re-edited version was a pleasure even on the second time around.

However, having become accustomed to a more modern style of writing - the "hook 'em quick and keep 'em turning pages!" school of thought - Tulagi Hotel may take some mental readjusting to be properly enjoyed.

And I mean that in a good way.

The story moves at its own pace, never rushes and yet, never quite dallies. The timeline jumps about a bit, going from post-war to wartime to pre-war settings almost at random. But it works, and that can take the reader by surprise if they weren't expecting such transitions.

Something else which might prove troubling for modern readers is that there are occasional switches in POV, from the main character, Jack Maguire, to those of the people he is dealing with in a given scene. It's arguable that this is an intentional echo of the overall structure of the novel - it's jarring at first, but once one has read such asides a time or two, it becomes less so.

My only argument in this respect is that I would have liked to linger in those alternate points of view a little longer. For example, I would liked to have heard more about Don or Kay Wheeler's thoughts or experiences once I'd seen their takes on a scene. I came away with a slight sense of frustration afterwards, after having been given a glimpse into another perspective which only lasted for a paragraph or a page more.

Still, as a fan of stories involving World War Two aviation - planes and pilots have long been sources of fascination for me - there was much in Tulagi Hotel to hold my interest. Hietala's descriptions of aerial combat and the psychology of the pilots who fly inherently dangerous missions are both well-researched and well-written. I've known several pilots in my life, and Hietala captures their sometimes morbid and emotional mix of fatalism and irreverence well.

There is an acceptance of the supernatural as a commonplace element in life, which I found most intriguing. Hietala writes this in a very matter-of-fact way, acknowledging that not everyone would accept it, but that for many of the characters it's simply a part of their lives.

I was truly impressed with how Hietala handles the emotional twists and turns his characters are dealt. The loss of loved ones is expected in a war story, but there are some truly heartwrenching farewells which brought tears to my eyes more than once. Balancing such scenes out are moments of humor and delight. There are some genuinely funny moments in Tulagi Hotel, written in a realistic and sometimes endearing fashion.

The overall tone of the book harkens back to a simpler time and a simpler style of writing. At times, it genuinely feels like a story written in the era in which it takes place. I think this is remarkable and that it shows just how much research Hietala did, as well as just how ably he absorbed that knowledge and put it to work for him.

Aside from the POV shifts I mentioned before, the only other problem I perceived was that the dialogue sometimes seemed a little stiff, or formal - particularly in the scenes set in the rural Midwest. However, this is really a minor quibble and a very forgivable oversight.

If you're the kind of reader who would like a return to a kinder, more old-fashioned style of storytelling, Tulagi Hotel is a book you should pick up as soon as possible. (less)

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Nov 18, 2011 Loretta rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's one of those books that will stay on my shelf and be re-read. I love the characters, the tenderness of love amongst the scenes of war and death. What's more, I want to stay at Tulagi Hotel itself and bask in the sunshine on the beach. If only it existed in real life! This is a love story yet it doesn't lack drama and a philosophical view of life. A unique story.

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Jun 17, 2012 Gail rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, historical, dnf

I was really interested in the story, but the writing is so... not good, I just couldn't make myself stick with it. It's not bad, but it's very amateurish. A lot of dialogue about things the characters already know-- the "My sister Lisa, who as you know is..." syndrome, and dialogue about things the reader doesn't really care about. Description of unimportant things, and no description of important things (scene setting, for instance). A lot of "telling" and not much "showing." I found my finger...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Linnea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hietala's Tulagi Hotel was an immensely positive surprise to me. Tulagi Hotel reminds me of Hollywood films and Top Gun and would probably work on the silver screen too. The story is not so special in itself but Hietala writes well and the character's became familiar during the read. Great leisure read.

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May 21, 2013 Gonzalo rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Shelves: netgalley, purchased-but-haven-t-read-yet

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Shelves: 1a-own, a-ntgl, bluefire

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Feb 21, 2013 Tiina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Shelves: fiction

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About Heikki Hietala

Heikki Hietala is a Senior Lecturer at HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences. He holds an M.A. in English Philology from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, and has worked in IT and localization for more than 20 years. Tulagi Hotel is his first novel.

Tulagi Hotel has its origins in the author's lifelong interest in military history and popular culture. Hietala has accumulated a large librar...more

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