Sophisticated writing, interesting time period. Even though the story (when I first learned about it) was definitely one that raised eyebrows, I read it anyway. It turned to be a fantastic read! I love historical fiction, and this one did not disappoint! It was great learning about the south Pacific and that particular time period and how that became integral to the story and the minds of the characters. Even though the book is by a male author, the main character is a girl, and I kept having to remind myself the book was written by a guy, because the girl's dialog was so real and intimate it was hard to believe a man could possess (and create) such deep feminine derived thoughts. It was a wonderful read and also a book that I didn't want to end. His second book, Honolulu, was also very good, but not quite as successful as this one. I highly recommend this book!!