Hawaiian Tales: The Girl with Heavenly Eyes

by Lee A. Jacobus

''Objects are closer than they appear.'' Lee A. Jacobus tips his writer's side-view mirror to reflect intimate and unexpected views of life in paradise. A collection of fourteen short stories set in the islands of Hawaii, Hawaiian The Girl with Heavenly Eyes looks beyond the surface lives of tourists and retirees, natives and transplants, to the joys and mysteries within. By turns tender, amusing, and pleasantly unsettling--but always intriguing--these short stories plant us firmly in a magical tropical landscape.

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[SmallPressPicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great gift of Hawaiian Tales is how deeply and richly it immerses us in the predicaments of its characters, from Hawaiian natives to tourists, and in the psychological and physical landscapes of their lives. Reading it, I truly felt transported.

One of the things I admire most about the story collection is the way it examines tests of faith. In “Is God Calling You?” Julian Kusaka, a former advertising executive and a descendant of Portuguese missionaries, opens the so called Celestial Connection, a store-front enterprise that aims to foster religious experiences.

Eventually, word gets around—much to Julian’s dismay—that he has a “healing spirit.” When Julian reluctantly answers the call to pray at the bedside of a possibly dead elderly woman, she recovers, drawing far more public and media attention than he’s comfortable with. The incident also increases demand for what people see as Julian’s healing powers, powers that he himself never believes in. Julian’s experiences pose all kinds of intriguing questions, among them: What happens when personal faith is transformed into something public or, worse, into something that might be misconstrued or commodified?

This is just one story (among many) in the collection that encouraged a lot of reflection in me.
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[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting through this book because of Bonfigli's writing style. I found too much of an attempt to be clever and humorous, with much of the humor falling flat. Scenes in the novel seem to be disjointed, jumping around like a schizophrenic rabbit. The main character Sarah seems wise, sensitive and reflective sometimes, jaded and closed at others. Her humor is a kind of wall she hides behind to avoid her true feelings. There were some parts I enjoyed, but many parts I found plain annoying. I wouldn't recommend this book, and if her writing style is the same in other books, I wouldn't recommend those either.

[Kathleen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read......The stories for me were good, as I was born in Hawaii 1942, so everything about the islands is magic....I have to say that I wish the stories would have been a little more steeped with Aloha Spirit. Anything we can do to keep it alive...These stories could have been in any tropical setting, they just happened to be in the islands....Still enjoyed the writing and going home (even if it was a little bit). Mahalo, Leilani

[Dianne Ascroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Cafe Tempest. It's an unusual and upbeat love story filled with memorable characters who I'd love to meet. I wanted to go back to Greece and meet a crowd of zany people like the characters in the book. It's a simple story but very entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys good, light reading.

[Jo Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a tough time getting into this book, mainly because of the authors writing style. I'm still undecided if I even like the main character, at the very least she is forgettable among all of the wonderfully zany characters in the village. Like one big crazy family with all the idiosyncrasies thrown in. And it did make me want to visit a Greek island.

[Barbara Bonfigli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend it as a terrific summer read: funny, original, thoughtful and transporting. Not bad for a cold winter night either.