Plot
There are so many rules to follow in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attacks. It's hard, but Nanea does her best. She wants the war to be over as soon as possible, so that her Army brother can be safe and life can go back to normal. So it's especially frustrating when a boy named Mano starts hanging around her grandparents' shop bragging about flaunting the rules. Nanea thinks he's stealing things to sell on the black market. But her grandparents keep finding jobs for him! How can the help someone so shady?
The only person who seems to be on Nanea's side about Mano is her friend Lily. Everyone else is bending over backward to accommodate Mano, but Lily shares Nanea's suspicions. When trying to find out more about him after her grandfather's special watch and Lily's father's knife goes missing, the girls discover that Lily's own brother Gene may be hiding something.
Shortly after, Nanea's dog Mele runs off and Mano finds him. Nanea wonders if she might have misjudged him. She doubts it, but thinking back on when little things have gone missing, she also remembers that the soldier staying with her grandparents, nicknamed Jinx, was around too. And her own sister seems to be hiding something. Mary Lou, Gene, Jinx, Mano...are any of them behind the missing watch and knife (and other items)? The plot thickens when she sees Mano and Jinx trade a paper bag for the watch!
Nanea confronts Jinx. He explains that Mano knows someone who could fix the broken watch band, and the watch is being returned. He also mentions taking Gene to some top-secret job at Pearl Harbor. Nanea is relieved someone is being honest, but she has even more questions now, like whether Gene's job is even legal. One is resolved when she finds out that her sister has been writing to a boy she knows who enlisted--her secrecy is due to her long-distance relationship.
And soon other secrets come out. Gene can't tell anyone the specifics of his job, but it's honest work, and he's being well-compensated. Mano isn't stealing; he's been trading with Nanea's grandparents for food. He's the oldest of several boys living together in a bomb shelter, boys whose parents are dead or being held at internment camps. He catches fresh fish for the market, and his other boasts are exaggerations. Even Lily's father finds his knife: Lily's toddler brother hid it. Nanea learns to have more trust and less suspicion.
There are so many rules to follow in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attacks. It's hard, but Nanea does her best. She wants the war to be over as soon as possible, so that her Army brother can be safe and life can go back to normal. So it's especially frustrating when a boy named Mano starts hanging around her grandparents' shop bragging about flaunting the rules. Nanea thinks he's stealing things to sell on the black market. But her grandparents keep finding jobs for him! How can the help someone so shady?
The only person who seems to be on Nanea's side about Mano is her friend Lily. Everyone else is bending over backward to accommodate Mano, but Lily shares Nanea's suspicions. When trying to find out more about him after her grandfather's special watch and Lily's father's knife goes missing, the girls discover that Lily's own brother Gene may be hiding something.
Shortly after, Nanea's dog Mele runs off and Mano finds him. Nanea wonders if she might have misjudged him. She doubts it, but thinking back on when little things have gone missing, she also remembers that the soldier staying with her grandparents, nicknamed Jinx, was around too. And her own sister seems to be hiding something. Mary Lou, Gene, Jinx, Mano...are any of them behind the missing watch and knife (and other items)? The plot thickens when she sees Mano and Jinx trade a paper bag for the watch!
Nanea confronts Jinx. He explains that Mano knows someone who could fix the broken watch band, and the watch is being returned. He also mentions taking Gene to some top-secret job at Pearl Harbor. Nanea is relieved someone is being honest, but she has even more questions now, like whether Gene's job is even legal. One is resolved when she finds out that her sister has been writing to a boy she knows who enlisted--her secrecy is due to her long-distance relationship.
And soon other secrets come out. Gene can't tell anyone the specifics of his job, but it's honest work, and he's being well-compensated. Mano isn't stealing; he's been trading with Nanea's grandparents for food. He's the oldest of several boys living together in a bomb shelter, boys whose parents are dead or being held at internment camps. He catches fresh fish for the market, and his other boasts are exaggerations. Even Lily's father finds his knife: Lily's toddler brother hid it. Nanea learns to have more trust and less suspicion.
Inside Nanea's World
The Red Hill facility still exists today. During World War II, it was critical and top-secret. While still important today, it's staffed by only four people. Hawaii residents know about it, but access is restricted .
Misc
Dedicated to "my brother, born on Pearl Harbor Day, and my grandfather, who bravely fought in the war."
The titular Legend of the Shark Goddess is a reference to a story Nanea's grandmother tells her, which she thinks of when dealing with Mano. It's really not that big a part of the plot, but I guess the title sounded cool?
It's little surprise that Nanea's grandfather thought he heard zebra doves. They're all over Oahu!
Um...oops. Nanea is thinking about banana splits, and that she feels like "a banana, split in two." She's half Hawaiian. "Banana" is sometimes used as a derogatory term for an Asian or Pacific Islander who "acts white" (yellow outside, white inside). Aside from being a clunky metaphor, it's kinda awkward to have her describe herself as a banana.
Why wouldn't Nanea's grandparents ever mention, even in passing, about the fish? "Oh, Mano's here with his catch." "Mano is such a good fisherman; maybe he'd be good at some odd jobs around the neighborhood." Especially when Nanea expresses her concern to her grandparents--they didn't need to be so cagey about it.
2 comments:
If you don't mind my asking, where does the title come from? From the summary, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with a shark goddess or any legends thereof.
It's a story Nanea's grandmother tells her that she thinks of as an analogy for how she views Mano. It didn't really stand out that much, but I should have mentioned it. I'll add in a bit now; thanks!
Post a Comment