The Sailmaker's Daughter: A Novel

This book really didn't have much of a plot -- there were several very promising storylines but they never really went anywhere. It moved slowly and that was frustrating. I did, however, really enjoy the author's description of the landscape of Fiji in 1918, and the colonial society there. I think it was worth reading, but I wish there had been more story in the story.

Another thing: throughout the story there are several words, phrases and sentences in Fijian, Hindustani and French. Sometimes you can determine the meaning from the context, sometimes not. It turns out everything is translated in the very back of the book, but I didn't find this out until it was too late. Hrmph.

The story takes place in 1918 at the height of the 'flu epidemic. The author's grandmother was born in Fiji so I trust the portrayal of the country is accurate for the time although the colonial manners and customs made it seem more suited to the Victorian era. The writing lacked smoothness, requiring occasional backtracks, which made the story somewhat lacklustre.