Hawaii is a place of breathtaking beauty and profound complexity, a volcanic archipelago where ancient myth collides with modern life. For writers, the islands are more than a beautiful backdrop; they are a crucible of culture, history, and identity. From the epic sagas of the first Polynesian navigators to the gritty realities of life behind the tourist facade, the stories set here explore the immense power of the land (ʻāina), the weight of heritage, and the search for belonging in a paradise that has known both immense tranquility and violent upheaval. This list is your literary guide to the many worlds of Hawaii, a journey into its history, its people, and its enduring magic.
These novels use Hawaii's dramatic history as a canvas for grand, sweeping stories. They chronicle the islands' transformation—from their geological birth and the arrival of the first settlers to the seismic impact of missionaries, Pearl Harbor, and statehood. These are tales of cultural collision, ambition, and the forces that shaped modern Hawaii.
Michener's monumental epic is the definitive multi-generational saga of the islands. Beginning with the volcanic creation of the archipelago, it follows the first Polynesian voyagers, the stern New England missionaries, and the Chinese and Japanese laborers whose descendants would forever shape the culture and destiny of Hawaii.
This gritty and powerful novel captures the lives of American soldiers stationed at Schofield Barracks on Oahu in the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. It's an unvarnished look at the brutal realities of army life, following the conflicts, passions, and illicit affairs of men living in a paradise poised on the brink of war.
Told from the perspective of Tomi, a Japanese American boy living in Honolulu, this gripping young adult novel depicts the immediate aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack. When his father is arrested and his family is targeted by suspicion and fear, Tomi must navigate a world turned upside down, testing his friendships and his courage.
Arriving in Honolulu just before World War II, the ambitious Mamie Stover becomes the most popular and successful prostitute in the city. The novel is a gritty, unsentimental look at her rise to wealth and power in the city's red-light district, a cynical indictment of wartime hypocrisy and a portrait of a woman determined to succeed on her own terms.
Fourteen-year-old Adam is fishing with his friends in a rowboat when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor begins. He is caught in the middle of the chaos, witnessing the destruction firsthand. The novel is a visceral, moment-by-moment account of the attack and its immediate impact on a boy and his family.
These novels move beyond the tourist gaze to capture the authentic, complex reality of life for those who call Hawaii home. Written with an insider's perspective, they explore the nuances of local culture, the rhythms of Pidgin English, and the intricate web of family (ʻohana) and heritage that defines the Kamaʻāina experience.
Matt King is a wealthy landowner descended from Hawaiian royalty and American missionaries. When his wife falls into a coma, he is forced to reconnect with his two rebellious daughters and confront a shocking secret about his marriage. It's a poignant, funny, and deeply human story about family, loss, and the burden of inheritance.
Growing up in Hilo in the 1970s, Lovey Nariyoshi is a working-class Japanese American girl who feels caught between her local culture and the mainland "haole" world she sees on TV. Written in vibrant Pidgin, this novel is a funny, fierce, and honest look at a young girl's struggle with identity, class, and prejudice.
After their mother's death on Molokai, three siblings are left to navigate a world of poverty, neglect, and trauma. Narrated by thirteen-year-old Ivah, this is a powerful and controversial novel about resilience and the dark realities faced by a family struggling to survive on the fringes of society.
Set in a fifth-grade classroom in Honolulu during the 1970s disco era, this experimental novel follows a group of Filipino American kids obsessed with pop culture icons like *Charlie's Angels*. Through poems, dialogues, and lists, it captures their vibrant voices as they navigate school, family, and burgeoning questions of identity and sexuality.
On the island of Molokai in the 1990s, Rani, a Gujarati Indian girl, feels like an outcast. When her family life implodes, she discovers hip-hop and begins to channel her rage and trauma into rhyming, creating the powerful persona of MC Sutra. It's a fierce, lyrical novel about finding your voice in the face of immense pain.
The breathtaking beauty of Hawaii provides the perfect, ironic contrast for stories of crime, corruption, and dark secrets. In these novels, the idyllic scenery masks hidden dangers, and brilliant detectives must navigate a world where paradise can be deadly.
The novel that introduced the world to the brilliant and aphorism-spouting Honolulu detective, Charlie Chan. A straitlaced Bostonian arrives in 1920s Hawaii only to have his uncle murdered. Chan must sort through a web of family secrets to solve a crime that reveals the clash between old and new Hawaii.
Charlie Chan investigates the murder of a glamorous Hollywood movie star who is killed while on location in Honolulu. The case is complicated by a cast of suspicious Hollywood types and a possible connection to a famous unsolved murder from years past. Chan must see through the glitz to find the killer.
Travis McGee, the iconic "salvage consultant," leaves his Florida houseboat for Hawaii at the request of a friend who believes her new husband is trying to kill her. McGee dives into a world of wealth, academic intrigue, and psychological manipulation, all set against the stunning backdrop of the islands.
The brilliant but phobia-ridden detective Adrian Monk is forced to travel to a vacationer's nightmare: Hawaii. He is there to investigate the bizarre death of a wealthy woman who apparently drowned while scuba diving... in her own hotel room. Monk's hilarious neuroses clash with the laid-back island culture as he tries to solve the case.
The iconic teen detective Nancy Drew travels to Hawaii to help solve two mysteries at once: the location of a hidden family treasure and the disappearance of a pair of valuable statues. Her investigation takes her across Oahu, from Waikiki to volcanic craters, as she outwits criminals in a classic adventure.
This collection showcases the sheer range of stories the islands can inspire. From supernatural horror rooted in ancient mythology to intense dramas of modern youth, these novels explore themes of transformation. They are stories of characters confronting primal forces, difficult pasts, and their own inner demons in a land of potent spiritual power and stark contrasts.
A group of characters at a luxury resort on the Big Island find themselves facing an ancient, terrifying evil tied to Hawaiian mythology and the volcano goddess Pele. The narrative alternates between their modern-day horror and the journal of an 1860s missionary who encountered the same malevolent force, creating a gripping supernatural thriller.
In this intense coming-of-age story, a gay teenager in Hawaii becomes obsessed with a magnetic and rebellious surfer and skater named Clay. The narrator's fascination spirals into a dark and dangerous relationship that explores the volatile, often destructive, nature of youthful desire and identity.
On Maui, Jaya, a privileged but deeply anxious boy, meets Rasa, a girl living in poverty and abuse. They form an intense, immediate bond, finding solace in each other as they navigate their own personal traumas. It is a raw and powerful story about the connection that can offer hope in the most difficult of circumstances.
This charming children's book offers a window into the life of a young Hawaiian girl named Mokihana on Maui in the 1930s. The story follows her daily adventures, her family life, and her deep connection to the island's culture and natural world, painting a gentle and evocative picture of a bygone era.
Ed "Birdie" Tweedsdale is a legally blind thirteen-year-old who discovers he has an almost supernatural gift for golf. Aided by an eccentric neighbor, he enters a tournament on a Hawaiian course with a million-dollar prize for a hole-in-one. It's a heartwarming underdog story about friendship and overcoming obstacles.
From the sweeping historical currents of Michener's *Hawaii* to the gritty local voices of Lois-Ann Yamanaka, the literary landscape of the islands is as diverse and dynamic as its ecology. These novels demonstrate that Hawaii is not just a place to escape to, but a place to reckon with—a land of deep history, complex identity, and stories that resonate long after the last page is turned. We hope this list guides you on an unforgettable journey through the heart of the Pacific.