I enjoyed this collection a lot more than I thought I would. Some stories are much better than others, as is the case in general with these sorts of collections, but on the whole, I thought each story had something of interest to offer. What surprised me the most was London’s portrayal of the harsh realities of colonialism and how the islanders suffer from colonial greed and brutality. The sympathy to the islanders was what drew me to many of these stories, since these are, to some extent, criticisms of the colonial way.

Favorites from this collection: The House of Mapuhi, Mauki, “Yah! Yah Yah!” The Inevitable White Man. There were no stories in this collection that I straight up disliked, but those four were ones that I greatly enjoyed. London’s depiction of the islands effortlessly drew me in; they were so detailed and vibrant, that I felt as if I were there. I also loved his characters; they felt so real, that I can’t help but think that they must have been based on real people.

Definitely pick it up if you’re a London fan; if you’re at all interested in colonial writings, this is something to check out as well. I wouldn’t say it’s a must-read, but it’s interesting and provides some insight to life in the colonized islands.

Also posted on Purple People Readers.