Blackwell’s Homecoming
This is the final chapter in the tale of Captain James Blackwell, of the Royal Navy, and his family, which includes his wife Mercedes; Aloka, his son by a Hawaiian woman; son Edward; and daughter Emma. Emma is at an age when her marriage would be important to the family, although she has strong feelings for her stepbrother Aloka. Meanwhile Mercedes contracts breast cancer and must deal not only with the pain of the disease but adjusting to life after the operation. As a family, they decide to travel back to the Sandwich Islands; Captain Blackwell is appointed by the government as their Consul General. Their trip back to the islands, and their arrival during a Hawaiian tribal conflict, leads to an exciting conclusion.
This is the third and final volume of Blackwell’s Adventures. I’ve read all three books and found them entertaining, with compelling, fast-paced action up until the final chapter. This novel involved juggling seven Hawaiian characters, each of whose names begins with the letter “k.” For the most part, the author is able to differentiate them, but it’s confusing at times. However, this is a minor problem. The characters are fully fleshed out, both English and Hawaiian, and are products of their time and place in history. This novel primarily involves the family issues facing each character rather than sea travel, as in the previous books in the series.
A real pleasure to read, this book can stand alone, although I recommend reading the previous volumes to see additional development of the main characters.
