Oh man, this book had promise. Story, drama, characters... part of it was even set in Spokane where one of the characters came to play at an elite basketball college.
It just seemed to go on and on a little too much. Maybe could have benefited from some more rigorous editing.
The story begins with a young boy who falls off a boat in Hawaii. Sharks are swirling, but instead of devouring him, they gently return him to the boat. From that time on, he develops a healing quality. He becomes a legend, as people seek him out to bring healing. That legend brings his family much-needed money and a little bit of fame.
That son goes on to Stanford and becomes a paramedic, healing people even more. It comes crashing down when he can't save a pregnant mother and baby and he comes to question his entire identity.
That college basketball playing brother? He's a legend, too. On the mainland, he makes his family and Hawaii proud. But, when he squanders that opportunity, he questions his identity and value to his family as well.
Then, there's a sister away at school in San Diego. She has her own reasons for questioning her identity and always feels like she's not as special as her brothers.
The book is rich with character and you see the parallels between the siblings. But, it could have been told in far fewer pages. You feel all of the siblings get pulled back to Hawaii, left to wonder if they matter beyond those islands. But, the end gets a little jumbly for me, too, and I wish it could have sustained its strong start.
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