Title: Seasons in Manana

Author: Delmer Cook and Scott Cook

Genre: Literary Fiction

 

Alan Cook was a military brat who recently relocated with his family to Hawaii, where his father had been transferred to serve as a Navy Chaplain. Alan experienced culture shock upon arrival, as the slang used by the locals was foreign to him, and the style of dress at school was less formal than he was used to. Alan would need to get acclimated quickly if he wanted to be known as more than the haole foreigner. Baseball was Alan’s passion, whether it be playing it on or off the field or trading players’ cards. Alan wanted to make the school team, but struggled with hitting until a coach helped him with his swing. The only thing comparable to Alan’s love for baseball was his unrequited crush on Cindy Medlock, a pining that ultimately would only lead to trouble.

An engaging coming-of-age story filled with more than a hint of nostalgia, Seasons in Manana reflects on the transformative years of Alan Cook as he adjusts to a new, but ultimately temporary, home. Delmer Cook and Scott Cook have written a story that combines the positive and negative events that transform the life of an adolescent male. The narrative of Alan Cook unfolds in a way that foreshadows a dire predicament, while a substantial portion of the story is beguiling.

Alan Cook was a youth growing up in the turbulent days of the 1970s, yet much of his time was spent living a blissful, carefree life. However, as deftly captured by the authors, Alan’s days in Hawaii witness the loss of innocence in multiple ways. Alan’s quest to be a perfect pitcher on his little league team is shattered when a dreadful outing against an opponent leaves him crestfallen. As his years in baseball demonstrate, perfection isn’t a certainty. The news of a dangerous gunman on the loose on one fateful day pierces the veil of tranquility around the neighborhood. Nothing can quite compare to the day when Alan learns the love of his life is not who he thought she was. The pain as related by the writers is more than palpable. The book maintains a fair balance of both positive and negative events that impact Alan’s life.

One of the key elements that makes Alan’s story sympathetic is the humility he learns through life lessons. Alan wants to win the heart of Cindy Medlock, but he learns that being braggadocious is counterproductive. In pursuit of stardom as a baseball player, Alan stumbles as often as he succeeds, one day’s heroics followed by the next day’s follies. These setbacks allow for his character to grow throughout the story.

A tale of a young boy’s eventful four-year sojourn in an island paradise is both entertaining and whimsical. Seasons in Manana seizes the interest of the reader from the outset and never loses its charm. While the story discusses Alan’s father’s vocation as a Navy Chaplain and his devotion to his position, a little more insight into how his father found his calling would have been enlightening and added some extra color to the story overall.

Seasons in Manana is a fast paced but rewarding read, a fish out of water story with humor, thoughtfulness and high drama. Delmer Cook and Scott Cook have penned a noteworthy book.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.