The MacGuffin in "The Maltese Falcon" #FridayReads

When a local library in Honolulu decided to close its doors for good, I snagged a hard cover copy of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon, the only full-length novel in which Detective Sam Spade appears. The statuette of a falcon, an object that has been lost for centuries, is the focus of a deadly search around the world. Guns are drawn. People die.

A MacGuffin in a book is an object or event that is necessary to the plot or its characters' motivation but is irrelevant in itself. The missing falcon is the MacGuffin in The Maltese Falcon as desire for its ownership drives the plot. The ring in J.R.R. Tolkien's saga and the Philosopher's Stone in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novel are both MacGuffins that give purpose to the novels' plotlines. I would include Stephen King's Dark Tower series, a tale of a gunslinger's quest for the tower which is reported to be the nexus of all universes. The tower is the MacGuffin that drives the plot but is irrelevant in itself.

While reading Dashiell Hammett's novel again recently, I thought about current day MacGuffins and how an event such as an upcoming wedding can indirectly control current actions. Preceding a wedding, the bride-to-be nervously over-eats her way out of her wedding dress; the groom has second thoughts and leaves town; the father of the bride embezzles company funds to pay for the wedding reception; or little sister of the groom shoplifts a wedding gift for her brother.

And then there are MacGuffins in movies!

*****      

Opening Paragraphs To Hook the Reader #AmWriting

Iolani Palace in Honolulu on Oahu, Hawaii
the only royal palace in the USA
(recent photo)

At a Hawaii Fiction Writers workshop, authors read opening paragraphs of their current writing projects. Good opening sentences draw the reader into the writer's world to immediately hook them with promises of an action-filled thriller, conflicting emotions of a true romance, or unfolding drama in a historical novel. 

Author and Mental Health Professional, Joy Ogawa, who was born and raised in Hawaii and states she has been creating worlds and characters since age five, was invited to share news of her recently published debut historical novel: Victoria Ward and the Gilded Age of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Opening lines of Joy Ogawa's historical novel introduce the reader to the regal side of the 19th century Hawaiian Kingdom, showcasing protagonist Victoria Kathleen Robinson Ward and her family.

The Kingdom of Hawai'i

O'ahu

Iolani Palace

A beautiful part-Hawaiian, part-Caucasian woman fusses over her daughters’ Victorian finery as they exit the carriage. She arranges them in order by age, except for the guest of honor. The palace doors open, and the Royal Hawaiian Guard announce their arrival. “Your Majesty, introducing Ms. Annie Eva Theresa Einei Ward, debutant, the fourth daughter of Mrs. Victoria Kathleen Robinson Ward and the late Mr. Curtis Perry Ward. She is accompanied by her six sisters and brother-in-law.” 

King David Laʻamea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua is a charming and handsome modern renaissance man who cuts a dashing figure in his ceremonial Victorian English royal and military dress with fashionable bushy mutton chops. Jovial, his brown eyes sparkle with delight as he formally receives the Ward family.

Ogawa, Joy (2024-01-04T22:58:59.000). Victoria Ward and the Gilded Age of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Austin Macauley Publishers. Kindle Edition.

*****

Synopsis:   

1889, Iolani Palace, O'ahu: The majestic Hawaiian Kingdom teeters on the brink of oblivion. At its heart stands Victoria Ward, a woman of royal Hawaiian blood, bound by her lineage and duty. Armed with vast lands, ancient cultural rituals, and the unwavering loyalty of her villagers, she becomes the beacon of hope for a nation under threat.

From my Book Review:

Excellently researched and professionally written history of Hawaii alii, royalty, and family life on Oahu right up to present day headlines. Victoria Robinson Ward's strong family focus and tough business sense are highlighted throughout.

*****