Bikini by Michael Lydakis is the adventure book you need for your next vacation. The story begins in 1945 off the coast of Okinawa when Julian Downey is escorted from the USS English to the USS Bunker Hill by a Navy chaplain, promoted to captain, and assigned command of the USS San Diego. Suddenly, enemy planes are spotted and start a battle in which the Bunker Hill is hit by kamikaze fighters and the chaplain is killed. Next, we find Downey stationed in Pearl Harbor a year later, after the war.
Everyone is relaxed and enjoying the beaches of Hawaii during peacetime but, in this freedom, Downey struggles to figure out what to do with himself. He then receives new orders and embarks on a journey to the South Pacific that will test his resolve, make him question both his past and his future, and possibly lead him to love.
As a historical novel, Bikini does a great job of bringing the past to life. The characters we meet feel like real people, and their reactions to the situations they’re in are relatable and engaging. Downey struggles with PTSD, living through flashbacks and drinking his way out of panic attacks. Bud Hopkins is a cheeky sailor who, in his own way, looks after Downey and becomes a friend, but who also suffers with the aftereffects of battle. Captain Fitzsimmons is stubborn but caring, and he becomes Downey's mentor, so to speak. The romance in this story is compelling, but leaves the reader wanting more. Lana is the picture of 1940s glamor, but she flits in and out of the story and we don't truly get to know her. Lydakis’ writing style is conversational and, along with just the right amount of tension, makes for an engaging read. The novel examines coping mechanisms for dealing with the carnage and brutality of war as Downey, Fitzsimmons, and Hopkins deal with depression and alcohol, anxiety, and repressed emotion. Their experiences of the rashness, bad decision-making, and fatalistic thinking are poignant and moving. This novel could have benefitted from a round or two of copyedits, but is still readable and enjoyable.
If you like historical novels, adventure stories, wonderful characters, and a bit of romance, this is a book for you. Bikini is the perfect read for the beach, to take on the plane, or even to bring along just in case.
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