Name: Katelyn Broad's review of The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Item: The Descendants
Rating: 5
Author: Katelyn Broad

Kaui Hart Hemmings

Narrated in a bold, fearless, unforgettable voice and set against the lush, panoramic backdrop of Hawaii, The Descendants is a stunning debut novel about an unconventional family forced to come together and re-create its own legacy—and the inspiration for the major motion picture starring George Clooney. Fortunes have changed for the King family, descendants of Hawaiian royalty and one of the state’s largest landowners. Matthew King’s daughters—Scottie, a feisty ten-year-old, and Alex, a seventeen-year-old recovering drug addict—are out of control, and their charismatic, thrill-seeking mother, Joanie, lies in a coma after a boat-racing accident. She will soon be taken off life support. As Matt gathers his wife’s friends and family to say their final goodbyes, a difficult situation is made worse by the sudden discovery that there’s one person who hasn’t been told: the man with whom Joanie had been having an affair. Forced to examine what they owe not only to the living but to the dead, Matt, Scottie, and Alex take to the road to find Joanie’s lover, on a memorable journey that leads to unforeseen humor, growth, and profound revelations. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Kaui Hart Hemmings's The Possibilities.

A Novel

The Descendants

Josh Kramer

Katelyn Broad

I chose this book as my audio book of the month and I am so happy that I did. I loved it! From the awesome story line to the scenery that was described throughout. This book had everything that I wanted, including some interesting twists. It was heartwarming, sad, beautiful, and even joyful at times as the characters came to terms with the impending death of their wife/mother.

Descendants

Georgia Carr

The Descendants is Matt King's story. And can I just say, Matt King totally looks like George Clooney in my head. Perfect casting decision. 

ANYWAY. Set in the beautiful Hawaiian landscapes, Matt's wife Joanie is in a coma after a boating accident. This leaves him, a very much distant father, to look after his two daughters, Scottie (8) and Alex (17). He's unsure, unsteady and rather lost at the whole concept of parenting.

I don't know what it was, but I loved this book. There's an intangible something special that made me really, really like it. Matt is a hilarious character and one of the most witty I've come across. Scottie and Alex are really well written. Definite kudos have to go to Sid, though. He's a random friend for a large majority of the novel, but as soon as Matt starts to get to know him, Sid becomes a funny and vital addition to what could easily be a very depressing book.

I could probably count the major events of this novel on one hand, but it's all the inbetweeny stuff that makes it great. I loved how the characters developed, every single one of them. All the relationships are individual and meaningful in their own right. It's really refreshing to not have carbon copy characters. 

Kaui Hart Hemmings has a really original idea here, one that works really well. Her story is beautifully described, full of sentences that can be easily analysed because they're so well written. I wasn't even trying to be analytical and it happened; must be testament to the fantastic writing. 

Overall, The Descendants is a novel that is not complex nor confusing, but it is beautifully written, flawlessly developed and very well enjoyed by moi.

edgar a. kowalski 

Caroline

Jeff James

A descendant of royalty and one of the largest landowners in Hawaii, Matthew King struggles to deal with his out-of-control daughters--ten-year-old Scottie and seventeen-year-old Alex--as well as his comatose wife, whom they are about to remove from life support.

Josh Kramer &
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

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Josh Kramer &The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

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Join the club

Josh Kramer &
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings