The Descendants

Now a major motion picture starring George Clooney!

Matthew King was once considered one of the most fortunate men in Hawaii. His missionary ancestors who came to the islands were financially and culturally progressive - one even married a Hawaiian princess, making Matt a royal descendant and one of the state’s largest landowners. But now his luck has changed. His two daughters are out of control - 10-year-old Scottie has a smart-ass attitude and a desperate need for attention and 17-year-old Alex, a former model, is a recovering drug addict. His thrill-seeking and high-maintenance wife, Joanie, lies in a coma after a boat racing accident, and will soon be taken off life support.

The King family can hardly picture life without their charismatic mother, but as they come to terms with this tragedy, their sadness is mixed with a sense of freedom that shames them - and spurs them into surprising actions.

©2007 Kaui Hart Hemmings. All rights reserved. (P)2010 BBC America Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Matt's journey with his girls forms the emotional core of this sharply observed, frequently hilarious and intermittently heartbreaking look at a well-meaning but confused father trying to hold together his unconventional family." ( Publishers Weekly)

"[An] audaciously comic début novel.... Hemmings channels the voice of her befuddled middle-aged hero with virtuosity, as he teeters between acerbic and sentimental, scoffing at himself even as he grasps for redemption." ( The New Yorker)

Kaui Hart Hemmings needs to write more books!

What did you love best about The Descendants?

Always blown away when a female author can write from a first-person, male point of view. This beautiful, subtle story about family and tragedy and the nuances of familial love and the complexity of marriage is a rare, delicious find. Also love the sense of place -- like spending time in Hawaii ... I never wanted to leave! Kaui Hart Hemmings is the first writer I've found in a long time that I want to see more from. She's outstanding.

Great book

This was heartfelt and amusing. Funny where it needed to be and profound and thought provoking as well. Great book. I often times, go back and listen to it over again. It never loses its charm.

MOVIE WAS WAY BETTER

What did you like best about The Descendants? What did you like least?

I am a born and raise haole "Hawaiian" with family that has similar land situations...so I loved the story and have a distant connection to the author...The movie was wonderful... especially.. George!!! However the narrator turned me off with his poor pronunciation of the Hawaiian language...even the simplest words.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jonathan Davis?

Some one who knows the islands and the language...with a connection.

Dealing with life in the wake of tragedy

Matt King concentrated on his law career, choosing not to involve himself with decisions made by his wife - about their daughters, their marital relationship and more. When she is seriously injured in a boating accident, he steps up to the challenge of an uncertain future with practicality, sorrow, confusion, determination and humor. Good movie (with George Clooney). Loved the book.

I loved this book.

Such a touching story. I do wish the narrator had learned how to pronounce Hawai’ian names and words. But his inflection, pace and timing were good. I saw the movie first, but I think I enjoyed the novel more. George Clooney’s face was in my mind as Matt. Haha