The Descendants

By: Kaui Hart Hemmings

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

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)

Tension in Hawaii

Would you listen to The Descendants again? Why?

I would listen to it again if enough time passed after the first time. It was an interesting story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character was the daughter's boyfriend. He started out as a jerk and as you got to know him, it changed your opinion. He really was a help to the entire family without really trying to be.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have not

If you could rename The Descendants, what would you call it?

Following the roots of family

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book and I intend to recommend it to my book club. Thanks for the chance to talk about it.

Great Audio

great book. loved the story. flow was nice. it was worth every penny. enjoy the ride.

a good stroy

First time author, Kaui Hart Hemmings. This book was made into a movie several years ago starring George Clooney. I remembered enjoying the movie and decided to give the book a try. Set in Hawaii it turned out the movie had followed the book pretty closely. At a higher level there was a subplot of an inheritance between family members of an old Hawaiian family. But at its core the story was about a wife/mother that was injured in a boating accident and was in a coma, brain dead and not coming around. The husband/father had to come to terms with it and have his two daughters understand and accept whatt's happening. In the process he bonds with his daughters in a way he never had before. It was the human side of the tale that made this a good story.

It was ok

It was ok, I have listened to books that I enjoyed more. The story was easy to follow.

Entertaining book, so much better than the movie!

I have now listed to this audio book 3x, and continue to listen when I find I'm bored with other books, or in-between books and just want to be entertained! Let me start by saying that this audio book is WAAAAY better than the movie (which I was sorely disappointed in, and lacked so much humor found in the book). In fact, the movie was just depressing, although the acting was good. But Jonathan Davis does a wonderful job with narration, and even sounds like Clooney, so it gives a great visual as you listen! Despite the heartbreaking basis for this story, the author brings so much humor into this book through in-depth character development and dialog, that sometimes I found myself laughing out loud.

I was looking for an entertaining book that also would include some Hawaiian history, culture and insights of living on the Islands, AFTER returning from our trip to the Big Island of Hawaii -- this book fit the bill perfectly. I should also mention I have 2 boys (11 & 14), so I enjoyed the parenting difficulties that are met with fear, frustration, shock and of course, humor. Also an interesting look into the complexities/misunderstandings of relationships, as we hear the inner thoughts of the main character, Matt King / Clooney. Overall, a very entertaining read/listen, and definitely worth a few more hours than just watching the movie.

Not Sappy instead honestly elicits tears & laughs

I expected this book to be sappy, instead it was touching and funny with hardly a drop of sap. The characters are excellently developed, especially considering the novel is completely first person narrative. I came to know even the minor characters. This was a beautiful story of a family in decent, due to stress & sorrow, accident & adolescence, isolation & infidelity, betrayal & banality. Yet instead of ripping things apart, these pressures slowly catalyze new strengths and bonds. This novel is simple and honest. Occasionally I found myself tearing up, only to smile or laugh at the next sentence. There was very little wrong with this novel. Now, I will certainly see the movie (but I would recommend doing the book first). The protagonist seems perfectly written for Clooney. Although the narration was excellent, I sometimes wished Clooney had narrated.

entertaining BUT...

What did you love best about The Descendants?

great story about love.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

learn to pronounce hawaiian words correctly, as a kamaaina would.

Any additional comments?

they couldn't even pronounce the author's name correctly.

enjoyed this.

it was funny and moving. as a mother of teenaged girls I could relate to it. the only odd part was the final interaction with Julie, but I won't give away the details. I recommend it.

Great Story!

If you could sum up The Descendants in three words, what would they be?

Family is first.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Descendants?

The older daughter's boyfriend sneaking behind the father's back to help give him justice for his wife's lover's infidelity.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

If you could rename The Descendants, what would you call it?

Goodbye Mom.

Any additional comments?

Enjoyable.

An awakening

What made the experience of listening to The Descendants the most enjoyable?

Realizing how fast the world moves around us, then when we do decide to look up, so much time has past us by! I enjoyed how he "woke up" to reality and then tried his best to resolve the things he had neglected for so many years!

What about Jonathan Davis’s performance did you like?

Excellent reader! Sounded like George Clooney himself!

Who was the most memorable character of The Descendants and why?

To me the father was the most memorable character.