A review by letsgolesbians
This Is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this is paradise is a collection of six stories taking place in hawai’i, showcasing the parts of the islands and her people that tourists don’t know about/don’t care about/choose to ignore. colonization and capitalism have presented us with an idea of paradise, and the reality of that idea is not paradise-like at all. 

the author, kristiana kahakauwila, is hawaiian and grew up in california, and a couple of the stories feature characters raised in the diaspora and returning to their islands. one of these stories, thirty-nine rules for making a hawaiian funeral into a drinking game, was a particular favorite of mine; a list by a character who lived off island and whose father lived off island and how that impacts their place in their family. i love a list in general, and i love short story collections that include formats outside of prose and poetry; being able to convey story and emotion different ways is a creative strength. 

the old paniolo way, the final story, has a gay male protagonist. 🏳️‍🌈

many trigger warnings for this book, including animal fighting, animal death, death, murder, infidelity, and death of a teenage child
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