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A review by robthereader
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings
4.0
Death is complicated. That’s the premise of Kaui Hart Hemming’s Descendants, a book told through the first person present perspective of a father of two daughters becoming a widower as his wife lies in a coma and has her life support pulled. Matt King introduces himself and his family whimsically noting the shining sun, light breeze and chattering beds while by his wife’s bedside before dismissing it as whatever, an indication of how beauty can hide indifference and scars. As Matt explains his wife’s circumstance from a boating accident, he so to unfolds her infidelity and troubled relationship with his daughters, Scottie, a 10 year old with the yearning to be a woman both physically and sexually and a Alex, a 16 year old who has already experimented with drugs and is battling with teenage angst. Matt’s journey around the islands to tell his family friends of his wife’s expected death, tracking of his wife’s lover and meeting over his family’s land inheritance sale intertwines to show how he is and knows he is no present parent, let alone perfect.
The book’s title makes it seem that the story will be about this family feud over who to sell the land to before it becomes evident it is just the backstory. However, by the time Matt and the cousins make their decision it becomes clear that it is part of the story as descendants must take on their families past, just like loved ones must take on those they love’s past. There are equal parts rebellion and open tenderness and all must be considered when deciding who and how to hold people close. The fact that the writer is a woman writing in a man’s perspective gives added layers to this as there is Hemingway macho masculinity on show with Hemming moments of hurt and tenderness. These moments are captured in moments where Matt’s thoughts run on his anxiety and self disappointment while his words and conversations can be terse and quick.
In the end, death hides everyone’s past transgressions but it is how everyone moves forward and not necessarily on that allows a family to become stronger and its descendants to prosper hopefully a little more than their ancestors and suffer a little less as well.
The book’s title makes it seem that the story will be about this family feud over who to sell the land to before it becomes evident it is just the backstory. However, by the time Matt and the cousins make their decision it becomes clear that it is part of the story as descendants must take on their families past, just like loved ones must take on those they love’s past. There are equal parts rebellion and open tenderness and all must be considered when deciding who and how to hold people close. The fact that the writer is a woman writing in a man’s perspective gives added layers to this as there is Hemingway macho masculinity on show with Hemming moments of hurt and tenderness. These moments are captured in moments where Matt’s thoughts run on his anxiety and self disappointment while his words and conversations can be terse and quick.
In the end, death hides everyone’s past transgressions but it is how everyone moves forward and not necessarily on that allows a family to become stronger and its descendants to prosper hopefully a little more than their ancestors and suffer a little less as well.