The Pohaku - by Jasmin Iolani Hakes (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From the award-winning author of Hula, a dazzling saga about the generations of women tasked with protecting the history and place that made them.
A young woman lies comatose in a hospital, watched by her estranged grandmother. Mystery surrounds the woman's fall--did she jump off the cliff, or was she swept away by a wave? Her grandmother suspects it is linked to the pōhaku, an ancient stone that their family was tasked with protecting.
In this novel spanning generations across Hawai`i and California, it soon becomes clear that the pōhaku's story must sur­vive if there is to be any hope of the fam­ily's reconciliation with their home, with nature, and with each other.
Reminiscent of Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing, Min Jin Lee's Pachinko, and Tommy Orange's There, There, The Pōhaku is an immersive and bold novel about the his­tory, perseverance, and resilience of the Hawaiian people.

Review Quotes

"A novel of exquisite beauty and grace, The Pohaku follows a grandmother and granddaughter, and generations of ancestors, tasked with safekeeping the divine stone that unites a kingdom and carries the mysteries of the world. Their tale captures how secrets can destroy people or bring them together as these powerful, vibrant women battle the outside forces threatening their culture and the interpersonal dramas threatening their bonds. Hakes imparts Hawaiian history with the elegance of a poet, all while asking the age-old question: What do we owe our families, our communities, and ourselves? An absolute stunner." - Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm
"Beautifully sculpted, The Pōhaku takes readers on a magnificent journey that links past traumas to current realities. In Hakes's masterful hands, readers bear witness to the weight of impossible hope, the blessings of storytelling, and the power of perseverance. Hakes solidifies herself as a skillful raconteur of epic sagas, legends, and haunting truths." - Diane Marie Brown, author of Black Candle Women, a Read with Jenna Book Club pick
"A rich, sweeping tale centered on the fierce resolve of women as protectors of the fortunes of their families over generations and migrations. This saga of a magical and powerful stone and the people whose fates are tied to it through family secrets, regrets, and love kept me enthralled for hours and left my heart softer, fuller, at the end. Hakes's storytelling is taut and The Pōhaku is a triumph." - Sonora Jha, award-winning author of Intemperance
"This book breathes new life into island narratives . . . it's impossible to come away unchanged." - Kawai Strong Washburn, author of the PEN/Hemingway award-winning Sharks in the Times of Saviors, on Hula
"Hula is an unforgettable ode to Hawaii, its people, and the power and pain of its history. Through one family and its fearless women, Jasmin 'Iolani Hakes offers a profound examination of what it means to defy and to belong." - Qian Julie Wang, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Country, on Hula
"Stunning . . . an intricately built novel that spans decades, moving in and out of a collective voice, while also telling Hi'i's deeply personal and devastating story of trying to find her way. . . . Although the book never gives full access to the sacred knowledge of any individual dance, it's hard not to feel each beat--a yearning for and a deep knowledge and love of both this practice and this place--somewhere deep in your belly by the end." - Los Angeles Times on Hula
"A proud, vibrant coming of age tale." - Elle, The 39 Best New Books to Read on Summer 2023, on Hula
"An immersive and astute debut . . . a deeply affecting story of mothers and daughters and what makes a family." - Booklist (starred review) on Hula
"This debut novel moves with graceful power and sings with a voice as spellbinding as the rolling surf." - Oprah Daily on Hula