The Last Karankawas: A Novel [Paperback]

The New York Times Book ReviewEditors' Choice
An Indie Next Pick
Named a Most Anticipated andMust-ReadBook byBuzzFeed, Book Riot, andMs. Magazine
One ofWashington Independent Review of Books'Favorite Books of 2022

Vivid . . . Garza's accomplished debut enriches the public imagination of this corner of America, and the communities within. Melissa Chadburn,The New York Times Book Review(Editors' Choice)

A blazing and kaleidoscopic debut about a tight-knit community of Mexican and Filipino American families on the Texas coast from a voice you won't soon forget.

Welcome to Galveston, Texas. Population 50,241.

Carly Castillo has only ever known Galveston. Her grandmother Magdalena claims that they descend from the Karankawas, an extinct indigenous Texan tribe, thereby tethering them to the land. Meanwhile, her boyfriend and all-star shortstop turned seaman, Jess, treasures the salty, familiar air. Hes gotten chances to leave for bigger cities, but he didnt take them then and he sure as hell wont now. When word spreads of a storm gathering strength offshore known as Hurricane Ike, each Galveston resident must make a difficult decision: board up the windows and hunker down or flee inland and abandon their hard-won homes.

Moving through the extraordinary lives of these characters and the many individuals who circle them,The Last Karankawasweaves together a multitude of voices to present a lyrical, emotionally charged portrait of everyday survival. The result is an unforgettable exploration of familial inheritance, human resilience, and the histories we assign to ourselves.