The Pohaku: A Novel [Hardcover]

From the award-winning author ofHula, 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 pMhaku, 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 pMhaku’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’sHomegoing, Min Jin Lee’sPachinko, and Tommy Orange’sThere, There,The PMhakuis an immersive and bold novel about the his­tory, perseverance, and resilience of the Hawaiian people.

"A novel of exquisite beauty and grace,The Pohakufollows 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 PMhaku 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 solidil³B