A powerful, lush memoir about a Hawaiian woman who ran away from paradise to discover who she is and where she belongs.
Born and raised in Hawai‘i by a father whose ancestors are indigenous to the land and a mother from the American South, Jessica Machado wrestles with what it means to be “local.” Feeling separate
from the history and tenets of Hawaiian culture that have been buried under the continental imports of malls and MTV, Jessica often sees her homeland reflected back to her from the tourist
perspective—as an uncomplicated paradise. Her existence, however, feels far from that ideal. Balancing her parents’ divorce, an ailing mother, and growing anxiety, Jessica rebels. She moves to Los
Angeles, convinced she’ll leave her complicated family behind and define herself. Instead, her isolation only becomes more severe, and her dying mother follows her to California. For Jessica, the
only way to escape is a reckless downward spiral.
Interwoven with a rich and nuanced exploration of Hawaiian history and traditions, Local is a personal and moving narrative about family, grief, and reconnecting to the land she tried to
leave behind.
Editorial Reviews
Editorial Reviews
“[A] memoir about loneliness, loss, and finding a cultural identity…[that] gorgeously portray[s] the complexity of Machado’s spiral into despair…Machado’s rich descriptions and frank voice make the book worth reading.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Machado’s narrative hums with raw emotion, as she writes of rejecting the idealized island girl stereotype, and as an adult, seeking a connection to her ancestors…The result is a luminous coming-of-age portrait.” —Publishers Weekly
“Mapuana Makia lends fluidity to this memoir's descriptions of Hawaii—its lush settings, legends and lore, and musical language. In contrasting tones, Makia delivers the painful history of colonialism and stereotyping of Hawaii as merely a tourist destination. Similarly, Makia gives listeners a felt sense of the intersectional issues faced by Machado through the juxtaposition of her proper, directive white Southern mother and her passive-seeming Indigenous father. Most memorable are Makia's vivid depictions of Machado's fierce rebelliousness and discomfort in a seeming paradise. —AudioFile Magazine
Narrator Mapuana Makia skillfully reads the historical sections of this memoir, enlivening them with her lyrical pronunciation of Hawaiian words. She brings out the passion in Machado’s telling of myth and legend and conveys Machado’s forthright approach as she shares her personal stories and history. A moving portrait of a woman navigating culture and identity, elevated by the use of beautiful Hawaiian language. —Library Journal
Mapuana Makia handles the story adeptly and has a deliberate clarity that helps the listener absorb sections exploring Hawaiian culture and mythology. Her commitment to that tone and pacing also makes clear the book is a memoir, handling the sometimes challenging subject matter as a retelling; never going too far to infuse dramatic flair. She instead lets the author's words carry the weight. This is not to say her read lacks depth or flavor, though. She's an excellent choice for the material. —Booklist
[A] memoir about loneliness, loss, and finding a cultural identity…[that] gorgeously portray[s] the complexity of Machado’s spiral into despair…Machado’s rich descriptions and frank voice make the book worth reading. —Kirkus Reviews
Machado movingly excavates notions of identity, family, and Native culture in her debut, a memoir…[Her] narrative hums with raw emotion...Her depiction of Hawaii is far from the carefree paradise shaped by tourists and Western colonialism and instead offers a sharp consideration of class distinctions and the islands’ history. The result is a luminous coming-of-age portrait. —Publishers Weekly
Mixing in Hawaiian history and folklore throughout her memoir, Machado offers a heady and enticing read. —Booklist
At long last, a book that shatters the colonial gaze too often cast on the Pacific; here, Jessica Machado brings the islands to life with incendiary dynamism and pitch-perfect prose. A mesmerizing portrait of a woman, her ‘ohana, and the ancestral knowledge deep within — I never wanted this to end. Local is an unforgettable debut and a triumph for Kanaka and APIA literature. —T. Kira Madden, author of Long Live the Tribe of the Fatherless Girls
Machado is a ferociously talented writer who blends insight, compassion, history, and love into this breathtaking story of home, family, and belonging. This book is necessary reading for anyone who has ever wanted to understand Hawai’i, their families, or themselves. —Lyz Lenz, author of Belabored
A deeply moving memoir about navigating pain—both personal and systemic—through the complex history of Hawai’i. By revealing her own story, she also reveals the stories of the Kanaka, and the result is both heartbreaking and uplifting. —Samhita Mukhopadhyay, author of the forthcoming The Myth of Making It
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