A 2020 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Finalist
A PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Finalist
In 1995 Hawaii, seven-year-old Nainoa Flores falls overboard a cruise ship. When sharks appear in the water, everyone fears the worst. Instead, Noa is gingerly delivered to his mother in the jaws of a shark, marking his story as the stuff of legends. Nainoa's family hails his rescue as a sign of favor from ancient Hawaiian gods - one that appears validated after he exhibits new abilities. As time passes, this supposed divine favor begins to drive the family apart. When supernatural events revisit the Flores family, they are forced to reckon with the bonds of family, the meaning of heritage, and the cost of survival.