Kakawangwa (Fla.)

Trapped in the hurricane of a changing cultural landscape, the young women of Kakawangwa, Florida must choose to clutch tradition or side with the times. Pearl and Jasmine are two sisters who come of age after being raised by a single mother in a religious household. Whitney, born a hermaphrodite, must determine her gender and sexuality, despite being married to her husband, Joe. Celeste, a college dropout, returns home to Kakawangwa in disgrace. Blackie, who lives life without inhibition, must cope with the consequences of the choices she makes. Filled with language that is pithy, abrupt, direct, and melodious, The History of Kakawangwa is a narrative that reveals these women as they reconcile the world to themselves.