That Which Feeds Us

It’s hard to believe that a horror story could work so well as a love story about both a homeland and family.

Nineteen-year-old Lehua Sayers works in a mortuary and helps care for the dead. Her twin sister, Ohia, is in college on a track scholarship. Lehua dropped out, the two had a fight, and haven’t spoken in months. Then suddenly, Ohia calls, saying she is going to Hawai’i for a job at an island resort.

Although Lehua and Ohia are indigenous Hawaiians, they have never been there. Their mother and grandparents left Hawai’i for Arizona as part of a diaspora, when living there became too expensive. Disturbingly, they never knew their father, and once the twins were born, their mother left and was never seen or heard from again. show more Stories of the islands were a mainstay with their grandmother, who told them of the myths, legends, and superstitions of Hawaiians. After their grandparents died, Lehua and Ohia lived through the trauma of multiple foster homes.

When Lehua doesn’t hear from her sister, she leaves her job and heads to Hawai’i, a homeland that has never been home, to find Ohia. The exclusive island resort, though, isn’t what Lehua expected; instead, it’s eerie and no one knows where her sister went. The manager of the resort offers Lehua help and a place to stay until the boat returns. But without any way to contact the world beyond the island, Lehua is basically stranded. Stranded in comfort, but still stranded.

Sinister things begin to happen at the resort, especially after dark. Why does the island smell of rot? Is it only the persimmons ripening on the trees? Who are the workers and where are they? What are the guests, so fabulously wealthy, coming to Kōpa’a for? To reveal more would be a disservice to any reader who wants to discover the answers for themselves. This is not only a horror story but also a lesson on the history of our 50th state, the former Kingdom of Hawai’i. show less

search for her twin sister lures 19-year-old Lehua to Kōpa‘a Island, home to a mysterious, ultra-exclusive resort.

Six months ago, Lehua quit the track team and dropped out of college, determined to find her own path away from her twin Ohia’s shadow. The girls have barely spoken since then—until Ohia calls to tell Lehua about her internship on a farm in Hawai‘i. The sisters were raised in Phoenix by their grandparents and have never visited their “ancestral homeland, the fantasyland of [their] grandparents’ stories and superstitions.” Two weeks later, the sisters’ track coach appears at the mortuary where Lehua works, looking for Ohia and revealing that the normally stellar student is on academic suspension. Despite show more Lehua’s anger, she worries when she can’t reach Ohia, so she travels to Kōpa‘a, an off-the-grid wellness resort and persimmon orchard. But the manager claims that Ohia, who used a fake name to get the job, quit after a week and left. Lehua doesn’t believe in ghosts, but there’s something unsettling about the island. Missing the only boat to nearby Maui, she’s left stranded with a storm coming. As Lehua unravels the mystery of her sister’s disappearance, she uncovers the dark history of the island and the white missionary plantation-owning family who stole the land. The latest from Kendall, who’s hapa Native Hawaiian, is richly atmospheric supernatural horror that explores diaspora experiences, the ongoing impact of colonization, and the sisters’ complex, dynamic relationship.

Vivid and potent. (author’s note) (Horror. 14-18)

-Kirkus Review show less

That Which Feeds Us is a good story, but it drags a bit in the middle. The number of characters seems a little much. I kept forgetting who Jennifer was and constantly got Leigh and Oliver mixed up. My favorite characters were Chiyo and Daisy, because they had the best back stories. I ended up not caring much for Lehua, Ohia, or Melia, which is too bad, because more investment in these characters would have equaled more investment in the story itself.
Overall a good book, just a little bogged down and draggy. 3.5 out of 5

Two and a half stars. I'm eager to find other books the author has written.