Behold the Many: A Novel

Behold the Many follows three young sisters—Anah, Aki, and Leah—who are sent to an orphanage in Hawaii's Kalihi Valley in 1913 to receive treatment for tuberculosis. Two of the sisters die there despite the nuns' care, while Anah, the eldest, survives to adulthood. The ghosts of the two dead children remain on the grounds of St. Joseph's, the only home they have known. As Anah prepares to marry and leave the orphanage, the ghost children become angry and jealous of her ability to live in the physical world. Desperate to keep her close and afraid of losing her, they place a curse on Anah that affects her future and that of her new family. As Anah works to appease the dead and manage her own guilt for surviving, it becomes clear that redemption can only come through one of her daughters. The novel explores themes of loss, family bonds, and the lingering effects of childhood trauma across generations.