In the Shadow of The Pali: A Story of the Hawaiian Leper Colony

by Lisa Cindrich

After getting leprosy from her mean-spirited uncle, Liliha is sent to live at the leprosy camp where there are no laws and only the strong survive, yet Liliha isn't giving up on herself and fights to have a happy future, both physically and emotionally.

Genres: Historical, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Childrens

245 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2002

About the author

Once upon a time I was an elementary-school-aged writer: letters in gilt ink from one member of a large network of 'dog royalty' to another; a poem about a girl named Mary Chate who 'sold her soul' so she could get 'her very main goal' (ending rather badly for her in H-E-Double-Toothpicks); another poem "America the Beautiful" for a school contest. Hey, second place, not so shabby!

Once upon a time I was a high-school/college-aged writer: a poem about the Phoenixville Area High School field hockey team read aloud at the sports banquet; a war story rivaled only by Danielle Steel's Message from Nam for most unlikely piece of 'in-country' fiction; a collection of poems deemed by Professor Anthony Hecht to "out-Poe Poe". (Macabre tendencies coming through loud and clear, although, um, it IS possible his comment was not, perhaps, a compliment. That's okay . . . a great poet and a fine professor!)

Once upon a time I was a (more or less, kind of, are we ever really?) grown-up writer: several preliminary, failed, never-to-be-seen-again novels; a "not for the faint of heart" (thanks, School Library Journal!) novel about a child trapped in a brutal leper colony; a novel about legalized hitmen; humorous short stories about, you know, killers; and novels in various stages about 1.) a vengeful water witch freed from long imprisonment, 2.) a damaged man fighting an infestation of demons, and 3.) an immortal digital mind deflected into a distressingly mortal and debilitated body.

I live in Kansas (yeah...it seems mild enough but check out the Bloody Benders, In Cold Blood, and Gillian Flynn's Dark Places) in a KC suburb that is a mere hour's drive from the "Most Haunted City in Kansas"(!) with my completely corporeal family and an equally non-ghostly Brittany Spaniel mix.

Reviews

[BCL Teen Librarians · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liliha's father is dead. Her uncle turns her in to the Hawaiian authorities as a LEPER -- even though he was the one who forced her to get leprosy. Liliha is abandoned by her mother, her village, and everyone she's ever known... and she's shipped to the leper colony on Molokai, where there is no law. Now Liliha is in a fight for her very life. She must fight not only her fellow prisoners to get the food, but also the growing numbness, infections, and sores in her own flesh. Sometimes even paradise can be your prison.

Wow, this was an action-packed piece of historical fiction! I'd heard of the Hawaiian leper colony, but I didn't realize how brutal and lawless it was. I also didn't realize what leprosy really was. This is a violent, intense book that needs to be read when you feel safe under the covers with cookies and a hot drink.

Read this if you want a page-turner that will have you wondering about what right and wrong really mean when survival is at stake.

--Courtney

[Pua Hawaiʻi Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters are painfully flawed and bitter, but as they struggle to survive in the lawless colony they discover faith, build a community, and come to terms with the disease that keeps them outcast. It does take a bit of patience through the first few chapters as you struggle to identify with the main character but this is ultimately a story about growing up, told from the point of view of a young girl in the worst of circumstances. It is also a story of hope as she finds unexpected love, happiness and acceptance from her make-shift family at Kalaupapa.

Read more:
http://www.hawaiibookblog.com/article...

[Terry Mulcahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I obtained this book a while back, I could not bring myself to read it. While I imagined it would be fascinating, the prospect of reading about leprosy, its effects on people, and the horrible nature of this disease held me back. However, I pulled it to me and started reading it, and I couldn't stop. The book has sympathetic characters that the reader follows, and some very unsympathtic characters. Good and bad, one might say. However, all is not ever either good or bad, and indeed, those distinctions can be incorrect, shifting, and vague. This leper colony left people to fend for themselves or die, and everyone either lapsed into lethargy or fought to survive as long as possible. It was a terribly cruel and harsh life, but, well, you'll have to read it for yourself to see just how people coped.

[Alieha · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the Shadow of the Pali

So to start off with I wasn’t really into this book so it was kind of hard to keep focus on it and remember most of it but anyways this book was about this girl who was on a boat with many others who were taken to this island and they were all somehow connected like I mean as in they had similar issues. But anyways this girl once they were on the Island she escape the group. Then later on in the story she was going into the woods and this other girl who was following Liha thought she stoll. So they were arguing and things got out of hand the other girl threw Lisa's bag into the dark woods but luckily some guy came along and found it.

Text-to-self (How do you relate to the book? Are you, or someone you know, similar to a character from the book? Do you relate to the setting? Explain.)- I feel like she and I have the same attitude because she just don’t really care and she is headstrong just like me.
Text-to-text (Which book, song, poem, movie, or TV show does this book remind you of and why?)- This book is almost kind of like some kind of Pirate movie I watched
Text-to-world (To what part of the world and/or history does this book relate? Explain.- It’s just like everyday society people judge and assume before they know the truth.

[Jessica Dudenhofer Beery]

DNF - very depressing and dark.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy teen historical book. Interesting. Could this really have happened? Sad.

[Ayacchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Liliha's father was dead, she and her mother lived with her uncle's family. She had to take care of her sick grandmother and as a result, she was infected with leprosy. Her uncle was just so glad to send her to the colony in Molokai, where there's no law.

After learning about Molokai's history through Moloka'i, I wanted to visit there once again fictionally. Knowing that I loved Alan Brennert's book so much, I didn't have a high expectation for this book. It turned out that the book was tougher and harsher than the mentioned book. It felt much more realistic, with the lepers had to take care of their own life and housing, a small amount of rations, wicked people who willing to do anything for a higher position. But seeing how hard it was to live there, especially for women, though unacceptable, I could kinda understand them.

[Sanisi Talanoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was intriguing, everything was described in detail to such an extent that it felt as if you were there experiencing the pain, smelling the rotting flesh of the sickess lepers inside the crowded hospital. Each scene made sense and flowed nicely from one to the next. All the charaters are beleivable and very well developed. I would recomend this book to be read over and over. Yea, its that great!

[Rachel Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a really easy read and would be great for a younger reader. That being said, some parts of the book did move a little slowly and the ending left me wanting more of the loose ends tied. This book will really make you think about what you would have done if you were in Lilihana's shoes.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book for the teens at my library. It has a young adult who has been dropped off on an island of lepers. The heartbreak and courage that she struggles through is amazing all the while getting closer to God is remarkable.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned more from this young adult novel as we prepare for our trip to Hawaii...

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as depressing as one might think, but not quite what I expected either.

[Connie T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh! the horrors of leprosy! I learned quite a bit from this book. It was interesting.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical perspective. Can be used to teach about leper colonies and Hawaiian history.

[Delilah Gunderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it but the name and some other words are a little hard to pronounce

[Lauren Donelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really hard book for me to read. It had big words and I couldn't picture it very well. If you like a challenge then this is the book for you.