Historical fiction set at the crossroads of cultures, medicine, belief, and change.
The Naupaka series follows outsiders navigating the upheavals of the early nineteenth century, when distant worlds collided and old certainties began to fracture. From France to Hawaiʻi, its characters confront revolution, medicine, faith, identity, and experiences that resist easy explanation.
Start with A Half Flower
A young surgeon begins seeing things he was never meant to see.
Fleeing political persecution, French surgeon Balzac Voclain crosses the world to 1820s Hawaiʻi seeking safety—only to enter an island kingdom in upheaval and face visions medicine cannot explain.
A Half Flower is the first novel in the Naupaka series.
What connects the naupaka series?
Unfamiliar historical worlds
Places and cultures experienced through characters who do not entirely belong.
Medicine and belief
What happens when reason encounters experiences it cannot comfortably explain?
Cultures in transition
Political, religious, and social change reshapes what characters believe—and what they are permitted to become.
Morally complicated people
No culture, belief system, or character gets to remain comfortably simple.
Read the first chapter for free?
Why Naupaka?
Hawaiian traditions tell different stories about the half-flowered naupaka, but separation runs through its best-known legend: two lovers divided between mountain and shore, symbolized by blossoms that appear as though half is missing.
For the series, the flower becomes a fitting image for people divided between places, loyalties, cultures, beliefs—and sometimes between what they understand and what they cannot explain.
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FAQs
What kind of series is Naupaka?
Naupaka is immersive historical fiction with elements of historical adventure, romance, cultural conflict, and ambiguous visionary experiences.
Where is the Naupaka series set?
The series begins in early nineteenth-century France and Hawaiʻi, during periods of profound political, religious, and cultural change.
Do I need to know Hawaiian history before reading it?
No. The novels are written for readers who may be encountering this history for the first time, while additional research material is available for those who want to explore further.
WHere should I start?
Begin with A Half Flower, the first novel in the Naupaka series.
Where can I buy A Half Flower?
A Half Flower is available directly from Mirà Kanehl and through major ebook retailers.