The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Endling – Maria Reva
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Chosen by Jodie
Three women – a maverick biologist and two sisters embroiled in the Russian bride industry and searching for their missing mother – kidnap 13 hopeful bachelors and race across Ukraine trying to find a mate for a last-of-its-kind Lefty snail. An absurdist and metafictional work set amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Here I am again, trying to make use of another cataclysm. Am I no better than a snail, sniffing out the softest, most rotten part of a log to feast on? At least a snail digests the rot and excretes nutrients, useful.
JODIE
● Endling by Maria Reva is an intriguing work of metafiction, a genre I hadn’t encountered before. Reva weaves layers of narrative and meaning, blurring fact and fiction in a way that is both complex and captivating. In fact, here is a quote from Reva in the novel: “I need to keep fact and fiction straight, but they keep blurring together”.
Discovering how the novel came to be written and Reva’s motivation behind it was a real help in understanding the inventive structure and complexity of the story. The novel is challenging and a second reading to fully appreciate its nuance and depth would probably be a good idea. I do recommend Endling but with the caveat to be mindful that it’s not how your typical novel rolls.
TESSA
● I found Maria Reva’s Endling a remarkable read, all the more impressive given that she is a first-time novelist. It’s not an easy book to sum up, and I had to sit with it for a while before I could begin to articulate my thoughts. What I can say for certain is that I’ve never read anything quite like it before.
At its core, Endling is a satirical exploration of the human condition, deftly weaving together themes of war, identity, conservation, and survival. Far from a conventional novel, it is absurdist yet meaningful, with a surface plot that is only one of many layers that resonate with the depth of the book. As I delved deeper, I found myself grappling with its intricacies, particularly midway through, as Reva steps into the story amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At this point, the novel turns sharply metafictional, becoming as much about the act and even the right of storytelling as it is about the characters caught up in the conflict itself.
In my opinion, it well deserves its place on the Booker shortlist. It’s a thoroughly enlightening read that will stay with me for some time.
SALLY
● I have struggled to think how to review this book and in the final analysis, I have elected to separate my thoughts into two streams. For the construction of the book, the metafiction and the devices used within the text to subvert the narrative, I have a great deal of admiration. The skill involved in its construction belies the fact that this is a first novel. But viscerally, this admiration did not translate to enjoyment, not really. Early on I was engaged but I think I became lost in the absurdity. Having said that, I did enjoy the idea of writing multiple different outcomes.
There is a heavy dose of autobiography I am sure, given that the author is a Canadian of Ukrainian birth and I think it was best illustrated in writing the multiple outcomes for the character of the grandfather. Her frustration and desperation were clear. It’s a complex novel both structurally and thematically. Probably not to everyone’s taste.
RACHEL
● As a fan of absurdist fiction, Endling delighted me. The lefty snails, dead-bride tours and kidnapped bachelors are outrageous, but they felt more steeped in real life than some books in the realism genre. Reva’s satire of war, authority and men’s power over women hits hard, and the film crews “staging” comical war scenes show how obsessed we are with turning tragedy into spectacle. Somehow Reva folded reality into parody and parody back into reality.
Even the book’s fractured presentation felt more truthful than a neatly structured story. The war interrupted people’s lives and the narrative reflects this by becoming disjointed with false endings, alternative outcomes and metafictional interludes. I think each reader of this book will come away with a slightly different memory of the story, with the post invasion fragments stitched together in their own way. I felt constantly wowed and more invested in the story the further I read. Every absurd event just made me feel more like I was there experiencing the displacement and ruin of Ukraine.
BRIDGET
● Imagine a mash-up of environmental despair and transactional romance, racing across Ukraine in a mobile lab amid the chaos of invasion. Sounds intense… well, it is. As a newcomer to unconventional writing and non-mainstream genres, this one pushed my limits. I still enjoyed it—there were moments that had me laughing out loud—but I also found myself confused and completely lost at times.
Maria Reva blends absurdist humour (a genre new to me) with brutal reality. The result is both funny and tragic. The novel also morphs into metafiction, another new experience for me, with Reva stepping in, weaving in glimpses of her own experience as a Ukrainian expat watching war from abroad and challenging what fiction can and should do in the face of real disaster. For readers well-versed in these literary techniques, or those happy to embrace a narrative that breaks the rules of structure, this novel may be a fascinating and rewarding read.
Published 2025
Doubleday
352 pages
Before The Queen Falls Asleep – Huzama Habayeb
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Chaired by Sally
Born a girl to parents who expected a boy, Jihad grows up treated like the eldest son, wearing boy’s clothing and sharing the burden of head of the household with her father. Now middle-aged, each night Jihad tells her daughter a story from her life. As Maleka prepares to leave home to attend university abroad, her mother revisits the past of their Palestinian family, describing their life in exile in Kuwait and her own experiences of love and loss as she grew up.
I weep over images from the serialised drama of our massacres, with multiple episodes and seasons. I gather them in private collections that I return to more than the family albums.
SALLY
● It took me a long time to become engaged with this book. Partly it was the style, which uses very elaborate and ornate language and very long sentence structure. I have since read that this is a feature of Arabic writing. The story follows a family of displaced Palestinians and centres round the eldest daughter, Jihad who is retelling her life story for the benefit of her daughter. I get the feeling the book is at least partly autobiographical as Jihad’s education and career mirrors that of the author, as does the fact that she has to leave her home because of war.
There are many themes in the book including displacement, family love, maternal love but for me the standout was feminism. All the female characters are strong and find ways to survive in terrible circumstances and to provide nourishment both physical and spiritual for their families. Their philosophy seems to be generosity even when there is very little to share. With the current horrors happening in Palestine, I felt especially empathetic towards this story of these women who prevail despite the challenges presented to them. A slow burn for sure but persevere and you will come to appreciate this loud and boisterous family, their strengths and idiosyncrasies and feel some hope for their futures.
JODIE
● I truly enjoyed this novel for the fact that it weaves together personal memory, family tension and gives the reader a cultural insight into Middle Eastern life. It tells us stories that women are often never allowed to tell. I enjoyed reading about the complexities of middle eastern womanhood and intergenerational trauma that comes with living through war, exile and silence.
RACHEL
● This was a mixed bag for me. Some parts were poetic and deeply affecting and others were long-winded chopping between people and times too much for me to follow. I did appreciate the characterisation of Jihad, and how her identity and place in the family helped define her and to question the role of women in Arab countries. I enjoyed the look at the reality of life in Palestine, Kuwait and Jordan during times of conflict, in particular how the author made this a personal war story not a political one. I loved all the female characters and how they manipulated their lives of control and survival with a quiet and undetected resistance in order to provide for their families. There are some people I think would enjoy this book but I wouldn’t make a sweeping recommendation of it to all and sundry.
TESSA
● Before the Queen Falls Asleep wasn’t a page‑turning read for me and certainly not a book I raced through. There were times where I was totally absorbed and other times where my attention was lost, putting it down to come back to later. Maybe it was the style of writing, or the way the narrative weaved between past and present at times making it feel fragmented. More than once, I found myself re‑reading passages to locate where I was in time and place.
That being said, I enjoyed the richness of the story. It felt intimate and deeply personal – almost like reading a memoir. What stood out for me was the focus on the women in the story, especially the central character Jihad. She carries a heavy share of her family’s burden on her shoulders, treated like the eldest son in terms of responsibility. She has a certain amount of freedom, but also through circumstances, heavy restraints lead to further hardship, which are compounded by displacement during the Gulf War. I also appreciated the father–daughter dynamic. His weakness showed just how strong and resilient she had to become, even when she felt like giving up.
There are very raw moments, tender moments and even flashes of humour throughout. I didn’t find it to be a political book but set within a certain time where politics played a strong part in the way the characters’ way of life played out. A book I am glad to have read and it felt especially timely in light of Palestine’s current situation.
Published in Arabic 2011
Translated into English by Kay Heikkinen 2021
MacLehose Press
500 pages
The Book of Guilt – Catherine Chidgey
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Chaired by Tessa
Triplet orphans spend their life isolated in a special home cared for by Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night, learning about the world from The Book of Knowledge, having their dreams analysed in The Book of Dreams and their wrong doings documented in The Book Of Guilt. Set in a dystopian Britain in 1979, the book is influenced by moments from history and has a slow burn as the innocent boys come to realise the truth of their lives.
Before I knew what I was, I lived with my brothers in a grand old house in the heart of the New Forest. It had blue velvet curtains full of dust and fire surrounds painted like marble to fool the eye, and a panelled Entrance Hall hung with old dark mirrors.
TESSA
● I found The Book of Guilt a deeply thought-provoking and quietly disturbing novel that lingered with me long after the final page. The story unfolds at a slow, deliberate pace that kept me slightly off balance throughout. Just when I thought I knew where it was heading, it would shift unexpectedly, deepening the tension and sense of unease.
Told through multiple perspectives, the novel explores unsettling ethical questions: how power operates, how identities are shaped or erased by systems, and what happens when control is masked as care. Though the themes are undeniably dark, Chidgey handles them with restraint, revealing the slow build of understanding, the emotional weight of realisation, and the deep harm that systems can inflict. And yet, alongside the bleakness, there are moments of connection, acts of kindness, and resistance.
The book doesn’t offer easy answers, but for me, that made it all the more powerful. It left me thinking deeply about how we are shaped and what it takes to hold onto something. I was left with a quiet sense of hope, that even within systems built to suppress, the human spirit is not entirely breakable. A haunting, intelligent, and unforgettable read. I highly recommend it.
SALLY
● I think I was about two pages into this novel when I decided I had discovered my new favourite modern writer. Catherine Chidgey’s prose is exquisite and I was constantly delighted by her clever use of language.
From the very first line of this book we are made aware that nothing is quite what it seems and the tension of that knowledge kept me turning pages. I could not put it down.The characters were so well drawn and utterly believable. The philosophical debates that rage within the plot gave us plenty to dissect in our discussions and in my view some aspects mirror events both historic and current. When I finished the book I was left with a vaguely nauseous feeling about homo sapiens in general but a magnificent admiration for this brilliant author. 10/10 from me and I am now working my way through her other novels.
BRIDGET
● The Book of Guilt was an easy and compelling read as it was so well written. It’s not fast paced but that didn’t make it any less thrilling. Chidgey unfolds a stirring exploration into the emotional burdens we carry, examining how obedience breeds power and control. Every character carries their own shadow of guilt, and Chidgey masterfully reveals how this guilt shapes identity, binds people together, and quietly corrodes their lives from within. I thought it was a beautifully written novel woven with a quirky humour. The funny moments added charm to a deeply layered, human story. I would highly recommend reading this one.
RACHEL
● When you think Catherine Chidgey can’t get any better she produces The Book Of Guilt. #mindblown. What I loved the most was the respect Chidgey gives us readers, providing subtleties and hints to allow us to work things out for ourselves, and not resorting to cheap highs. There is a even pace, consistent reveal of information, and a lovely sinister undercurrent lurking. The characters are beautifully drawn, flawed and guilty but relatable in their societally impacted actions. My heart strings were pulled left and right all book long as I sympathised with or loathed characters and/or their behaviours. I hope this book wins every award it is eligible for.
JODIE
● I was totally immersed in this speculative historical fiction novel by Catherine Chidgey from the first page. It was a thought provoking novel exploring ideas such as nature vs nurture and whether individual life is worth sacrificing for humanity as a whole. It’s full of twists and turns and I found it a real page turner. Without a doubt it’s a novel that is worth its weight in gold and I would recommend it widely.
Published 2025
Te Herenga Waka University Press
400 pages
Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy
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Chosen by Rachel
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny sub-antarctic island that is home to the world’s largest seed bank. It is being destroyed by climate change and while the Salts await rescuers, a woman washes ashore. Wild Dark Shore is an exploration of a world in crisis, both ecologically and emotionally. It’s a psychological and climate thriller with many twists, turns and surprises.
Maybe we will drown or burn or starve one day, but until then we get to choose if we’ll add to that destruction or if we will care for each other.
RACHEL
● The multi-genre style of this book makes it very approachable. It has the twists, turns and plot dumps of a typical thriller, the character development of literary fiction, a wild gothic setting and the “what if?” climate fiction noose hangs menacingly in every scene, more realist than speculative. I forgave some of the more convenient plot drivers due to the author’s extraordinary work in creating emotional intensity in a well structured and paced format. This is the best cli fi novel I have read, as McConaghy does not get preachy or moralistic, but made me love the setting like a well-developed character. The more the raging sea dragged land into its depths, and the haunting lights tumbled in the howling winds, the more connected I felt to the Earth, a living, breathing thing begging for attention. – Rachel
JODIE
● This slow burn thriller had me fully immersed in the plot but it was the setting that is one of the most compelling elements of the novel. The rugged wind lashed the coastline and felt almost alive. The wild backdrop not only grounds the narrative but amplifies its gothic tone. The climate change theme was subtly woven into the narrative. It didn’t come across as preachy but showed us a realistic portrayal of environmental change. I found the seed bank aspect fascinating, and from Rach’s research learnt there is a world seed bank in Norway. A great novel that threw out a lot of punches towards the end.
TESSA
● I found Wild Dark Shore immersive and easy to move through, despite its darker themes. For me, the real strength of the novel was the author’s vivid description of the setting, brought to life through the characters’ perspectives — that was the part I connected with the most. I could really feel the isolation and beauty of the place, along with its dark past. I also appreciated the strong environmental focus, which is beautifully woven into the story, and learning about seed vaults added a fascinating element. The mystery aspect, however, felt a bit forced at times, which made it harder for me to connect with the characters emotionally until later in the book. It didn’t all work for me, but it was still a satisfying read.
SALLY
● I was very excited by the synopsis on the back of this book but ultimately, I found it unconvincing. The characters were well drawn apart from one in particular, who I felt was not as villainous as we were expected to find them. My main irritation was with the multiple, seemingly endless, plot strands. I found some of the character storylines unnecessary and distracting and others failed to ring true and added nothing to the story. For me, the climate change angle and the family dynamics would have filled the book.
Until our book group discussion, I was unaware there was a whole genre of fiction classed as climate fiction. I feel happy to have been educated! The author painted a great picture of the location, the wildlife, and the history of the island and she nailed the gothic fiction elements. This book was not a stand out for me, but I happily ready right to the end, which (unlike other members of our group), I did not see coming.
BRIDGET
● The themes I gravitated towards the most in Wild Dark Shore were those that focused on the environment, grief, and hope. The characters each carry deep personal grief. Whether it’s the death of loved ones, or the slow erosion of the world, grief saturates them. Yet I always sensed a persistent glimmer of hope and that made the characters’ journeys relatable. This juxtaposition of environmental collapse and emotional resilience reminded me that it is not foolish to hope for better, it is necessary.
The environmental destruction in this book is not just a backdrop, it felt like a living force that was shaping the characters’ decisions and relationships. The author’s talent of depicting wild spaces, crashing wind swept coastlines, ancient forests, and open sea helped me further understand the fragility of the human spirit and Mother Earth. I didn’t think I’d enjoy climate fiction but this won me over, especially with that ending which is fast-paced and full of surprising twists that kept me on my toes.
Published 2025
Flatiron Books
303 pages
The Persians – Sanam Mahloudji
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE
The story of an Iranian family, some of whom flee to the US during times of conflict, and some who stay. Five women from three generations of the Valiat family narrate their past and present as members of the Iranian elite who are discovering family secrets and trying to find their place in their new worlds.
We are born artists, us Persians, born dreamers. Even if we express it in high finance or dentistry.
RACHEL
● The Persians is a wild juxtaposition, combining the seriousness of Iranian political history and generational trauma with a satirical, absurd narrative voice. At first, I found this jarring. I think I expected a more typical immigrant-struggle narrative. Then Suzy referenced it as being like Housewives of Beverly Hills (or Tehrangeles) and that helped me loosen up and embrace the ride.
The characters are all super privileged, like spending-$30k-on-watches-and-then-throwing-them-in-the-snow rich. I didn’t ever connect with them, they were too entitled and shouty for my liking. What kept me going instead was the historical backdrop and the reflections on Persian identity, particularly for women. It is a fast-paced read with something new and dramatic happening every paragraph so it certainly wasn’t boring. – Rachel
SUZY
● The juxtaposition of the character’s lives in both America and Iran was at times jarring, and I can only imagine the reality for immigrants who move between these two immense cultures that were each presented as flawed and challenging, with residents trying to make the best of things regardless of where they settled.
I really enjoyed the layered, multi-generational storytelling and the debauched humour was much appreciated and often a welcome relief.
Published 2024
Scribner
384 pages
2025: NZ Book Awards
This year’s Book Awards brings together four quietly powerful novels that reflect a focus on subtlety and social resonance. Delirious by Damien Wilkins, The Mires by Tina Makereti, Pretty Ugly by Kirsty Gunn, and At the Grand Glacier Hotel by Laurence Fearnley each offer explorations of human experience anchored in the quiet burn of real life rather than the sensationalism you might expect from an awards shortlist.
“That year. That year. People always said, that year. [Delirious]
One aspect that unites these books is the focus on characters often overlooked in fictional narratives: in particular middle-aged women, older men and women, those in long marriages and those dealing with disabilities and health concerns. In Delirious, Wilkins paints a tender portrait of a couple navigating ageing and the impact of the past, while Fearnley’s At the Grand Glacier Hotel quietly allows its protagonist to heal in a calming, isolated part of the natural environment. These protagonists and narratives are not rushing toward revelation; they are steeped in time, place, and recalibration.
Why we were drawn to each other was somehow simple but also mysterious. We were easy in each other’s company but beneath that? I felt seen, I suppose, but something more. [At The Grand Glacier Hotel]
Tina Makereti’s The Mires adds a visceral exploration of colonialism, racism, and intergenerational trauma, folding climate anxieties and Māori mythology into its swampy, haunting setting. Kirsty Gunn’s Pretty Ugly is a short story collection where emotional and aesthetic contradictions expose the raw beauty and ugliness of humanity.
These are not twisty thrillers nor alternative genres, they are all tales of lived realities and the complexities of the human condition. They’re novels that trust the intelligence and patience of their readers.
It is a shortlist that omits some expected authors and titles, but the result of the judges’ choices is a collection that embraces subtly, realism and meaningful settings rather than rushing to create and resolve plot drivers.
All these stories are about truth; how to find the truth and how driven we are by pretense and how much of our lives are lived not so much as what they truly are but as what we want them to appear to be. [Pretty Ugly]
● What an interesting shortlist – these novels/short stories are restrained to the point of being almost subdued, but each has a richness and warmth that means as a reader we are drawn in and carried along beside the characters as they make discoveries and decisions that at times appear to be inconsequential, but are in fact often monumental.
Pretty Ugly was often too clever for me, but I think it’s this cleverness that will possibly get it the win. My favourite read was At The Grand Glacier Hotel. I felt enveloped and cocooned by this novel and loved the gentle journey that the protagonist went through. – Suzy
Sometimes it’s animals, sometimes it’s less animated things, like trees or mud. The worst is people. You don’t ever want to feel what’s going on inside another person, not if you can help it. It’s so confusing, so dense with thought and word and feeling, all scrambled together. [The Mires]
● This collection of books has reminded me to slow down and relish all parts of a story. Often books are written in a propulsive way that make me want to read quickly to discover the next revelation, but these four books made me ease up and enjoy the journey of reading rather than just anticipating the resolution. Which is what the characters were doing, taking considered steps through interesting parts of their lives and not trying to rush the future.
It took some further thinking and an illuminating literary dissection with Suzy before I appreciated all the books fully but I have come to highly value them all and think they will affect my future reading. To be honest I don’t mind who wins. I mostly loved At The Grand Glacier Hotel and The Mires and will choose the latter as my pick for win. – Rachel
Her Side Of The Story – Alba De Cespedes
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel
Alessandra Corteggiani recalls her youth and the lives of women during the rise of fascism in Italy, the resistance, and the fall of Mussolini. Originally published in 1949, it is a timeless portrayal of the complexity of the female condition, told by a woman who is committed to telling “her side of the story.”
Even the brief life of a woman is infinitely long—hour after hour, day after day—and rarely is it a single motive that drives her to a sudden act of rebellion.
● Her Side of the Story is a novel that blends romantic tension with historical social commentary – it really shines a light on the complexity of love, particularly over the time of the second world war when societal expectations weighed heavily on women. It’s a beautifully written feminist novel that was influenced by the author’s own experiences over this time period. Don’t let the length put you off. I was engaged for the entire 500 pages and loved the ending which was delivered with a real punch! – Jodie
● What I loved about this book was the author’s ability to portray a woman who is strong and brave and determined but also a hopeless romantic. Alessandra wants everything that life has to offer whether it is perceived as feminine or masculine or morally wrong. She wants every experience and does not apologise or feel guilt for her actions. She is such a complete character and I enjoyed following her through her life as a child with troubled parents, as a niece sent to the countryside, as a wife who can spot a controlling patriarchal convention a mile off and as a rebel taking action against the fascists. A long book and a slow burn, something to really lose yourself in. – Rachel
Published in Italian 1949
Translated into English by Jill Foulston 2023
Astra House
500 pages
Delirious – Damien Wilkins
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Retired cop and librarian Mary and Pete are struggling with ailments and deciding whether to move into a retirement home or stay in their family home. Then the police ask to speak to them about the accident that killed their son 40 years ago. A book about the dilemmas that come with being lucky enough to reach old age, and the enduring impact of the past.
With her now tiny legs folded up against her body as the sling raised and lowered her, she looked like a delicate animal, a foal perhaps, being weighed.
● The older generation is often stereotyped in fiction so it was nice to read something that had a positive and honest focus on the subtleties of everyday life for this sector of the community. The first part of the story that piqued my interest was the plot line of new information about their son’s death, but I felt like there was too much padding inbetween returning to this narrative. It could have been woven in better. But overall I did like this story. It isn’t grandiose and doesn’t try to be clever, with crazy twists and turns, but rather has realistically crafted characters dealing with bad health, grief, familial relationships, as well as upheavals and second chances. – Rachel
● A beautifully paced exploration of ageing, family and grief, with a side of reality-of-a-long-term-marriage. There was something captivating about following Peter and Mary and their relatively gentle lives, and looking back through their years was both illuminating and sad. The author did a near perfect job of describing the characters and settings and each person and place we came across seemed utterly recognisable. – Suzy
Published 2024
Te Herenga Waka University Press
312 pages
Pretty Ugly – Kirsty Gunn
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Thirteen darkly compelling stories look directly into the troubled human heart and draw out what dwells there. The ‘ugly’ of these stories is to do with ‘considering how much a person’s life can bear’. The unease and compassion for the human condition told in intelligent prose with a strong dose of introspection.
Great fatted Chrysanthemums held by skinny stems jostled up next to double-headed tulips and phlox; massed foliage poked out above the many greasy hearts of lilies. And were those thistles? Yes. Thistles, too, and other unkind-looking items were arranged among the rest. This was a posy with no theme or unity—and was it even…fresh?
● As the deadline of the Ockham’s draws near I haven’t quite gotten through all of these short stories, but I loved most of what I did manage to finish. One was so painful to read I felt like I was slicing into my nerves with each page and for that reason I should be grateful it was a short story. What an extraordinary author. – Suzy
● I enjoyed Pretty Ugly more as a work of art than a fictional reading experience. I was impressed by the intelligent prose and enjoyed the metafictional stories that reflected on the nature of storytelling and the book’s own construction. But, as I often feel with short stories, I was unable to completely let myself go and grow with the ever changing narrative like I can with a novel. – Rachel
Published 2024
Rough Trade Books
218 pages
The Mires – Tina Makereti
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Three neighbouring families in a small New Zealand town become acquaintances, some get along, others are suspicious of each other. Some share an attraction, another has a strange gift for premonition and another is acting cagey and has secrets to hide. They live in a coastal town that is succumbing to the effects of climate change and while the nearby mires stir, history, tradition and the future of the characters’ lives and of ours are explored.
Water will come and you think it will be soft. You think it will be smooth and find its way around your your houses and cars and furniture, your gardens and windows and hope. But water can be the foot of an elephant, the horns of a moose, a herd of buffalo running from a lion, water can be the kauri falling in the forest, a two-tonne truck, a whole stadium filled with 50,000 people, screaming … Water is life, and water can be death.
● The swampiness that is at the crux of this book really crept into all parts of the narrative. I always felt under water, being pulled this way and that between the characters stories, and like there was a slow dread creeping up on me. The characters were all perfectly formed and though kind of expected – old racist white lady, Māori single mum, lovely but hard done by immigrants – they did all fill out and become their own characters. Very good combination of climate/immigrant/social rights into one story. Plus there was a creepy thriller plot and a really great ending. – Rachel
● I felt like sobbing after finishing The Mires, but as I was in public I unhealthily held it in. Each of the characters carries their own sadness/loss (maybe apart from Walty, the toddler) which permeates the novel and there was the sense of grief lingering past the final pages. The overwhelm from the weather event in the novel reminded me of Brannavan Gnanalingam’s Sodden Downstream, and the uneasiness I feel from the way those who could do with the most support are the most easily dismissed is the same. – Suzy
Published 2024
Ultimo Press
309 pages
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