A Slice of Heaven
It is always a bit of a gamble as to how many books I showcase each week. Sometimes you will notice my reviews aren’t particularly current in terms of when I read them compared with when I review them. Because I do this once a week, and because I only review my absolute favourite reads, I do rely on reading review-worthy books. As I write this, I have 8 books left to review, so I am taking a leap of faith and this week you get five (quick fire) reviews in one. I read all of these while on holiday in January.
What is the common thread? Books by New Zealand authors of course! I love supporting and show-casing kiwi authors. We have such phenomenal talent in New Zealand. I wish there was more funding for the arts so we could foster all of this talent!
If you follow my social media, you may have seen that the lovely Catherine Chidgey did in fact come to book club. (I made a desperate pitch asking her to come along last year, and she did! You can read that here). Do you think it would be common for that to happen in other countries? That may well be worthy of a separate post because I loved that night so much! Honestly, still buzzing.
So on that note, first up we have Remote Sympathy by my friend, Catherine Chidgey. All of Catherine’s books are just so different - she is a writing chameleon! (Tuatara?) Set during World War II, the novel revolves around the Buchenwald concentration camp, but Chidgey approaches this dark chapter of history in a unique way. Instead of focusing solely on the horrors of the camp (which are, of course, present and deeply felt), the story delves into the lives and relationships of a few key characters.
I love a story told from different perspectives, and in this book Chidgey does just that, including that of a German doctor who invents a revolutionary cancer machine, and from a Nazi officer’s wife. These different voices adds layers of complexity to the story, showing how different lives intersect and impact each other in profound ways. Definitely give this a read!
Another five-star NZ book for me (and hopefully for you) is Dice by Claire Baylis. This book is loosely based on the roast busters case in New Zealand. If you are from New Zealand you will know which case I am talking about, and if you aren’t, it was a group of teenagers who were accused of getting underage girls drunk and sexually assaulting them. At the time (2013) no charges were laid due to lack of evidence. Obviously this is harrowing stuff and some people may find this book very difficult to read - I certainly did. But it was also so well written; the characters were relatable and it was unputdownable. This book is told to us from the perspective of the different jury members. As a former lawyer, I have always been quite cynical of the merits of the jury system and this book will certainly make you question this system. This is Baylis’ debut novel and I look forward to seeing what is next. Go out and grab this one!
Next up is Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton. A confession - I did not finish The Luminaries which won the Booker Prize in 2013. (Should I try again?). For this reason, I was a bit reluctant to pick up Birnam Wood. I was so glad I did. I loved this book! If, like me, you were not a fan of The Luminaries, do not let this put you off.
Set against the backdrop of the fictional Korowai National Park and a private farmland in New Zealand, the story centres around a group called Birnam Wood, led by Mira Bunting. This guerrilla gardening collective aims to become solvent by extending their operations to a piece of dormant farmland owned by the Darvish family.
The novel skillfully intertwines multiple storylines and characters. Billionaire tech-CEO Lemoine wants the Darvish land for his own sinister purposes, while Sir Owen and Lady Jill Darvish are looking to maintain their public image and conservation profile. The dynamics among these characters are further complicated when Tony Gallo, aspiring to be a famous investigative journalist, gets involved. I loved the diverse and complex characters who were all well developed. I also personally loved the themes touched on in this one - the hypocrisies of the progressive left, environmental activism, and the clash between socialist values and capitalist motives.
I tend to enjoy novels with depth of character, which this one certainly does well, but this one also has a lot going on plot-wise. Something for everyone for sure - add this to your list! (and let me know if you think I should give The Luminaries another chance).
Another to add to your list is The Dressmaker and the Hidden Soldier by Doug Gold. This one is based on the true story of New Zealand soldier, Peter Blunden and Thalia Christidou, the Greek dressmaker. This is a hybrid of historic non-fiction, but told like fiction, a WWII novel, and a romance. This was a nice and easy read which I finished in a day at the beach. Pick this one up if this sounds like a bit of you!
And last but certainly not least, we have Lioness by Emily Perkins. This is the first book I have read by Perkins and I don’t think it will be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - another that I read in a day.
I am sure I have said this before but it is always a risk when someone writes with an unlikeable main character. I found the main character in this so annoying - I wanted to reach in the book and give her a backbone. The fact that I loved this book with such an annoying protagonist is a testament to the writing. While that may sound like a criticism, I have no doubt that it was 100% intentional to write the character in this way. The story in Lioness centers around Therese Thorne, who has crafted a seemingly perfect life with a successful business, a wealthy husband, and a veneer of polished composure. However, as the story unfolds, Therese's charmed life begins to unravel, exposing the sacrifices and compromises she has made. Therese starts to question her decisions, her life and begins to question who she really is.
When her husband gets embroiled in a corruption scandal, Therese starts to question the ethics behind her life’s achievements and her own desires. Her interaction with her downstairs neighbor, Claire, becomes a pivotal point in the story. Claire represents a contrast to Therese's life, embracing a lifestyle of radical honesty and shedding societal expectations, which becomes seductive to Therese. This book explores themes of privilege, female identity, and capitalism. Loved it!
Have you read any amazing books by New Zealand authors lately? Let me know in the comments, because life is too short to read bad books.