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The dark and dank, Eleanor Toland

The Demolition of the Century  Duncan Sarkies Penguin Books, $30.00, ISBN 9780143568902 The Mannequin Makers Craig Cliff Random House, $38.00, ISBN 9781775533849 The Wind City Summer Wigmore Steam Press, $30.00, ISBN 9780992257804 Traditionally, the gothic is a northern genre. The

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review

It’s a knockout, Spiro Zavos

Fighting Talk: Boxing and the Modern Lexicon Bob Jones Random House, $30.00, ISBN 9781775534389 Bob Jones – aka Sir Robert – has written an engrossing book on the fight game. It is satisfying intellectually and emotionally. It involves an original

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Posted in Non-fiction, Review, Sport

Mending and pairing, Heather Roberts

The Writing Class Stephanie Johnson Random House, $38.00, ISBN 9781775532590 The Last Days of the National Costume Anne Kennedy Allen and Unwin, $37.00, ISBN 9781743313862 Two writers of a similar age and stage in the development of their writing careers,

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A lot to live up to, Caoilinn Hughes

When Our Jack Went to War  Sandy McKay Longacre, $20.00, ISBN 9781775533092 Brave Company David Hill Puffin, $20.00, ISBN 9780143307570 Speed Freak Fleur Beale Random House, $20.00, ISBN 9781775534709 When Our Jack Went to War is “a fictional story based

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Posted in Children, Literature, Review, Young adults

Wearing their ethics on their sleeves, Jack Ross

Mortal Fire Elizabeth Knox Gecko Press, $30.00, ISBN 9781877579530 Dear Vincent Mandy Hager Random House, $20.00, ISBN 9781775533276 There was a time when I used to wait eagerly for each new YA novel by Margaret Mahy. Starting with The Haunting

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

Ducking for cover, Christine Johnston

The Elusive Language of Ducks Judith White Random House, $38.00, ISBN 9781775532798 Judith White’s themes are the big ones – old-age, decline and death; sex, love and the betrayal of love. Her characters have an inner life but they also

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review

From trenches to terrorism, Barbara Else

Marked   Denis Martin Walker Books, $20.00, ISBN 9781921977541 My Brother’s War David Hill Puffin, $15.00, ISBN 9781742532653 Into the River Ted Dawe Mangakino University Press, $25.00, ISBN 9780473205089 The Nature of Ash Mandy Hager Random House, $20.00, ISBN 9781869799038

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Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

Myth making, Angelina Sbroma

The Enchanted Flute James Norcliffe Longacre, $20.00, ISBN 9781869799267   Heart of Danger Fleur Beale Random House, $20.00, ISBN 9781869795436   In The Enchanted Flute, James Norcliffe (author of the celebrated Loblolly Boy series) makes classical myth the source and

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Posted in Literature, Review, Young adults

Grappling with the world, Jill Holt

Dirt Bomb Fleur Beale Random House, $19.95, ISBN 9781869795467   The Bridge Jane Higgins The Text Publishing Company, $26.00, ISBN 9781921758331   Calling the Gods  Jack Lasenby HarperCollins, $24.99, ISBN 9781869509484   These three novels shortlisted for the senior fiction

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Posted in Literature, Review, Young adults

Suspended between cultures, Hamish Clayton

Kimble Bent: Malcontent Chris Grosz Random House, $24.99, ISBN 9781869795160   Recent claims of a resurgence in New Zealand historical fiction might seem forcefully underlined by the appearance of local cartoonist and designer Chris Grosz’s Kimble Bent: Malcontent. This graphic

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Posted in Children, Fiction, Graphic novel, Literature, Review
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