Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
Staff-created list
This list features novels by New Zealand authors which have been lauded with awards and critical acclaim in the last three years— be it the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, Ngaio March Awards for Kiwi crime fiction, or the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for fantasy, sci fi, and horror. From true crime to historical fiction, magic realism to contemporary tales, there’s something for everyone in this highly acclaimed group of Kiwi award winners! A Christchurch City Libraries list. A Christchurch City Libraries list
A powerful reimagining of the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of Kurangaituku the bird woman and ‘monster’ of the traditional story. This flip...Show more
A powerful reimagining of the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of Kurangaituku the bird woman and ‘monster’ of the traditional story. This flipping of the narrative shows us more about Kurangaituku and the extraordinary journey she was on before experiencing her own personal betrayal. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2022.
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A powerful reimagining of the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of Kurangaituku the bird woman and ‘monster’ of the traditional story. This flip...Show more
A powerful reimagining of the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of Kurangaituku the bird woman and ‘monster’ of the traditional story. This flipping of the narrative shows us more about Kurangaituku and the extraordinary journey she was on before experiencing her own personal betrayal. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2022.
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A funny and charming rainbow read that explores the multiple facets that make up who we are, by Māori author Rebecca Reilly. We join roommate-siblings Gre...Show more
A funny and charming rainbow read that explores the multiple facets that make up who we are, by Māori author Rebecca Reilly. We join roommate-siblings Greta and Valdin as they navigate their lives in Auckland as people with mixed heritage (Māori/Russian/Catalonian) and also part of the gay community. Full of laughs and our distinctive kiwi humour, and characters that are hard to part with. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Hubert Church Prize for Fiction 2022.
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A funny and charming rainbow read that explores the multiple facets that make up who we are, by Māori author Rebecca Reilly. We join roommate-siblings Gre...Show more
A funny and charming rainbow read that explores the multiple facets that make up who we are, by Māori author Rebecca Reilly. We join roommate-siblings Greta and Valdin as they navigate their lives in Auckland as people with mixed heritage (Māori/Russian/Catalonian) and also part of the gay community. Full of laughs and our distinctive kiwi humour, and characters that are hard to part with. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Hubert Church Prize for Fiction 2022.
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There has always been something sinister lurking around Jena Benedict’s family farm. After being banished from her family home by her grandmother after a ...Show more
There has always been something sinister lurking around Jena Benedict’s family farm. After being banished from her family home by her grandmother after a tragic barn fire killed her mother, father, brother and baby sister, Jena returns twenty years later to confront her dying grandmother and investigate the goings-on of that fateful night. With the help of her boyfriend and her grandmother’s caregiver they start unravelling deep family mysteries and have to confront the evil entity that surrounds them. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2022.
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There has always been something sinister lurking around Jena Benedict’s family farm. After being banished from her family home by her grandmother after a ...Show more
There has always been something sinister lurking around Jena Benedict’s family farm. After being banished from her family home by her grandmother after a tragic barn fire killed her mother, father, brother and baby sister, Jena returns twenty years later to confront her dying grandmother and investigate the goings-on of that fateful night. With the help of her boyfriend and her grandmother’s caregiver they start unravelling deep family mysteries and have to confront the evil entity that surrounds them. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2022.
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This is a collection of all the best that modern Aotearoa Sci-Fi and Fantasy has to offer. There is something for everyone here, horror, dystopias, romanc...Show more
This is a collection of all the best that modern Aotearoa Sci-Fi and Fantasy has to offer. There is something for everyone here, horror, dystopias, romance and fairy tales. The future of Aotearoa Sci-fi and Fantasy is in good hands. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Collected Work 2022.
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This is a collection of all the best that modern Aotearoa Sci-Fi and Fantasy has to offer. There is something for everyone here, horror, dystopias, romanc...Show more
This is a collection of all the best that modern Aotearoa Sci-Fi and Fantasy has to offer. There is something for everyone here, horror, dystopias, romance and fairy tales. The future of Aotearoa Sci-fi and Fantasy is in good hands. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Collected Work 2022.
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In this haunting work of speculative fiction we are introduced to the concept of ‘The Grief', an infliction of literal grief over the decay of the natural...Show more
In this haunting work of speculative fiction we are introduced to the concept of ‘The Grief', an infliction of literal grief over the decay of the natural world that leads to suicide. This is a thought provoking climate dystopia novella which explores many themes that are troubling readers today. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novella/Novelette 2022.
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In this haunting work of speculative fiction we are introduced to the concept of ‘The Grief', an infliction of literal grief over the decay of the natural...Show more
In this haunting work of speculative fiction we are introduced to the concept of ‘The Grief', an infliction of literal grief over the decay of the natural world that leads to suicide. This is a thought provoking climate dystopia novella which explores many themes that are troubling readers today. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novella/Novelette 2022.
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Moving to NYC to restart her troubled life, 18-year-old Alice Lee soon finds herself as just another 'Jane Doe' discarded in the Hudson River, the victim ...Show more
Moving to NYC to restart her troubled life, 18-year-old Alice Lee soon finds herself as just another 'Jane Doe' discarded in the Hudson River, the victim of a horrible murder. Meanwhile, Ruby also having fled to NYC to escape her own demons discovers Alice's body, haunted by the discovery, Ruby sets about seeking the truth of this nameless young woman. This complex novel tip-toes genres and weaves together all the best parts of crime writing. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Awards for Best Crime Novel 2022 and Best First Novel 2022.
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Moving to NYC to restart her troubled life, 18-year-old Alice Lee soon finds herself as just another 'Jane Doe' discarded in the Hudson River, the victim ...Show more
Moving to NYC to restart her troubled life, 18-year-old Alice Lee soon finds herself as just another 'Jane Doe' discarded in the Hudson River, the victim of a horrible murder. Meanwhile, Ruby also having fled to NYC to escape her own demons discovers Alice's body, haunted by the discovery, Ruby sets about seeking the truth of this nameless young woman. This complex novel tip-toes genres and weaves together all the best parts of crime writing. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Awards for Best Crime Novel 2022 and Best First Novel 2022.
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A collection of frank and weird short stories about humanity and relationships in all their shapes and forms, this will appeal to readers who love sumptuo...Show more
A collection of frank and weird short stories about humanity and relationships in all their shapes and forms, this will appeal to readers who love sumptuous prose. Although there is a variety of stories here, fair warning that some can get quite dark and gritty. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2021.
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A collection of frank and weird short stories about humanity and relationships in all their shapes and forms, this will appeal to readers who love sumptuo...Show more
A collection of frank and weird short stories about humanity and relationships in all their shapes and forms, this will appeal to readers who love sumptuous prose. Although there is a variety of stories here, fair warning that some can get quite dark and gritty. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2021.
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A touching and well-crafted look into life in a Wellington council flat, the story follows the blossoming friendship of two single mums who couldn't be mo...Show more
A touching and well-crafted look into life in a Wellington council flat, the story follows the blossoming friendship of two single mums who couldn't be more different— Kara, a long-time solo mum, and Bridget, a former trophy wife plunged into poverty after leaving her Ponzi-schemer husband. This book explores important themes, from social and economic inequality and privilege, to the roles and value placed on women in our society, all through an engaging lens of friendship and family. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Hubert Church Award for Fiction 2021.
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A touching and well-crafted look into life in a Wellington council flat, the story follows the blossoming friendship of two single mums who couldn't be mo...Show more
A touching and well-crafted look into life in a Wellington council flat, the story follows the blossoming friendship of two single mums who couldn't be more different— Kara, a long-time solo mum, and Bridget, a former trophy wife plunged into poverty after leaving her Ponzi-schemer husband. This book explores important themes, from social and economic inequality and privilege, to the roles and value placed on women in our society, all through an engaging lens of friendship and family. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Hubert Church Award for Fiction 2021.
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A jarringly candid look into the ways rugby culture, toxic masculinity, privilege and racism can all intertwine into a horrific crime. We follow Priya as ...Show more
A jarringly candid look into the ways rugby culture, toxic masculinity, privilege and racism can all intertwine into a horrific crime. We follow Priya as she navigates her changed world after disastrous events at a private school rugby party. A challenging yet highly worthwhile read that will leave you thinking well after the last page. Disclaimer: sexual assault and rape. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2021.
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A jarringly candid look into the ways rugby culture, toxic masculinity, privilege and racism can all intertwine into a horrific crime. We follow Priya as ...Show more
A jarringly candid look into the ways rugby culture, toxic masculinity, privilege and racism can all intertwine into a horrific crime. We follow Priya as she navigates her changed world after disastrous events at a private school rugby party. A challenging yet highly worthwhile read that will leave you thinking well after the last page. Disclaimer: sexual assault and rape. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2021.
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A fascinating and confronting debut detective series set in Australia during the dry season. Introducing Detective Inspector Robbie Gray, this is a crime ...Show more
A fascinating and confronting debut detective series set in Australia during the dry season. Introducing Detective Inspector Robbie Gray, this is a crime novel with plenty of nuance— her murder investigation is handed over to the federal investigators, who seem to be less concerned about finding the truth as they are concocting their own narrative. A gripping whodunnit that asks some hard questions about justice in Australia. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel 2021.
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A fascinating and confronting debut detective series set in Australia during the dry season. Introducing Detective Inspector Robbie Gray, this is a crime ...Show more
A fascinating and confronting debut detective series set in Australia during the dry season. Introducing Detective Inspector Robbie Gray, this is a crime novel with plenty of nuance— her murder investigation is handed over to the federal investigators, who seem to be less concerned about finding the truth as they are concocting their own narrative. A gripping whodunnit that asks some hard questions about justice in Australia. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel 2021.
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This beautifully written book is a historical fantasy and love story set in North Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand. AJ Fitzwater has been influenced by feminis...Show more
This beautifully written book is a historical fantasy and love story set in North Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand. AJ Fitzwater has been influenced by feminist and LGBTQ+ history and their family's memories of North Otago in wartime. The author has turned a piece of forgotten women’s history into a beautiful tapestry of pride and love that crosses cultures, countries and decades. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novella/Novelette 2021.
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This beautifully written book is a historical fantasy and love story set in North Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand. AJ Fitzwater has been influenced by feminis...Show more
This beautifully written book is a historical fantasy and love story set in North Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand. AJ Fitzwater has been influenced by feminist and LGBTQ+ history and their family's memories of North Otago in wartime. The author has turned a piece of forgotten women’s history into a beautiful tapestry of pride and love that crosses cultures, countries and decades. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novella/Novelette 2021.
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A cleverly constructed novella focusing on a group of female scientists and their efforts to stop the end of the world— be it climate change, capitalism, ...Show more
A cleverly constructed novella focusing on a group of female scientists and their efforts to stop the end of the world— be it climate change, capitalism, environmental destruction and more! Told from a variety of different perspectives using the scientists' codenames, what we get is a glorious mosaic looking at the effects of climate change on our world. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2021.
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A cleverly constructed novella focusing on a group of female scientists and their efforts to stop the end of the world— be it climate change, capitalism, ...Show more
A cleverly constructed novella focusing on a group of female scientists and their efforts to stop the end of the world— be it climate change, capitalism, environmental destruction and more! Told from a variety of different perspectives using the scientists' codenames, what we get is a glorious mosaic looking at the effects of climate change on our world. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2021.
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Often compared to Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors, Becky Manawatu's award winning debut novel is a heart wrenching journey into grief and loss, family viol...Show more
Often compared to Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors, Becky Manawatu's award winning debut novel is a heart wrenching journey into grief and loss, family violence and gang culture. Set in New Zealand's South Island, the novel spans 20 years and is told from the perspective of two orphaned brothers, Taukiri and Arama. Not for the weak of heart, yet equally not devoid of hope, this is a story that will captivate you and draw you in, from an author to watch. Winner of both Ockham Awards for Fiction 2020, as well as the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2020.
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Often compared to Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors, Becky Manawatu's award winning debut novel is a heart wrenching journey into grief and loss, family viol...Show more
Often compared to Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors, Becky Manawatu's award winning debut novel is a heart wrenching journey into grief and loss, family violence and gang culture. Set in New Zealand's South Island, the novel spans 20 years and is told from the perspective of two orphaned brothers, Taukiri and Arama. Not for the weak of heart, yet equally not devoid of hope, this is a story that will captivate you and draw you in, from an author to watch. Winner of both Ockham Awards for Fiction 2020, as well as the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2020.
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A hilarious kiwi take on Nancy Drew style mysteries— eleven-year-old Tippy is obsessed with Nancy Drew, and tries to emulate her idol when a local murder ...Show more
A hilarious kiwi take on Nancy Drew style mysteries— eleven-year-old Tippy is obsessed with Nancy Drew, and tries to emulate her idol when a local murder presents an opportunity to flex her investigative muscles. Working with her uncle and his boyfriend, the three try to solve the crime, while also ending up closer than they planned. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel 2020.
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A hilarious kiwi take on Nancy Drew style mysteries— eleven-year-old Tippy is obsessed with Nancy Drew, and tries to emulate her idol when a local murder ...Show more
A hilarious kiwi take on Nancy Drew style mysteries— eleven-year-old Tippy is obsessed with Nancy Drew, and tries to emulate her idol when a local murder presents an opportunity to flex her investigative muscles. Working with her uncle and his boyfriend, the three try to solve the crime, while also ending up closer than they planned. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel 2020.
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An unconventional genre mash-up of a fantasy novel, with a diverse cast and interesting world-building. Set in a fantasy village, Hainak Kuay Vitraj, ful...Show more
An unconventional genre mash-up of a fantasy novel, with a diverse cast and interesting world-building. Set in a fantasy village, Hainak Kuay Vitraj, full of magic, nature, and lurking gods, we follow Yat on her journey of life, death, undeath, and magic. A weird and evocative fantasy. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2020.
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An unconventional genre mash-up of a fantasy novel, with a diverse cast and interesting world-building. Set in a fantasy village, Hainak Kuay Vitraj, ful...Show more
An unconventional genre mash-up of a fantasy novel, with a diverse cast and interesting world-building. Set in a fantasy village, Hainak Kuay Vitraj, full of magic, nature, and lurking gods, we follow Yat on her journey of life, death, undeath, and magic. A weird and evocative fantasy. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2020.
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A compelling and imaginative piece of speculative fiction, inspired by Phyllis Symons' murder in 1931. Combining fantasy and science fiction elements with...Show more
A compelling and imaginative piece of speculative fiction, inspired by Phyllis Symons' murder in 1931. Combining fantasy and science fiction elements with components of the true even, we look into what happened, what may have happened, and what could still happen. A unique and interesting take on true crime and fantasy, that would appeal to Neil Gaiman fans. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novella/Novelette 2020.
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A compelling and imaginative piece of speculative fiction, inspired by Phyllis Symons' murder in 1931. Combining fantasy and science fiction elements with...Show more
A compelling and imaginative piece of speculative fiction, inspired by Phyllis Symons' murder in 1931. Combining fantasy and science fiction elements with components of the true even, we look into what happened, what may have happened, and what could still happen. A unique and interesting take on true crime and fantasy, that would appeal to Neil Gaiman fans. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novella/Novelette 2020.
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A trippy exploration of the stressors in everyday life, as well as unique issues for second generation Holocaust survivors. We follow Christel, a woman li...Show more
A trippy exploration of the stressors in everyday life, as well as unique issues for second generation Holocaust survivors. We follow Christel, a woman living in 1990s Auckland, whose father came to NZ as a Holocaust refugee. Full of stress from parenting two young kids, working as an environmental activist, and uncovering family secrets, Christel's world is viewed from the psychadelic visualisations from her mind. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Hubert Church Award for Fiction 2019.
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A trippy exploration of the stressors in everyday life, as well as unique issues for second generation Holocaust survivors. We follow Christel, a woman li...Show more
A trippy exploration of the stressors in everyday life, as well as unique issues for second generation Holocaust survivors. We follow Christel, a woman living in 1990s Auckland, whose father came to NZ as a Holocaust refugee. Full of stress from parenting two young kids, working as an environmental activist, and uncovering family secrets, Christel's world is viewed from the psychadelic visualisations from her mind. Winner of the Ockham Awards' Hubert Church Award for Fiction 2019.
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Based on true events, we hear the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person hanged in New Zealand. Black was convicted of killing a m...Show more
Based on true events, we hear the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person hanged in New Zealand. Black was convicted of killing a man in a fight in 1955, and many questioned whether the public’s prejudice towards immigrants played a role in his sentence. Fans of True Crime and NZ history will enjoy this compelling interpretation of events. Winner of the Ockham Award Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2019 and the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2019.
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Based on true events, we hear the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person hanged in New Zealand. Black was convicted of killing a m...Show more
Based on true events, we hear the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person hanged in New Zealand. Black was convicted of killing a man in a fight in 1955, and many questioned whether the public’s prejudice towards immigrants played a role in his sentence. Fans of True Crime and NZ history will enjoy this compelling interpretation of events. Winner of the Ockham Award Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction 2019 and the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel 2019.
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Full of twists, turns and subtle clues, this dark, riveting psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. Teenager Kate is held captiv...Show more
Full of twists, turns and subtle clues, this dark, riveting psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. Teenager Kate is held captive in a remote New Zealand township by a mysterious man who insists he's trying to protect her. As Kate begins to piece together her broken memories, she realises she could be responsible for an horrific event. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel 2019.
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Full of twists, turns and subtle clues, this dark, riveting psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. Teenager Kate is held captiv...Show more
Full of twists, turns and subtle clues, this dark, riveting psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. Teenager Kate is held captive in a remote New Zealand township by a mysterious man who insists he's trying to protect her. As Kate begins to piece together her broken memories, she realises she could be responsible for an horrific event. Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel 2019.
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Sequel to the acclaimed 'Into the Mist'. Merging elements of horror, mythology, fantasy and military adventure, this story makes a great read for fans who...Show more
Sequel to the acclaimed 'Into the Mist'. Merging elements of horror, mythology, fantasy and military adventure, this story makes a great read for fans who like something semi-believable in their horror/fantasy. Full of fleshed-out characters, and fantastically believable monsters, all set against the backdrop of the Fiordland Sounds. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2019.
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Sequel to the acclaimed 'Into the Mist'. Merging elements of horror, mythology, fantasy and military adventure, this story makes a great read for fans who...Show more
Sequel to the acclaimed 'Into the Mist'. Merging elements of horror, mythology, fantasy and military adventure, this story makes a great read for fans who like something semi-believable in their horror/fantasy. Full of fleshed-out characters, and fantastically believable monsters, all set against the backdrop of the Fiordland Sounds. Winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel 2019.
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