Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
Staff-created list
These contemporary award winners are the best of the bunch. Covering themes as diverse as lost love, environmental activism, prison life and modern politics, the books in this list are united by their outstanding writing, well-drawn characters and compelling plots. Featuring winners from New Zealand and around the world. A Christchurch City Libraries list.
This retelling of the traditional tale of Hatupatu is told from the perspective of the bird-woman 'monster' Kurangaituku. But this amazingly lyrical novel...Show more
This retelling of the traditional tale of Hatupatu is told from the perspective of the bird-woman 'monster' Kurangaituku. But this amazingly lyrical novel is so much more. It has an awareness of how the storytellers have made and re-made the characters. It is about the power and importance of having your own voice. 'Do you see what their stories have done?... They have made monsters of us both.' A thought-provoking work and winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction.
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This retelling of the traditional tale of Hatupatu is told from the perspective of the bird-woman 'monster' Kurangaituku. But this amazingly lyrical novel...Show more
This retelling of the traditional tale of Hatupatu is told from the perspective of the bird-woman 'monster' Kurangaituku. But this amazingly lyrical novel is so much more. It has an awareness of how the storytellers have made and re-made the characters. It is about the power and importance of having your own voice. 'Do you see what their stories have done?... They have made monsters of us both.' A thought-provoking work and winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction.
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An 80-year-old turning her back on life at the death of her husband may not sound like a stimulating read, but this warm, playful, engaging novel manages ...Show more
An 80-year-old turning her back on life at the death of her husband may not sound like a stimulating read, but this warm, playful, engaging novel manages to be both intimate and deep. It explores the universal themes of love, loss, grief, identity, and belonging as well as the impact of the 1947 partition of India. The characters come to life and while it is initially a slow burn, it will reward you for staying with it. 'If you cut a border through a heart, you don't call it a border, you call it a wound.' Winner of the International Booker Prize 2022.
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An 80-year-old turning her back on life at the death of her husband may not sound like a stimulating read, but this warm, playful, engaging novel manages ...Show more
An 80-year-old turning her back on life at the death of her husband may not sound like a stimulating read, but this warm, playful, engaging novel manages to be both intimate and deep. It explores the universal themes of love, loss, grief, identity, and belonging as well as the impact of the 1947 partition of India. The characters come to life and while it is initially a slow burn, it will reward you for staying with it. 'If you cut a border through a heart, you don't call it a border, you call it a wound.' Winner of the International Booker Prize 2022.
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Immersive and moving, 'Celestial Bodies' is a vivid portrait of village life in Oman as the country struggles to adapt to the modern world. Written with e...Show more
Immersive and moving, 'Celestial Bodies' is a vivid portrait of village life in Oman as the country struggles to adapt to the modern world. Written with elegance and full of insights into the culture, folklore, religion and healing practices of Oman, the story centres on three sisters and their different experiences of love, marriage and relationships. Winner of the 2019 Booker International award.
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Immersive and moving, 'Celestial Bodies' is a vivid portrait of village life in Oman as the country struggles to adapt to the modern world. Written with e...Show more
Immersive and moving, 'Celestial Bodies' is a vivid portrait of village life in Oman as the country struggles to adapt to the modern world. Written with elegance and full of insights into the culture, folklore, religion and healing practices of Oman, the story centres on three sisters and their different experiences of love, marriage and relationships. Winner of the 2019 Booker International award.
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Multi-award winning literary giant Salman Rushdie is back with a riveting modern fable based on Cervantes’ classic tragicomedy, Don Quixote. 'Quichotte' i...Show more
Multi-award winning literary giant Salman Rushdie is back with a riveting modern fable based on Cervantes’ classic tragicomedy, Don Quixote. 'Quichotte' is a travelling salesman who takes his imaginary son across the United Kingdom in a quest to prove his love to a famous TV star. Combining Rushdie’s trademark style of magic realism and satire, Quichotte blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, and is a deserved finalist in the 2019 Booker awards.
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Multi-award winning literary giant Salman Rushdie is back with a riveting modern fable based on Cervantes’ classic tragicomedy, Don Quixote. 'Quichotte' i...Show more
Multi-award winning literary giant Salman Rushdie is back with a riveting modern fable based on Cervantes’ classic tragicomedy, Don Quixote. 'Quichotte' is a travelling salesman who takes his imaginary son across the United Kingdom in a quest to prove his love to a famous TV star. Combining Rushdie’s trademark style of magic realism and satire, Quichotte blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, and is a deserved finalist in the 2019 Booker awards.
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Set in 1970s Ireland during the time of the 'Troubles', the distinctive stream of consciousness narrative will draw you into a world of political unrest w...Show more
Set in 1970s Ireland during the time of the 'Troubles', the distinctive stream of consciousness narrative will draw you into a world of political unrest where it is dangerous just to be different. Rumours of an illicit affair develop when Middle Sister, a non-conformist who like reading-while-walking, is stalked by a mysterious defector, the Milkman. Anna Burns delivers an intense, compelling reflection on social issues that remain relevant in today's political climate. Winner of the 2018 Man Booker Prize.
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Set in 1970s Ireland during the time of the 'Troubles', the distinctive stream of consciousness narrative will draw you into a world of political unrest w...Show more
Set in 1970s Ireland during the time of the 'Troubles', the distinctive stream of consciousness narrative will draw you into a world of political unrest where it is dangerous just to be different. Rumours of an illicit affair develop when Middle Sister, a non-conformist who like reading-while-walking, is stalked by a mysterious defector, the Milkman. Anna Burns delivers an intense, compelling reflection on social issues that remain relevant in today's political climate. Winner of the 2018 Man Booker Prize.
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This one-of-a-kind darkly humorous novel tells the story of Korede, a Nigerian nurse whose longing for a simple life is interrupted by her beautiful siste...Show more
This one-of-a-kind darkly humorous novel tells the story of Korede, a Nigerian nurse whose longing for a simple life is interrupted by her beautiful sister Ayoola’s disconcerting tendency to murder troublesome boyfriends. And things get even more complicated when Ayoola starts to date Korede’s co-worker and secret love interest. Despite the unlikely premise of this 2019 Booker finalist, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s clever combination of thriller and satire presents a compelling and plausible take on modern relationships, social media, and family bonds.
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This one-of-a-kind darkly humorous novel tells the story of Korede, a Nigerian nurse whose longing for a simple life is interrupted by her beautiful siste...Show more
This one-of-a-kind darkly humorous novel tells the story of Korede, a Nigerian nurse whose longing for a simple life is interrupted by her beautiful sister Ayoola’s disconcerting tendency to murder troublesome boyfriends. And things get even more complicated when Ayoola starts to date Korede’s co-worker and secret love interest. Despite the unlikely premise of this 2019 Booker finalist, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s clever combination of thriller and satire presents a compelling and plausible take on modern relationships, social media, and family bonds.
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Full of dark humour and insightful commentary on the lottery of life and the biases of the justice system. 'The Mars Room' presents differing perspectives...Show more
Full of dark humour and insightful commentary on the lottery of life and the biases of the justice system. 'The Mars Room' presents differing perspectives on prison life through the eyes of Romy Hill - a young mother serving two life sentences for murder, Gordon Hauser - a teacher working in a women’s prison, and Doc - an ex-policeman who murdered for love. Kushner’s evocative style and vivid characters give a voice to those on the fringes of society, making it easy to see why 'The Mars Room' was a finalist in the 2018 Man Booker awards.
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Full of dark humour and insightful commentary on the lottery of life and the biases of the justice system. 'The Mars Room' presents differing perspectives...Show more
Full of dark humour and insightful commentary on the lottery of life and the biases of the justice system. 'The Mars Room' presents differing perspectives on prison life through the eyes of Romy Hill - a young mother serving two life sentences for murder, Gordon Hauser - a teacher working in a women’s prison, and Doc - an ex-policeman who murdered for love. Kushner’s evocative style and vivid characters give a voice to those on the fringes of society, making it easy to see why 'The Mars Room' was a finalist in the 2018 Man Booker awards.
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'Flights' is made up of a fascinating collection of 116 passages of varying length, drawn together by themes of wandering and curiosity, and all narrated ...Show more
'Flights' is made up of a fascinating collection of 116 passages of varying length, drawn together by themes of wandering and curiosity, and all narrated by the same unnamed traveller. Among the well-drawn characters, we meet Chopin's devoted sister, a man who finds himself in the grasp of madness when his missing family suddenly reappears, and an anatomist who dissects his own amputated leg. Olga Tokarczuk is a unique and thought-provocative storyteller (and winner of the Nobel prize for literature in 2018), and Flights is a deserved winner of the 2018 Man Booker International award.
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'Flights' is made up of a fascinating collection of 116 passages of varying length, drawn together by themes of wandering and curiosity, and all narrated ...Show more
'Flights' is made up of a fascinating collection of 116 passages of varying length, drawn together by themes of wandering and curiosity, and all narrated by the same unnamed traveller. Among the well-drawn characters, we meet Chopin's devoted sister, a man who finds himself in the grasp of madness when his missing family suddenly reappears, and an anatomist who dissects his own amputated leg. Olga Tokarczuk is a unique and thought-provocative storyteller (and winner of the Nobel prize for literature in 2018), and Flights is a deserved winner of the 2018 Man Booker International award.
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Based on true events, 'This Mortal Boy' tells the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person ever hanged in New Zealand. Black was con...Show more
Based on true events, 'This Mortal Boy' tells the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person ever 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 from award-winning Kidman. Best Fiction winner in the 2019 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
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Based on true events, 'This Mortal Boy' tells the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person ever hanged in New Zealand. Black was con...Show more
Based on true events, 'This Mortal Boy' tells the controversial story of Albert Black, the second-to-last person ever 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 from award-winning Kidman. Best Fiction winner in the 2019 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
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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 best first novel in the 2019 Ngaio Marsh awards.
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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 best first novel in the 2019 Ngaio Marsh awards.
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This dark and sinister story explores hunting and predatory behaviours, and what happens when evil meets small town Aotearoa. It follows a young policeman...Show more
This dark and sinister story explores hunting and predatory behaviours, and what happens when evil meets small town Aotearoa. It follows a young policeman in rural NZ coping with the day-to-day of rural life, when townspeople begin to go missing. Journeyman Alan Carter has travelled from America to Australia, finally making his home in the north of the South Island of Aotearoa. His book 'Marlborough Man' was the winner of the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Award and shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award. A gripping read that'll keep those pages turning.
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This dark and sinister story explores hunting and predatory behaviours, and what happens when evil meets small town Aotearoa. It follows a young policeman...Show more
This dark and sinister story explores hunting and predatory behaviours, and what happens when evil meets small town Aotearoa. It follows a young policeman in rural NZ coping with the day-to-day of rural life, when townspeople begin to go missing. Journeyman Alan Carter has travelled from America to Australia, finally making his home in the north of the South Island of Aotearoa. His book 'Marlborough Man' was the winner of the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Award and shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award. A gripping read that'll keep those pages turning.
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Highly acclaimed Indigenous Australian author, Melissa Lucashenko, addresses heavy topics in this portrait of small-town Australia where the characters mu...Show more
Highly acclaimed Indigenous Australian author, Melissa Lucashenko, addresses heavy topics in this portrait of small-town Australia where the characters must navigate family violence, alcoholism, land disputes, and cross-cultural relationships. When Kerry receives news that her grandfather is dying, she returns the hometown she has spent her life trying to avoid and becomes embroiled in family secrets and the ugly truths of life on the margins of society. Gutsy, brutal and topical, 'Too Much Lip' sheds light on the intergenerational trauma suffered by Indigenous Australians. Winner of the 2019 Miles Franklin Award.
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Highly acclaimed Indigenous Australian author, Melissa Lucashenko, addresses heavy topics in this portrait of small-town Australia where the characters mu...Show more
Highly acclaimed Indigenous Australian author, Melissa Lucashenko, addresses heavy topics in this portrait of small-town Australia where the characters must navigate family violence, alcoholism, land disputes, and cross-cultural relationships. When Kerry receives news that her grandfather is dying, she returns the hometown she has spent her life trying to avoid and becomes embroiled in family secrets and the ugly truths of life on the margins of society. Gutsy, brutal and topical, 'Too Much Lip' sheds light on the intergenerational trauma suffered by Indigenous Australians. Winner of the 2019 Miles Franklin Award.
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Each of the five chapters of this absorbing and witty novel focuses on a different unforgettable character, from a delusional lover to a refugee recoverin...Show more
Each of the five chapters of this absorbing and witty novel focuses on a different unforgettable character, from a delusional lover to a refugee recovering from tragedy. The stories are linked together by Pippa, an aspiring but untalented author, who along with the other characters, has to navigate loneliness, intimacy issues and dashed expectations. A moving character study, and winner of the 2018 Miles Franklin Award, 'The Life to Come' is a compelling reflection on the minefields of modern life.
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Each of the five chapters of this absorbing and witty novel focuses on a different unforgettable character, from a delusional lover to a refugee recoverin...Show more
Each of the five chapters of this absorbing and witty novel focuses on a different unforgettable character, from a delusional lover to a refugee recovering from tragedy. The stories are linked together by Pippa, an aspiring but untalented author, who along with the other characters, has to navigate loneliness, intimacy issues and dashed expectations. A moving character study, and winner of the 2018 Miles Franklin Award, 'The Life to Come' is a compelling reflection on the minefields of modern life.
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'Normal People' is a beautifully written, intimate portrait of the on-again off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell, a couple who become frien...Show more
'Normal People' is a beautifully written, intimate portrait of the on-again off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell, a couple who become friends while growing up together in rural Ireland. Sally Rooney is a master at creating unforgettable characters and capturing the realities of miscommunication and missed opportunities. Longlisted for the 2018 Booker prize, and winner of the 2018 Costa Award for best novel.
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'Normal People' is a beautifully written, intimate portrait of the on-again off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell, a couple who become frien...Show more
'Normal People' is a beautifully written, intimate portrait of the on-again off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell, a couple who become friends while growing up together in rural Ireland. Sally Rooney is a master at creating unforgettable characters and capturing the realities of miscommunication and missed opportunities. Longlisted for the 2018 Booker prize, and winner of the 2018 Costa Award for best novel.
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Described as a mix of the board game ‘Cluedo’ and the movie ‘Groundhog Day’, this inventive novel is a unique take on the classic murder mystery. When Eve...Show more
Described as a mix of the board game ‘Cluedo’ and the movie ‘Groundhog Day’, this inventive novel is a unique take on the classic murder mystery. When Evelyn Hardcastle is found dead at her parents’ ball, party guest Aiden finds himself living the same day over and over again, each time in the body of a different person. The only way he can stop the cycle is by solving the mystery and finding Evelyn’s killer. Perfect for Agatha Christie fans, the twists in this novel will keep you guessing right until the very end. Winner of the 2018 Costa Award for best first novel.
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Described as a mix of the board game ‘Cluedo’ and the movie ‘Groundhog Day’, this inventive novel is a unique take on the classic murder mystery. When Eve...Show more
Described as a mix of the board game ‘Cluedo’ and the movie ‘Groundhog Day’, this inventive novel is a unique take on the classic murder mystery. When Evelyn Hardcastle is found dead at her parents’ ball, party guest Aiden finds himself living the same day over and over again, each time in the body of a different person. The only way he can stop the cycle is by solving the mystery and finding Evelyn’s killer. Perfect for Agatha Christie fans, the twists in this novel will keep you guessing right until the very end. Winner of the 2018 Costa Award for best first novel.
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Lyrical, compelling and impassioned, 'The Overstory' is a novel of two halves – in the first part we meet nine strangers whose lives are all changed in so...Show more
Lyrical, compelling and impassioned, 'The Overstory' is a novel of two halves – in the first part we meet nine strangers whose lives are all changed in some way by trees, and in the second section, the strangers come together to save the trees and fight against logging companies who are destroying forests. A beautiful yet powerful commentary on the modern plight of environmental activism. Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize.
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Lyrical, compelling and impassioned, 'The Overstory' is a novel of two halves – in the first part we meet nine strangers whose lives are all changed in so...Show more
Lyrical, compelling and impassioned, 'The Overstory' is a novel of two halves – in the first part we meet nine strangers whose lives are all changed in some way by trees, and in the second section, the strangers come together to save the trees and fight against logging companies who are destroying forests. A beautiful yet powerful commentary on the modern plight of environmental activism. Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize.
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Based on a true story, Rami (Israeli) and Bassam (Palestinian) form a bond of friendship through their grief at the loss of their daughters by violence. A...Show more
Based on a true story, Rami (Israeli) and Bassam (Palestinian) form a bond of friendship through their grief at the loss of their daughters by violence. Apeirogon (a shape with a countable number of infinite sides) is the perfect name for this multi-faceted, intricately woven novel. Read it in gulps. Don't miss a word for each one gains in meaning as you continue through the myriad of references that brings home the complexity of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award and finalist for the Dublin Literary Award and long-listed for the 2020 Booker Prize.
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Based on a true story, Rami (Israeli) and Bassam (Palestinian) form a bond of friendship through their grief at the loss of their daughters by violence. A...Show more
Based on a true story, Rami (Israeli) and Bassam (Palestinian) form a bond of friendship through their grief at the loss of their daughters by violence. Apeirogon (a shape with a countable number of infinite sides) is the perfect name for this multi-faceted, intricately woven novel. Read it in gulps. Don't miss a word for each one gains in meaning as you continue through the myriad of references that brings home the complexity of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award and finalist for the Dublin Literary Award and long-listed for the 2020 Booker Prize.
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Hugh 'Shuggie' Bain is growing up in poverty in Glasgow in the 1980s. He has fears and feelings he shouldn't have to deal with at his young age, as he wat...Show more
Hugh 'Shuggie' Bain is growing up in poverty in Glasgow in the 1980s. He has fears and feelings he shouldn't have to deal with at his young age, as he watches his mother spiral into an alcoholic haze. The characters are so deftly drawn, they become real to us and we cheer on their triumphs, holding our breathes, hoping they can last. They will live with you long after you finish this 2020 Booker Prize winning book.
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Hugh 'Shuggie' Bain is growing up in poverty in Glasgow in the 1980s. He has fears and feelings he shouldn't have to deal with at his young age, as he wat...Show more
Hugh 'Shuggie' Bain is growing up in poverty in Glasgow in the 1980s. He has fears and feelings he shouldn't have to deal with at his young age, as he watches his mother spiral into an alcoholic haze. The characters are so deftly drawn, they become real to us and we cheer on their triumphs, holding our breathes, hoping they can last. They will live with you long after you finish this 2020 Booker Prize winning book.
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