Nightshades and Paperwhites

Review by Janice Sinclair: This book set in Alexandra Otago at the end of the goldrushes of the 1860s outlines a story of forbidden love in a time of cruel racial attitudes and extreme religious prejudice These attitudes fuelled extreme acts of violence against innocent people giving us a clear historical well researched insight into a dark period of our past. It is a love story when a powerful love develops between a young Irish girl and a Chinese man; it outlines the conflict between the two communities with descriptions of random acts of violence It also clearly describes helplessness of women fighting male control. The struggle to forge an independent life free from physical financial and sexual dependence is a constant theme. It is a fast-paced story and well worth spending weekend in early Alexandra.