Thousands flee central Wellington as a far too common ‘once in a century’ storm descends. Roads are closed and all rail is halted. For their own safety, city workers are told that they must go home early. Sita is a Tamil Sri Lankan refugee living in the Hutt Valley. She’s just had a call from her boss. If she doesn’t get to her cleaning job in the city she’ll lose her contract. e novel charts the help and hindrances that make for a long, damp evening. But the book also highlights the kinds of care and solidarity that come out in times of need. Brannavan Gnanalingam’s new novel combines his experiences as a Tamil-background kiwi growing up in the Hutt Valley with re ections on how refugees adapt to a new home. “It’s a love letter to Lower Hutt, it’s an account of people who have been forgotten in New Zealand, and it’s about a refugee persisting,” says Gnanalingam. BRANNAVAN GNANALINGAM is a critically-acclaimed novelist from the Hutt Valley, New Zealand. His previous novel, A Briefcase, Two Pies and a Penthouse, was long-listed for the Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize at 2017 Ockham Book Awards
Description
Thousands flee central Wellington as a far too common 'once in a century' storm descends. Roads are closed and all rail is halted. For their own safety, city workers are told that they must go home early. Sita is a Tamil Sri Lankan refugee living in the Hutt Valley. She's just had a call from her boss. If she doesn't get to her cleaning job in the city she'll lose her contract. The novel charts the help and hindrances that make for a long, damp evening. But the book also highlights the kinds of care and solidarity that come out in times of need.
Awards
Shortlisted for 2018 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize
Author description
BRANNAVAN GNANALINGAM is a critically-acclaimed novelist from the Hutt Valley, New Zealand. His previous novel, A Briefcase, Two Pies and a Penthouse, was long-listed for the Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize at 2017 Ockham Book Awards