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Ribbons of Grace is set in China, Orkney and New Zealand between 1870 and 1895. It explores the themes of concealment, alienation, love, forgiveness and friendship through three interrelated storylines narrated by Ming Yuet, a female Chinese sojourner masquerading as a male gold-miner; Conran, an Orcadian stonemason; and Ida, an English settler with aspirations to be a nurse. The novel centres on the relationship between Ming Yuet and Conran, which various settlers think is not only interracial but also homosexual, thereby believing the lovers have crossed both sexual and cultural boundaries. Their love affair develops amidst suspicion, fear and hostility as British settlers and Chinese sojourners attempt to live and work in Arrowtown, a small goldmining town in the lower South Island of New Zealand. An act of violence ensues which irrevocably shatters the lives of those directly and indirectly involved. As the main characters reflect on their roles prior to this event and throughout its shattering aftermath, they pass on their stories to Fang Yin, the daughter of Ming Yuet and Conran. Their stories move between the past and present, homeland and adopted country and from the living to the deceased, revealing differences and similarities about approaches to life and death. Ribbons of Grace is also a novel about the healing potential of friendship and the redemptive power of storytelling.
Publisher’s Comment Arrowtown, a goldfield settlement with an explosive mix of inhabitants is the scene of an unlikely love story. Maxine Alterio’s beautiful novel about love, forgiveness, alienation and friendship, moves between past and present, homeland and adopted country, and from the living to the deceased.
Sample of Review Quotations Dunedin novelist Maxine Alterio has created a voice that is utterly distinctive and believable. Margie Thomson, NEXT Magazine, December Issue, 2007. The story is perfectly written, holding my attention throughout … love, alienation, bigotry and enduring friendship all have their place in this beautifully crafted novel. Staff reviewer, Hawkes Bay Today, 8 November 2007. … written with a compassion and tenderness that remains long after one has finished reading … brings alive a part of our New Zealand history that is unique and precious. Kathleen Mayson, Wanganui Chronicle, 8 March, 2008. A wonderful read. Tara Hollings, Ashburton Guardian, 27 December 2007. A tender yet tragic love story. Charmian Smith, Otago Daily Times, 27 October, 2007. Love stories carry their own charm and this one is no exception. Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew, Weekend Press, 15 December 2007. Alterio simply tells a good story well and deserves praise. Jo McCarroll, Herald on Sunday, 30 December 2007. This golden tale sparkles. Something enthralling happened in every chapter. Gretchen White, Northern Advocate, 23 February, 2008. An altogether lovely story. Mary Gee, Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December, 2007. Reflecting absolutely its title Ribbons of Grace imitates a series of pictures that constantly change and reshape and restructure as the story unfolds. Every image, every sensation, every emotion in effect becomes its own 'ribbon of grace’. Janice Devereux, Otago Gaily Times, October Issue 2007. With a strong plot and superbly drawn characters this is a great read, one I found difficult to put down. … Her blending factual historical information into her fiction is impressive and gives the story great credibility. Graham Beattie. www.beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com |
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