LANDINGS – Jenny Pattrick
Black Swan $27.99

Jenny Pattrick, long known and recognized as a fine jeweller and committed arts administrator, and as an occasional writer, burst on the scene as a full-time, highly regarded writer in 2003 when her fine historical novel DENNISTON ROSE was published, followed quite quickly by Heart of Coal and Catching the Current. These three books between them have sold almost 100,000 copies in New Zealand, putting them among the all-time biggest selling NZ novels, and Denniston Rose continues to appear from time to time in the best-seller lists.

A remarkable publishing story and now, five years after Denniston Rose comes another historical novel, another superb blending of fictional characters and their story in a real New Zealand historical setting.
(I note too that following publication two weeks ago the new book has gone straight to number one on the NZ best-seller list. And I learned this morning that the publishers have just placed a reprint, the first printing of 10,000 copies having sold out within 10 days of publication. Wow).

Jenny Patrick describes her new novel well in her introduction:
This is a work of fiction. The fabric of the novel, however, is laid over a framework of real events, places and situations (the excerpts for the chapter headings, for example), and from historical records.

This time the setting is the Whanganui River in the years 1907 and 1908, a time when the river was a busy thoroughfare with its paddle steamer service having turned the river into a major tourist attraction. At this time Pattrick tells us in her introduction, Alexander Hatrick’s fleet of shallow-draft steamers and motor vessels battled their way up and down the Whanganui River between the town of Wanganui on the coast and the inland town of Taumaranui. They encountered 239 rapids in their 144 mile journey.
Hatrick himself and three others appear as minor characters in the novel but all the main characters are fictional. And all are engaged one way or another with the river which supported a thriving and unique local community.

These people who live on and along the Whanganui River are a diverse bunch very well-drawn by the author. There are Maori families, nuns at Jerusalem, a Chinese market gardener, farmers struggling to turn bush into farmland, engineers and officers running the boats, hoteliers at Pipiriki, sawmillers, sly-groggers and various loners all in this remote location for their own reasons. Class and race prejudice abound, especially toward the Chinese.

Landings is their story, the trials and tribulations they experience, and the constant battle they have with the river. The story revolves around Bridie, a teenager rendered a simpleton by an accident on the river. After the accident she is sent to live with the nuns at Jerusalem. A few months later the whole river community is shocked to learn she is pregnant and all want to know the identity of the father.

Pattrick’s descriptions of the various seasons in this, at the time most remote part of the country, and her eye for detail as her characters battle the ever-changing rapids as they move up and down the river is impressive and one is not surprised to learn that she has canoed down the river herself.
Her research, as with her previous novels, is impeccable as is her mastery of detail, her character development and her ability to weave a compelling story.

It is not surprising that she is one of NZ’s most popular contemporary novelists and this fine piece of historical fiction will further enhance that well-deserved reputation.

There is a 1907 map of the river and surrounding area,(I love fiction titles that include maps), a useful and interesting introduction, and at the end historical data relevant to Landings which adds to the readers satisfaction. I must say though that for me the story did end rather abruptly and I wondered if Pattrick has a sequel in mind? I hope so.

Whanganui v Wanganui:
Again from Pattrick’s introduction:
At the time this novel is set, both river and town were spelt Wanganui in all books, articles and posters. I have chosen to use the more correct Whanganui for the river, as this spelling is commonly accepted today.

Author pic from the excellent NZ Book Council website.

Footnote:
I reviewed this book on Radio New Zealand National this morning but was cut rather short so the above are my expanded notes.