Wednesday, July 08, 2009

'As the Earth Turns Silver'
Alison Wong,
Penguin - $37


On Monday night this week Unity Books Wellington hosted another packed launch, this time for Alison Wong's excellent first novel 'As the Earth Turns Silver' published by Penguin books NZ.
Dame Fiona Kidman launched the book with enormous praise & recognition of the novel's historical content and crafted writing as well as the importance of the voice of the Chinese community in Wellington.
Penguin publisher Geoff Walker also spoke of the book's high qualities as a first novel and it's instantaneous overseas success. Both Alison and Geoff also acknowledged the intelligent influence that Patricia Grace had had on the novel's conception.
The event was very well patronised with many of Alison's supportive friends and family also in attendance.

“Alison Wong’s first novel is not merely a good book, it is a prodigious one… As the Earth Turns Silver is, as one critic remarked, written with a poet’s ear for language and an artist’s eye for detail. With a first novel of this calibre behind her, Wong must now meet high expectations as a major voice in contemporary New Zealand fiction. On the basis of this book along, I’m confident that she will.” — Christopher Moore, Your Weekend

“Wong is the Patricia Grace of the Chinese New Zealand experience… The book is tightly plotted, and Wong is adept at keeping readers in suspense and using particularly enthralling language.” — Karen Tay, Sunday Star Times

“Imbued with lyricism and sublime imagery, the result is archetypal and enjoyable historical fiction…” — NZ Listener

And for the Bookman’s review from a couple of weeks ago link here.
Don’t miss this outstanding novel, it ‘s my pick for the best NZ novel published so far in 2009.
Pic abve shows author signing copies .

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