The grandiflora tree

by Shonagh Koea

When Bernadette Crichton finds her husband dead, under the beautiful grandiflora tree, she assumes a widowhood that is unconventional and strange. Exiled inside her large house, Bernadette refuses to 'see or be seen' by platitude-bearing visitors.

Genres: Classics, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Shonagh Koea has published short stories, novels and memoir. She won the Air New Zealand Short Story Award (1981), her novel Sing to Me, Dreamer was a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards (1995), and The Lonely Margins of the Sea was runner-up for the Deutz Medal for Fiction (1999). She has held the University of Auckland Fellowship in Literature (1993) and the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship (1997).

The Kindness of Strangers: Kitchen Memoirs is a collection of Koea's memories from her various roles as daughter, wife, mother, journalist and novelist, and as such serves as a social history of New Zealand of the past 50 years.

Reviews

[Kate Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A depressing little book about grief and alienation. I was mildly bored and uncomfortable whenever I was reading it - its gentle and repetitive prodding getting eventually under my skin. Not an enjoyable read...

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how Bernadette had to explore her husband's past, and find our just who the man was that she married. I also liked how the text left you to work so many things out for yourself, rather than being explicit. I found it compelling reading, but it wouold not suit those who want to be told all.

[Nicholas Cavenagh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a strange and unique story about grief. The narrative is repetitive and often implausible, but perhaps this reflects the nature of grief? Intriguing but somehow not complex enough. This is a novel that could probably only be set in New Zealand.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up and read in NZ; might not have read it otherwise.

[Wilma Rebstock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sad little book about the alienation one experiences at the time of death of a spouse.