Sodden Downstream

by Brannavan Gnanalingam

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.

Genres: Fiction

178 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Brannavan Gnanalingam was born in Sri Lanka and moved to New Zealand via Zimbabwe at the age of three.
He is a music and film reviewer for the Lumière Reader, Under the Radar, and the Dominion Post, and also works as a lawyer in Wellington, New Zealand.
He is the author of five novels, all published by Wellington publishing collective Lawrence & Gibson which specialises in experimental non-fiction and heavyweight literature.

Reviews

[Trudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy that Brannavan Gnanalingam is getting more attention in the NZ literary scene and that this book has been so well received. Gnanalingam first came upon my radar last year for his Ockham long listed and intriguingly titled A Briefcase, Two Pies and a Penthouse which was read with much enjoyment by the other reader in this household. With five novels published since 2011, it is an impressive output for someone who is also a lawyer and reviewer of film.

Sodden Downstream was chosen by my new (and awesome) local bookshop bookclub and I must admit that I was even more impressed with this book after hearing the author speak about how personal this novel was to him and upon which experiences it was based.

In general, reading of stormy Wellington and the struggles of migrants and people on the margins of life is not a "relaxing" read but I do think it is encouraging to have a kiwi author tackle these topics as there are too few NZ books that delve into these realms. The author, being himself an immigrant from Sri Lanka, is in a unique place to write this book and I was surprised to discover how much of the individual stories in this are pieced together from real life conversations and experiences.

I read Sodden Downstream like a 24 hour odyssey story. It was one part gritty reality, one part Hindu myth. I learnt this was somewhat inspired by Sita's story from the Ramayana (another benefit of the author coming to your bookclub !). It is surprising the sheer number of good samaritans our protagonist, Sita, runs into. They pop up out of the darkness, willing to divulge their life story immediately and help her on her way. Individually, all these characters are interesting and as I learnt, mostly based on real conversations but collectively it did feel more akin to a myth or fable than what you might expect to encounter walking the 20km from Naenae to Wellington.

The last section of the novel, I think, really unites and elevates this entire book into something quite special. It is an almost stream-of consciousness retelling of the last moments of the Sri Lankan civil war for which I was grateful for having read This divided land by Samanth Subramanian, as it provided a great deal of background information to this aspect of the conflict that Sita is revisiting in her mind.

In summary, I think Sodden Downstream is an important NZ story from an emerging author that I am keen to read more from. I feel extremely lucky that I got to discuss this book with its author and it certainly made me question all my initial responses to the text.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sodden Downstream is a relentless, epic odyssey. Although the narrative is relatively simple- one woman’s quest to get to work one night during a tropical cyclone, Gnanaligam’s novel is so complex. Clearly, this is a novel that makes direct comment on the refugee experience in New Zealand; and it is fairly cutting in its portrayal of this. It is also an illuminating narrative about the atrocities of the Sri Lankan civil war. Although engaging and confronting, these weren’t the ideas I found most compelling in the novel. Gnanalingam demonstrates most skill exploring humanity on both an individual and broader systematic level. The individual encounters in this novel might seem almost idealistic- how many heroic and helpful strangers might one really meet on a night like this? However each of these scenes counters a failing in our systems and organisation, to recognise, respect and support the humanity of the most vulnerable. This story is persistently bleak, and beautifully written. It is a real achievement.

[ns510reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seemed strange to be reading it while the sky was a brilliant blue and the sun was shining brightly (though yet another Cyclone predicted to hit NZ next week?), given the setting of a super wet, windy and moody Wellington. A wild storm of storms has struck the capital, bringing with it chaotic weather that causes public transport to come to a standstill. Sita is a refugee from Sri Lanka, living in the Hutt and working as a cleaner in downtown Wellington. Despite the ferocious weather, her boss expects her to come in to work that night.

I really enjoyed this. The story had suspense and gravity. Sita’s voice was quiet yet compelling, and I felt like I was right there with her as she struggled to get through those precious, despairing hours. The descriptions of Wellington were familiar and this was definitely one of those reads where the setting was a starring character, in its own right. The recognisable setting added to my enjoyment!

The book had a lot to say about the refugee experience, in this case following the atrocities committed during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It also had a wider message about about poverty and lack of privilege, and those who face it, and even colonialism and it’s far-reaching ugly consequences. Some of my favourite parts were the scenes of unexpected kindness and camaraderie offered by others who understand the pain of being on struggle street. Other scenes felt more poignant, such as when Sita’s young son seems to shun their culture in efforts to assimilate into their new country, too young perhaps to really understand how hard his mother works to give him everything she can.

A powerful read. I found it both moving and thought-provoking, and would highly recommend.

[Narm Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an incredible book! Set over the course of one day/night, Sita, a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee struggles to get to work amidst a huge rainstorm. We learn about the war in Sri Lanka, her struggles as an immigrant and mother, and we see how deeply conditioned she is to be subservient. The book explores class, caste, wealth and poverty, in both a 3rd world and 1st world setting, and we also learn about the experience of first generation immigrants.

This book is phenomenal, paced so slowly, but somehow captures the panic and hurriedness of our main character. The author balances humour with some very dark subject matter, and although the overall tone of the book is rather depressing, there's a jovial tone throughout also.

I can't say enough good things about this book.

Thank you Gnanalingam for bringing light to an experience so close to my heart. You've shone a light on a topic that my family refuse to talk about. You've answered so many of my questions about my family history. You've given me something that's absolutely priceless, and opened my eyes and my heart to my fellow Sri Lankan Tamils.

This one is for us, the Sri Lankan and Tamil immigrants, for our children and for the generations to come, as well as Kiwis, the elderly and everyone in between. Such a fantastic book!

[Becca Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is novel set in Lower Hutt drowning in torrential rain. I read it in Lower Hutt, with torrential rain thundering on my living room windows. This was a weird experience, and I emerged from the pages of the novel worried about the characters, and how they were fairing outside. The voices were so authentic and believable. Crazy, but believable.

What a wonderfully witty, crisp and insightful novel. I cared deeply about Sita and her adventures in the rain. I highly recommend that you read this book. It is one of my favourites so far this year.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugely engaging short novel following a deeply relatable protagonist as she just tries to get into the city so she can keep her job. Lots of local refs for my Hutt peeps. Main character is a refugee from Sri Lanka, and the book is studded with her past experiences, while she meets an assortment of folks from various outsider classes. Loved it.

[Caroline Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Enjoyed all the characters and being able to picture exactly where she was at different points of the night. Very believable and also so grim.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a clever book - it is about one woman's attempt to get to her contract cleaning job (ie read bad pay and bugger all protection) despite the roads and public transport being closed due to floods cause by a cyclone. Sita is a refugee from Sri Lanka and is still not entirely comfortable in the company of Kiwis. Yet in her attempt to get to work she comes across an array of Kiwis - either barely getting by or really downtrodden - who share little pieces of generosity with each other and Sita. This book should be a tale of all that is wrong in Aotearoa but because of the generosity of the characters it doesn't feel bleak (though it definitely highlights much that is wrong with Aotearoa - I hope all current MPs read this book).

The story within this story is the Sri Lankan civil war and the unbelievable horrors Sita and her son Satish experienced before being reunited with Sita's husband and being granted refugee status in NZ.

This book was very deservedly short listed for the NZ book awards this year and I am very much looking forward to reading Brannavan Gnanalingam's next novel.

[Rajiv Thind · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read about four novels by Brannavan Gnanalingam (and partially read others), and Sodden Downstream is my favourite. 4.5 stars.

Gnanalingam’s body of work has brought Tamil, Sri Lankan, and broader South Asian lives into the fabric of New Zealand’s culture and literature—largely without support from the literary mainstream. In doing so, he stands as a pioneer, carving a path for other fiction writers of South Asian descent.

But the journey hasn’t been easy. In a 2025 Satellites magazine article, Gnanalingam notes that Sodden Downstream sold only around 60 copies in its first few months:

"The book, however, was ‘saved’ by being longlisted and then shortlisted for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. It is now probably the book that most people have talked to me about to this present day."


Before diving into the review, I’ll note that Lawrence & Gibson has produced a beautiful book—a sturdy paperback with thick pages and generous-sized print that feels wonderful to hold.

A confession: I do most of my book-buying and reading online, favouring my laptop screen over my Kindle or tablet. I love highlighting and annotating ebooks, saving them to the cloud and offline storage. (A little plug for Amazon Kindle feels fair on Goodreads!).

A printed book can’t offer that. Yet, holding Sodden Downstream, reading real ink on paper, and losing myself in the story without screen distractions was a pleasure I was grateful for.

What do I seek in a novel? Entertainment, aesthetic delight, and emotional resonance. I want to see the familiar and learn something new. Sodden Downstream delivers all of this. It's short (180 pages), and fluidly written, yet manages to tackle big subjects, not least by bringing to light New Zealand’s often invisible people: refugees, marginalised migrants from poorer backgrounds, and the working class.

The story follows three characters—Sita, her husband Thiru, and their son Satish—a trauma-scarred refugee family striving to build a life in Aotearoa, New Zealand. References to their homeland, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, weave through the narrative: the dangers they’ve fled, the traumatic memories they carry, and the people, culture, food, and weather they miss deeply.

Sita and Thiru, newly arrived adults, grapple with New Zealand’s language and customs, while young Satish adapts quickly, embracing Kiwi culture and English as his first language, with Tamil fading—a shift both joyful and bittersweet.

Culture, identity, and history are intimately tied to language. This is why the revival of te reo in New Zealand has been so vital. And still, refugees and immigrants often feel pressured to let their own languages—and the histories they carry—slip away. Languages shouldn’t be pitted against one another. Ideally, we’d all aspire to be multilingual, expanding both our minds and our empathy.

Sita’s struggles with Kiwi English expressions are scattered throughout the book, offering quiet moments of reflection. She puzzles over phrases like “no worries”, meaning “no problem.” These small misunderstandings illuminate the ways language shapes thought, perception, and one’s sense of belonging.

Injustice is another major theme. Sita (a cleaner on contract work) and Thiru (unemployed) are reduced to client numbers by WINZ, and exploited as labour by employers who show little concern for their survival or dignity. Sita’s precarious cleaning job becomes an ongoing existential crisis—a situation that other New Zealanders in the novel recognise all too well.

On a stormy night, she’s ordered to travel from Lower Hutt to Wellington to clean office toilets—a nightshift she can’t refuse without risking her job. Like Odysseus, she embarks on a perilous journey, battling the weather, flood and encountering a vivid cast of Kiwi characters.

At a train station, Sita meets a kind-hearted, older Kiwi lady who strikes up a conversation. The affectionate old woman recounts her struggle to get an appointment for an urgent surgery. Even without realising it, she reproduces the cliched blame-the-immigrant tropes: "They've got too many people, not enough doctors. And the government doesn't care. And they want to bring in more refugees."

You can imagine this dear old lady's rhetoric has been learned from the echo chambers of internet chatter, talk radio and New Zealand's very successful anti-immigrant politicians who depend on thousands of such gullible, loyal voters to grab political power.

One memorable encounter involves a starving girl who begs Sita to join her at an art exhibition—not for the art, but for the free food. She pleads, "They'll kick me out if I'm by myself."

Desperate to reach Wellington’s grimy toilets on time, but too polite to refuse, Sita follows the girl to a dingy little art gallery where a young artist and her mother anxiously await visitors. As Sita’s companion hungrily devours the snacks, Sita quietly listens to the mother-daughter pair.

It soon becomes clear the exhibition is a flop—the artist grows teary-eyed, consoled by her mother, while the other girl continues to scarf down and stash away the free food. It’s a quirky, moving scene. Could it happen in real life? Maybe only in strom-struck Wellington!

The novel paints a vivid sense of place, carefully mapping the Wellington region—its suburbs, landmarks, and streets—unfolding with each step of the odyssey. Brannavan Gnanalingam begins with a unique premise, and draws us into Sita’s journey through cold rain and rough wind, as darkness falls and glimmers of humanity and hope emerge in unexpected places.

Towards the end, traumatic memories of war and violence erupt in Sita’s mind, and we gain insight into the sorrows she bears, even as she seeks to build a new life in New Zealand with an unquiet mind and a weary body.

Without revealing any spoilers, I’ll say the novel’s ending is satisfying and uplifting, and in a way, it reminded me of The Grapes of Wrath's conclusion.

Sodden Downstream is a beautifully crafted story of resilience, identity, and the everyday struggles of striving, faltering, and carrying on.

[Giuliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful in a gut wrenching way. A genuine look at a day (and what a day!) in the life of a Sri Lankan refugee and her family. Real people, real struggles, the indifference of those who don't care and the caring touch of those who do. A New Zealand in turmoil, unsunitised by the LOTR and bungee jumping commercials. A true NZ, where, for some, getting to work to earn enough to barely get by is a daily occurrence. And when these daily struggles are told with the backdrop of civil war, you know a powerful, courageous, touching book is in the making!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sodden Downstream is an impressive novella from New Zealand author Brannavan Gnanalingam, recently featured in Meet a Kiwi Author.  As you can tell from the cover design, the book is concerned with the everyday, but the question that arises from reading it is, how did the everyday come to be like this?
This is the blurb:

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 story traces less than 24 hours in the life of Sita, each short chapter identified by precise digital time from 12.14pm to 8.13am the next day, yet it portrays a lifetime in New Zealand’s underclass.  Sita is one of the invisible army of workers in the brave new world of contract cleaning…
Here in Victoria, schools used to have their own cleaners as part of the staff.  They were paid by the department like the teachers were, and they had sick leave and holidays and superannuation just like we did.  Some of them lived onsite and were also caretakers, and most of them were handymen too.  The infamous Jeff Kennett sacked them all when he became premier, inviting them to set up their own contract cleaning business.  And thus began the school cleaning contract merry-go-round:
*A satisfactory quotation for the work, based on a centrally calculated number of hours per area cleaned, more hours for classrooms in daily use, less for spaces thought by bean-counters to be used less often such as the school library or a gym or computer room (all also in daily use).  Cash-strapped principals took time to learn that the quotation which undercut the last one was a bad idea. They also learned that the person with whom they negotiated the contract was the owner of the business, not a cleaner, not someone to supervise the work done.  Money paid to him is an expense deducted from the money available to staff the actual cleaning.
*A team of underpaid unskilled workers scamper to cover the areas to be cleaned in what is an inadequate amount of time.  The school is fresh and clean for about two weeks … the workers can’t sustain the pace.
*Verbal complaints – promises to improve.
*Written complaints in a logbook – teachers learn that it is less trouble to empty a rubbish bin than it is to record that it hadn’t been emptied. But how do you record general grubbiness?
*Stains accumulate.  Teachers learn to bring cleaning products and equipment from home.
*Covert negotiations with a new cleaning company so that the unsatisfactory one doesn’t decamp prematurely in a huff.
*Back to square one.
Under the radar of this merry-go-round in schools, offices and public buildings all over the country are people like Sita in Sodden Downstream.

Sita used to be employed by the company.  She had the benefit of annual leave and sick pay and holiday pay.  However, the laws changed according to her fellow cleaners, and they all lost their jobs.  They became contractors without the annual and the sick pay and the holiday pay. Or for that matter, even the guaranteed hours beyond the most nominal.  One of her colleagues blamed ‘The Hobbit’ but Sita didn’t know what he meant. That was a movie Satish wanted to see but they couldn’t afford the tickets.  Her boss talked about how the new arrangements would be ‘beneficial to all’ as what he kept getting ‘told by his staff’ was that they ‘wanted flexibility’. No one recalled being asked.  He didn’t give them much choice over the roster.  The much vaunted flexibility was, well, more uncertainty. And a completely destroyed sleep cycle.  If you couldn’t make it on a few hours’ notice, you wouldn’t get many hours the following week. (p.26)

Sodden Downpour takes place in a single day when Sita is called in to work on a day of torrential downpours.  Landslides, flooding and traffic jams don’t alter the imperative.  She is in no position to reject the ad hoc nature of her cleaning job.  When the trains are cancelled, she has to walk…
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/12/20/s...

[Kiwiflora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shortlisted for the 2018 Ockham NZ Book Awards in the Fiction category, this little book of 178 pages is simply amazing. I read it in one wet Sunday afternoon, could not put it down, it touched me deeply from a humanity point of view, the random kindness of strangers, and probably a realistic look at what life is like for those at the bottom of the economic heap - the refugee - displaced, damaged, desperately poor, broken.

Sita is a Sri Lankan refugee, living in a state housing flat in Naenae, in the Hutt Valley with her out of work husband who had migrated to NZ a couple of years before civil war ripped Sri Lanka apart. They have a 9 year old son who was only a baby when the war happened. Although it is never said, I expect he is a deeply traumatised child, with nothing ever really done to fully address what he and his mother went through. Sita has a cleaning job, working as part of a group cleaning Wellington's office buildings in the evenings through to the early hours. As you would expect the pay, the conditions, the abysmal attitude of her employer, the drudgery is very grim. The family lives a hand to mouth existence, unable to earn more than a certain amount for fear of having their benefit reduced.

So topical now with the extreme weathers around the world, a storm is on its way to torment Wellington with wind, record rainfall, cold. Sita has to go to work, she has no choice, but the trains aren't going, the Hutt road and roads in Petone are flooded, cars are stranded, but she has to get there. This is the story of that journey, that 24 hours. How is she going to get there? Well, what are our legs and feet for - but to walk. And so she does.

It could almost be comical and whimsical in its purpose - what crazy person is going to walk to Wellington in the dark, in the wet? It really is quite mad. But she has no choice, this is what she must do. She has nothing else, only this job. This book is the story of her walk to work, those she meets, those who help, those who are, in different ways, as desperate as she is. We learn the story of how she came to New Zealand, the war, the violence, the horror inflicted upon civilians as their world is ripped apart and destroyed. As difficult as this day may seem to us in our warm, comfortable little world, I expect for Sita it never comes close to what she has gone through to get to this point, and this is probably what drives her on in her quest to make it to her work.

I loved reading about the setting of Naenae and Lower Hutt, very, very familiar to me, having grown up there. I commuted from the very railway stations Sita uses for some years as a student and city worker, and know the streets very well, a bicycle being my only other means of transport for some years. The author writes brilliantly about Lower Hutt: I can see the streets, the houses, the railway line, feel the damp, the cold, the slick wet roads chocka block with cars. Most of all I loved the humanity in this book, those who never stop trying to make a day better for others less fortunate, who go out of their way to help, and be kind.

[Bala Murali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a solid read - the actual story is relatively simple and clear and this works really well. It's the characters, the world and the details that really bring this book alive. Sri Lankan refugee Sita works as a contract overnight cleaner in downtown Wellington and is called in to work last minute on the night of a storm that has shut down the city.

For me, the book is a celebration of ordinary people and a window into the refugee experience of folks who have survived and fled from war. Sita herself is a quiet but resilient, optimistic protagonist and you desperately want to see her succeed. She meets a bunch of people in her journey who go out of their way to help her and each other. People who, like her, are also at the mercy of bigger things like the police or their own bosses, but still insist on going out of their way for their fellow people, despite the horrible situations.

At the same time, it's a scathing critique of systems and capitalism, we follow the journey of this refugee cleaner and it's made so clear from the get-go how she's at the mercy of what her boss wants. There are so many small details that cleverly take a stab at things like the unkept promises of politicians and governments, the unnecessarily complicated criteria for getting financial support through WINZ and the precarious and exploitative nature of contract work. The ending specifically is incredibly infuriating, but so very believable considering the circumstances.

There's also a lot of New Zealandness and the protagonist's perspective on kiwi idiosyncrasies bring some quirk and also provoke you to think. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those who might not have much contact with or knowledge of refugee experiences in New Zealand.

[Kay Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Topical reading as a new tropical cyclone approaches Aotearoa New Zealand, and the challenges facing people in low wage jobs and uncaring bosses continue. Sita thought after leaving a conflict zone and settling in a new country that life would improve. It has but it's far from perfect.

Sita encounters many characters on her way to work when public transport is out because of the floods. Some characters face as many hardships as she does. Other characters show their ignorance or casual cruelty. Throughout, Sita shines with her perserverance. As a series of snapshots, the book shares a slice of life that more comfortably off New Zealanders should learn about. There is no pretty resolution at the end of this slice of life, more an acknowledgement that life is, and will continue to be, hard.

I still have hope for better although I'm not sure if Sita does for herself or only for her son.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the idea for this book - an older immigrant woman in Wellington and the problems she faces around making a living and finding acceptance. I especially like that other characters who are very different from the immigrant woman are also introduced, so that we become aware of the depth to which work, housing and other problems currently affect people from across the spectrum (including, but not only immigrants) in modern New Zealand. My main complaint is that I found it hard to engage with the main character for the first several chapters of the book. It does improve, though, and I will definitely be up for reading other books by this author in future.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive effort for a debut, a refugee and a second-language learner. I don't mean that to sound patronising, although it probably is. I should just say it's quite impressive. The message is a bit too obvious perhaps- too many coincidental meetings with down-and-outs, who are all supportive of the plucky heroine, and unhappy encounters with the better-heeled who are all arseholes, but still, that's probably what's most likely to happen IRL.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The descriptions of the routes taken by various drivers in the midst of a terrible Wellington storm were a bit tedious, the shame of the Sri Lankan cleaner Sita was heart wrenching, the people she met during her journey to Central Wn from Naenae either hitchhiking or walking were heart warming. Overall enlightening and wistful and sad.

[Sarah Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little jewel of a book. One night in the Hutt Valley, Sita a Tamil refugee, attempts to make her way through the cyclone to her work as a cleaner in downtown Wellington. Around this seemingly simple premise Brannavan Gnanalingam constructs a moving and memorable novel. Recommended.

[Chris House · Rating 5 out of 5]

There hasn't been a better New Zealand novel since The Bone People.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good for me to read, and I appreciated what it was trying to do, even if it felt a bit forced at points

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot. It was a different perspective on the familiar.

[Diane Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the local references, but the writing style wasn’t for me

[Merryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully crafted; a sad commentary on immigrant life in NZ.

[Joseph Ernest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really great.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this cover to cover in one sitting. Such a good story and so well written. Captures Lower Hutt and the way we treat vulnerable people.

[Gavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute gem. Wonderfully written journey into Wellington during a heavy storm. Love the quirky dream-like interactions with a cast of characters - quite ethereal. A nuanced and subtle way to deliver a powerful message about immigration and working in the gig economy. Very similar in style to Australian author Wayne Macauley (particularly "Some tests").

[Marie Greaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. Should be required reading for every NZ politician.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, real and powerful. A must read.

[Maggie Rainey-Smith]

Highly recommend this book and that you read it, in one long gulp... Sita's journey is so much more than just Waterloo to the Terrace... You will love Sita and you will be so glad that you will cry when she says 'I'm coming home now'. I live in the Hutt Valley and work with migrants and refugees in the ESOL sector. This story resonated in so many ways - as the author says, it is a bit of a love song to the Hutt too. Even if you don't live in the Hutt, or NZ, this is a story worth reading, and you'll meet some lovely characters along the way.

[Narrative Muse]

Read this if: You go for books about marginalized people and the emotional, socioeconomic, and physical worlds they inhabit.

Meet Sita, a Tamil refugee from Sri Lanka living in New Zealand. Tensions are high. A storm is brewing and thousands flee the city, but Sita is forced to face the tempest as her employer threatens to terminate her contract. We love that this novela gives voice to a minority that’s too rarely heard. And she’s so real. In many ways, it offers a snapshot of everyday life. But it also made us wonder, angrily: how did this get to be ‘normal’?