Talanoa

"Prose (mainly fiction) and poetry in English from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Soloman Islands, Tonga and Samoa"--P. 5.

Tawera and his sister are inseparable, in a relationship that is impossible for others to share. In fact his whole whanau is bonded by secrets, a genealogy stitched together by shame, joy, love and sometimes grief. Patricia Grace's new novel merges recent headlines with stories of a heartfelt family history. It is an account of the mysteries that operate at many levels between generations, where the present is the pivot, the centre of the spiral, looking outward to the past and future that define it.

This book is about the Tamihana family who faces many problems. A disabled boy comes into their life out of nowhere but is immediately becomes a part of the family. The community is brought together by this one child because he also comes with a special gift of knowing. Unfortunately, this family hits a turning point. There is some unfinished business from the past that comes into play with their lives again.