What a delightful book. It is spare and quirky and dryly humorous. Though it includes numerous fantastical occurrences, I wouldn't quite call it magic realism; more like metaphorical absurdity. Surreal things happen, and the characters grapple with them just like anything else that happens, because sometimes life feels absurd.

This is a book about people--none of whom realize it--who have lost themselves. They don't realize they themselves are lost, but they are all confronted, at the start of their stories, with the loss of something else, something unexpected and unrealistic. The stories are shared in a series of short, alternating chapters, vignettes that weave in, out, around, and through each other. Those people are all, of course, unmoored by their losses, forced out of their comfortable ruts and left to drift in confusion. And they are all gradually spurred to find solutions to their predicaments, to seek, hopefully (open-endedly), new habits and fulfillment.

Janina Matthewson manages her words masterfully. And her tales of people learning new ways to confront the world entertain, arouse, and linger.

Many little stories following people who have things in their lives go astray.
And how these things connect them to other people, help them to discover new paths and talents. Very unique. Well written, well put together.
Really enjoyed this book, it's brilliant, and very simple.

Awesome whimsical novel from a Christchurch native. I found the description of the earthquakes very true to my experience. A beautiful, meaningful novel. Highly recommended!

A must read for everyone and anyone, from a very talented writer. Love this!!!!