Poinciana

by Jane Turner Goldsmith

Catherine Piron is in Noumea, searching for traces of the father she barely remembers. She meets journalist Henri Boulez, her only lead in a foreign country. Their journey into the remote regions of New Caledonia uncovers an extraordinary story that, like the island itself, la fois claire et noire au soleil shimmers light and dark in the sun.

Genres: Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Danielle Clode]

I greatly enjoyed this book which gently explores the complexities and tragedies of colonisation and immigration in the context of both cultural and familial loss. The shifting point of view and timeframes allows us to gain a variety of perspectives while Catherine's development (or perhaps recovery) keeps the story focused around the main narrative. (Although I did find the switch from first to third person for the main character confusing at times). The descriptions of New Caledonia felt both apt and astute, providing insights into a complicated history without feeling the need to provide all the answers. It's a charming and quite heart-warming read told with great sensitivity to the pain that decisions of the past can cause to those left behind.

[Neroli Dobson]

This was just an 'OK' read. Catherine returns to her childhood home in Noumea in search of the father she had grown up thinking was dead. Instead she finds herself searching for someone else. No one finds anyone they were looking for, everyone is crippled with emotional baggage. A little interesting history squeezed into conversations in a contrived sort of way. I don't mind novels that skip between points of view but this was messy - too many voices and too much random skipping around in time was confusing. I endured to the end just to find out the resolution but of course aside from a little potential romance there was none. So many loose ends still untied at the end - was it really an 'end'? It was so hard to tell.

[Joan]

A delightful story of pre- independence New Caledonia troubles and a woman chasing a father she thought dead and the key to her past. A parallel tale of a baby boy found abandoned and the connection between their two lives. Beautifully written, interesting, realistic and characters you could identify with.

[Jane Moores]

Really enjoyable.The book really brought New Caledonia and its history to life. I flicked back a few times to try and guess the links between the older storyline and the current storyline.